What Food is NOT

Hey Weight Loss Wednesday gals. Hope you had a fantastic week and, if you didn’t (like yours truly) you’ll find encouragement here today. :-)

I wanted to chat a bit about what food is not. It is a topic at the forefront of my mind right now since last week,  I made food a few things it was never designed to be.

Let me explain.

When I arrived home from a busy speaking event and faced my week ahead, it looked like this:

  • Inventory and re-pack books
  • Unpack suitcase
  • Enter in credit card orders over the phone (taken by hand since my machine was down! Ughh!)
  • Jump back into school with on son who had a trip to the homeschool academy (two hour-long round trips one day) and one who had baseball (three trips to Detroit–over an hour away)
  • No healthy groceries in the house
  • A bridal shower to plan and put on Saturday (tons of fun but lots of work)
  • Leftover food from the shower including deadly chocolate brownies with peanut butter frosting
  • Car repairs on both of our over-a-decade old-vehicles that between them have lots of visible rust and over 400,000 miles
  • Oh, and Todd came home Friday and announced he is getting laid off again for parts of April and May

So, here is what I made food last week:

  • My stress-reliever when I was swamped
  • My distraction when I was worried
  • My comfort when I was down

Let me tell you one thing,  even though it has been frustrating for me these past few weeks to not hop on the scale and check my progress, this morning I am glad I don’t have to face that thing. I’m sure it wouldn’t be pretty.

The truth is, food was meant to nourish our bodies (not fatten our bodies)  so we can do the work God has planned for us.

End of story.

But we put food right up there in the place of God and make it an idol.  (For a past post on this topic, (and my before and after pics) click here.)

Only God was meant to be our friend, our stress-reliever and our comfort.

Chocolate-peanut butter brownies were not. They make you feel better for about 19.6 seconds when you are eating them, then they promptly turn and betray you.

Trust me.

My thighs know.

How about you? What role are you tempted to make food play that it was never meant for? Or simply check in and tell us how you are doing, even if all you say is “restart”.  We want to pray for you!

And I’ll take all the prayers I can get this week!

Cyber-sister Blessings,

37 Comments

  1. Hi Karen,
    I subscribe to Proverbs 31 and read your article yesterday and was touched…. so I checked out your blog and love what I have read so far. There are many women who have gone through this and I think you have the right idea of putting yourself out there for others. You are touching many lives and I think you are doing a wonderful job. What is even more wonderful is that the women on this sight are ministering and praying for one another. That is awesome! This is what being a believer in Christ should be about. Not just listening to each other, but praying for each other. Giving the burden on our hearts over to God!

    I have struggled with my weight for most of my life. I have hit that lovely 40+ years… and the weight definitely adds up a lot quicker than it comes off. For 7 weeks or so I have been working at eating healthier and have successfully lost 14lbs. For the past 3 weeks I have lost none. So, at times, I find myself at a plateau physically, emotionally and spiritually! I know that this is a life long choice on which I am going to have to work. That thought is overwhelming but I am realizing that all I am required to do is take it a day at a time. God is a good God. He could make us change our habits in the blink of an eye, but He loves each of us so much that He wants to change us from the inside out… not the outside in.

    Thank you for your words and for sharing your heart.

  2. I realized what the devils plan was concerning me and being overweight. When I am overweight, I feel defeated. I feel, not myself. So, I realized that when I am feeling like over-eating, which causes weight gain, and then the defeated, not myself feelings. That I should be aware of the devil and do anything else to avoid the process.
    Our enemy wants to take us out of the game, make us choose to avoid God’s plan for our lives. Therefore, I am praying for each and every one of us that we would out smart the devil and choose a healthy life to serve Him with our bodies. When we are unhealthy, eating for comfort, and distorting our bodies I believe that we can miss God’s boat.
    May God mature and ripen our self-control fruit of the spirit. And, may we live in VICTORY, presenting our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice.
    Living the Abundant Life!
    Alicia

  3. Let me start by saying I need you guys. Badly. This morning I had a quiet meltdown, one in my spirit. The weather is getting warmer so I can’t layer anymore. No more blazers or long sleeved shirts. Unless, of course, I want to perish from the heat. Last summer I was laid off so I could hide in my house and not be seen. The summer before that I was thin. I remember the thin me, but only see the fat me. So this morning when trying to find something comfortable to wear on what is expected to be a near 90 degree day I nearly broke down and cried. Nothing fits. And what does fit – sort of – is tight. But even if I did have something that fits I still look fat. Fat face, fat arms, fat shoulders, fat gut, fat legs. I haven’t seen my clavicle in at least 24 months. I’m disgusted. Full of self-loathing. I can’t hide anymore. I have to deal with this, face it. What happened? Why did I let myself go like this? I have never been so overweight. 30 pounds needs to go. At least. I have been “trying” but end up eating out of depression, stress, boredom, and the worst one – shame.

    It was a bad morning. I just can’t stand this anymore.

    I got in my car and prayed, “God, I need help with this. Bring me help. I cannot stand looking like this, feeling like this.” I know God is not as hard on me as I am on myself, but being in my late 40’s and suddenly finding myself, well, FAT, is pretty harsh.

    I bought a treadmill recently so I could exercise and not be seen. Plus I could watch TV for a distraction. I have more workout videos than anyone I know. But I don’t see results fast enough and give up. Then I eat.

    You all know exactly what I am talking about.

    I need help. I cannot, cannot do this alone, but I have to lose this weight. The health issues are one thing, but for me the emotional distress of being fat are much worse. I don’t want to be seen in public. What if I run into someone who hasn’t seen me since I gained all this weight? I know what they’ll think. “WHAT HAPPENED to HER?” It used to be, “Wow, Barb, you look so good. How do you stay so fit?”

    I am encouraged that I believe God heard my prayer because I was sent the Proverbs 31 devotional by a person I met on the train recently. Today of all days (my cry out to God in the car day) I see this wonderful site.

    Question is, how do we connect in here more intimately? Is there a more interactive site for encouragement and accountability? Like I said before, I need you guys. Badly.

    Love,
    Barb

  4. Hello, Karen,
    Thank you for today’s Proverbs 31 devotion – it really is a hard thing to keep control of your weight, to eat “right”, to not use it as a comforter, and to trust God to keep you as we have such powerful self-will’s to overcome.

    However, it is true – you have to commit to something and stick to it and that is what I’m trying to find within myself again – the will to keep on going. To be included in all your prayers would be awesome! :)

  5. Thanks so much for your insight and compassion. I will look into the POS that you mentioned. The Dr. doesn’t think my levels would support hypothyroidism tho my fatigue & other symptoms would!

    Wondering if there are any other “perimenopausal” sisters out there who are experiencing similar symptoms and are finding strategy to overcome. Don’t want to get used to having an overwgt. BMI in my head or my example to my children (especially for my middle daughter).

    Thanks for your prayers and wise counsel!

  6. Renae—Jesus does not want anyone unhealthy! That thought is from the Enemy, rebuke it! Have you gone to a dr to have testing bc there are illnesses that make it very hard for women to lose weight, like polycystic ovary syndrome and hypothyroidism. I believe there is an underlying problem. On BL the contestants struggle losing weight no matter how hard they exercise & eat the right foods until they have a major emotional breakthrough. Seeing a Christian counselor might help! :)
    Seek Jesus for the next step & the Holy Spirit will guide you. ((HUGS))

  7. OH MY! For the 1st time, I am in the overwgt category for BMI. I’ve done a little research & understand that, at age 47, my hormones are high-jacking my body! Ghrelin is making me feel like I am starving (when normally I wouldn’t be) & leptin won’t let my hunger feel satisfied (when normally I would be). Then through in the changing levels of estrogen & all the fun THAT brings & I’m ready to give up!

    I exercise 3-5 days a week, try to eat healthy (my family will vouch for me!) & OH MY! Really discouraged. Had the opportunity to use a group fitness trainer for 6 wks & I wrote down everything I ate & had it approved – I only lost 3.5 lbs. & THAT was while working out @ levels seen on Biggest Loser – can’t sustain that level on my own & don’t have the disposable income to keep paying a trainer.

    I am pursuing Jesus… starting to think He wants me “overwgt” @ this season of my life! What’s a girl to do?

  8. Just found this web-site yesterday and know that God has led me here. I’ve been struggling with weight/food issues practically my whole life and the fact that I use food as my comfort and stress relief instead of going to God and His Word. I will be praying for all of you and your struggles.

    Looking forward to the week ahead.
    Thanks!

  9. Oh ladies. That last comment was from me, not from anonymous. I thought I was logged in when I posted. Ugh!!!

  10. Gals! Oh how I wish I could reach through the laptop screen and hug you all! So many are struggling right now and my heart breaks for sweet Jessica and her precious baby, now in Jesus’ arms. And Beatriz and her bump, and Kimberlee’s sweet baby Booboo and on and on….. Please know you are at the forefront of my prayers and tucked away in my heart all week. I treasure you all and Jesus treasures you even more! Cyber {{(hugs)}}

  11. Gabriela, praying for Beatriz. My daughter struggled with a bump on the back of her head when she was little. It was something that you get from animals that have a sort of ringworm, which our cat did not. We had no idea how she got it & she was on meds twice, it was resilient. :( Scary for me, so we had people lay hands on her, praises to God for His healing!
    Jessica, ((HUGS)) I’m so sorry!
    Crystal, praying the Holy Spirit reveals to you ways you can reduce stress with such a busy schedule. I’m very concerned how busy you are.
    Thank you everyone for your prayers!

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