“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
In our last post we talked about the benefits of hunger. Since we are hungry, our brains are working more efficiently. Now we can think about why it is we eat in the first place.
The human body is a machine. This machine runs on fuel. We want to be smart and fast and efficient because we have important work to do. Therefore, we want to put the best possible fuel into our machine and the best fuel is not White Castle French fries and milk shakes. Some of us have spent years putting toxic sugar, fat and salt into our machines and our fuel tanks are rusted out. Therefore, we require a complete overhaul. This overhaul includes sandblasting our taste buds by eliminating the residue and cravings. This seems very painful in the beginning but once perfected, we will have an efficient machine. Even better, we will forge new healthy habits that will sustain us through the fires of affliction. Our new, battle tested bodies will be able to withstand pesky temptation when it tries to interfere with our regimen. And, we will be able to fulfill the purpose for which we were created.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23
Re-learning how to eat food can be a daunting experience if we look at it through the wrong lens. If we focus on all the things we can no longer have, we will be tempted to give up before we begin. My first foray into sugar-free eating was terrifying. I prayed that God would help me for 30 days to be sugar-free. God honored that prayer of faith and He will honor your prayers too. We have to take this journey one step at a time so let’s not get overwhelmed. (And if you are already hyperventilating, go hide in your closet, cry it out, and come back when you are ready).
Some of us have food allergies or medical conditions that seem prohibitive. I would encourage you to take an honest assessment of what you can and can’t consume and work it into your plan. This is your plan. You may want me to write out a diet for you but I’m not going to do that because many people wiser than I have done this already. I visited the library and picked up books from different authors that I liked. I picked from recipes I thought I would like to eat and then ate small portions. Just because I stopped eating fast food, doesn’t mean I didn’t make the foods I liked. I still ate meat loaf, tacos and pizza—just in moderation and made from scratch so I knew what went in it. I think it glorifies God for us to enjoy the food we eat—otherwise, why would he have given us such a wonderful thing like a tongue with which to taste it all.
The most important thing would be to consider that your stomach is roughly the size of your fist and we generally shouldn’t eat much more than will fill it. Now, I’ve been known to break this rule if what I’m eating is fiber rich and calorie negligent. Meaning, I eat lots of cabbage, lettuce, green beans and broccoli. I eat small amount of protein (beans, nuts, or meat) and moderate portions of fruits. I personally tend to avoid pastas—especially when combined with fats like butter. Fat slows down the digestion of complex carbohydrates and makes us lethargic. I love butter and use a lot of it. (Butter is my best friend next to Becky!) So, I use it on my vegetables instead of bread.
Your grand adventure with food is going to be fun and profitable. While you learn to consume food that nourishes instead of poisoning the body, you will feel better.
“I go to war against gluttony because those who have walked closely with God warn me that overeating dulls me to God’s accepting presence, makes me more vulnerable to other sins, negatively affects my relationships with other people, and robs me of the joy rightfully mine as an adopted, deeply loved, and accepted child of God.” – Gary Thomas
Now for the really great news! Once you eliminate sugar from your diet, everything tastes sweeter. Milk is sweet. Vegetables are sweet. Fruit is sweet. Also, we can learn how to cook and bake with natural sugars like maple syrup, honey and stevia without the glycemic response from our overactive pancreas. Stores like Trade Joe’s and Aldi have lines of food that is organic, has few—if any chemicals—and taste fantastic. I personally enjoy their freeze-dried strawberries, Fuji apples and pears as a light snack. They also have nuts and popcorn. Yes, I eat popcorn. I buy the whole kernels and cook them in the air popper. Dried fruits like raisins and apricots are good in moderation as well.
For my salty/crunchy food loving friends, I hear air fryers are amazing. I don’t have one personally so I can’t speak to them other than what my friends say.
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
At this point I would like to say that it takes great courage to re-think the way you eat. Courage is a muscle we must exercise because we will need it in the days ahead. When you run out of courage, find an accountability partner to keep you honest and whisper (or shout) words of encouragement when you need them. Also, remember to cry out to Jesus. He wants you to learn discipline and He will help you as He helps all of His children who trust in Him.
Next time…What do you mean, exercise? Are you trying to kill me?
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