Week 29

Make a conscious effort to think about every food choice you make this week.

How is your 100% approach coming this week?  Did you spend time last week thinking about the challenge to find your 100% approach?  Let's work on implementing it this week!

It is so important to your success that you don't mindlessly eat or eat for the wrong reasons.  Sometimes, it helps to break old, unhealthy habits by just being more aware of what you are doing.  So stop before you fix anything or eat anything and evaluate your choice. 

One of the hardest times to stay with your 100% approach is for parties and celebrations.  I now always serve 100% FoodsbyGod meals to give ourselves and our friends good choices of foods to eat - whether at home or if taking foods/meals to share.  Since I plan in advance what I will serve, we do not need to worry about our food choices.

I used to think when having people over (about 15 - 20 years ago) that I would not spend the extra money on better quality foods since the person(s) would not appreciate it anyway.  However, God showed me one day that I needed an attitude adjustment when I made a meal for a single-mom neighbor and her little kids after her surgery.  I bought chicken from Super 1 Foods, our local grocery store, and I was nauseated by the smell cooking it.  Into the dish I also added a can of 'chemical-laden' Campbell's cream of mushroom soup.  I finished the dish and told Fred that I could not take it to her - especially knowing that she was sick and needed good nutrients to heal her body.  Fred reminded me that I had told her I was bringing dinner and I only had 15 minutes left.  So with a very heavy heart, I delivered the meal to her that I would not feed to my own family.  That was a life changing moment for me. God showed me that I was not living out Luke 6:31, "Do to others as you would have them do to you."  The amazing thing is that after this point of realization and subsequent obedience, God began to use me in the area of food and diet to help heal people of their chronic health issues.  What a honor and what a humbling experience.  It is very important that you ask God to help you define your 100% approach.

The above photo is from Jon's birthday party last fall.  We had a small party for him and I fixed all good quality foods, including my brownies for his 'birthday cake' which were a big hit.  It took many years but I have stopped the cycle and no longer need to break my sugar cravings after a party binge because I don't use processed sugar in anything I make anymore (I use raw honey, pure maple syrup, and dried fruits for sweeteners).  

But you must find your approach that is fun for you, and not a drudgery list of to-do's.

Here are some tips to help you this week:

1.  If you are a journal person, set a notebook by your place at the table.  Think about jotting down what you eat.  If you begin by writing down what is on your plate before you begin eating, you will begin to think about your food choices before you mindlessly eat something.  Seeing the journal at the table will help you remember.

2.  Start a note page on your phone or take a small notebook with you, and do the same when you eat out.  Try to think about what you are going to eat before you are out and starving and ready to grab the first fast food option that you see.  You might even find that this helps you to remember to bring along a snack that you can eat while out.  If you work, think about bringing your lunch and snacks with you from home.

3.  Make a meal planner.  I like to use a weekly one; use one that works for you.  Then purchase the foods you need for the meals you have planned so that you have good options at home. 

4.  If a meal planner approach is too structured for you, then be sure you get rid of all man-made processed foods from you home and replace them with good quality foods and ingredients.  Then you will only have good choices available when you decide what foods to prepare.  I hope you have or are working on cleaning out and restocking your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer.

5.  Try Joanna's approach and praise God with joy and thanksgiving before eating anything.  Not only will this help you be aware of your food choices, I know that God will strengthen you and bless you in your effort.

6.  Involve a friend and share with each other your food choices.  Sharing a project with a friend is an excellent way to encourage you and help you remember when you get busy.

If you slip up and knowingly or unknowingly indulge in some junk food that you didn't really want to eat, DON'T beat yourself up and get depressed about it.  This will not help.  Instead try to learn from the experience and evaluate what happened.  Then plan for the next time you are in this situation so you can do better.  You cannot change the past, only the future. 

For example, if you have been doing great at home and go away on a trip and completely fall off track with your diet, remember this before your next trip.  Then make some plans in advance to help you do better.  I've outlined several things we do concerning food when we travel. 

Enjoy the abundance of great foods that God has given us.  There are few restrictions, so don't listen to Satan's lies that you must give us the good foods to eat healthy.  You only must give up man-made processed foods, which are so addictive and not really foods anyway (or they would not destroy our health).  AMAZING results are possible when one simply goes back to eating real food!

"So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus."  Romans 8:1