Just starting my journey

I have been overweight, obese or morbidly obese for fifty years. Even when I achieved triple digit weight loss 25 years ago, I was still considered overweight. During that weight loss journey, I remember saying to a group at church that if I had the same struggle with crack as I did with food, My husband would not have been permitted to be a deacon. I think because there were others in the room with food issues no one agreed with me. I will say however, after that discussion our Sunday night fellowships started to include veggie trays along with the cookies.

Evangelicals are often hard on crack heads, alcoholics, weed and tobacco users but seem to be ok with obese pastors. I Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." How should we apply this verse to our lives? It is very much understood that we do not need crack, beer and weed to live but we do need food. But friends, we do not need Cinnabonns, kettle potato chips, fried Mac & cheese or white rice with chicken fat sweetened with white sugar to live. Those of us who have food addiction have processed foods and/or sugar in our diet.

We are not saved by works, eating a whole food diet, but we should make choices as those who have transformed lives. I Peter 1:15 "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do".

My friends, I know I need to change the way that I view food. There are some foods I may never have again but that is ok. A McRib will not add quality to my life but kale, avocado, hemp seeds, chia seeds and raw almonds will. God has been gracious to me already with improvements in my blood pressure and blood sugar. I can testify that in less than a week I did not have the hunger pains that I had when I was limiting my calories but still including processed foods.

I have a dear friend who has coached, encouraged me through  a reduction of three pants sizes over the years. A couple of years ago he suggested that I rethink my diet. I was not ready to receive the wisdom. It took unbearable knee pain for me to see the light. I have just started my journey along the road of healthy eating and would love to talk more about it with you.