Discontentment and your health ( a good read if you are on a weight loss plan, fasting or on any types of dietary restrictions)

God is so faithful to supply all of our needs especially our need for food. And boy do we have enough food!! In other parts of the county people are starving and we are eating enough calories/food to pack on some major pounds. And yet we are still discontent.

We know that God has provided us with plants and animals for food and clothing. But we want more. We want better. We want tastier. Did you know that sometimes provision is actually "the bare minimum" or just enough"?

Theres a story in the bible that we can ALL relate to. After being miraculously released from slavery in Egypt, the israelites found them selves in the wilderness. And GOD, the one who delivered them from bondage, provided them with food in the form of manna. They collected it and ate it like bread. God was faithful. God provided. He gave them this after hearing them complain about not having enough to eat.

But it wasn't enough. They continued with more complaints, revealing their dissatifaction and even longed for the foods they had when they were ENSLAVED,

" ....If only we had MEAT to eat!! We remember the fish we had in Egypt at no cost. -The cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite. we see nothing but manna!!!" -Numbers 11:4-6

Certainly they had reason to be grateful. They were delivered from bondage and now given food provisions.
Dissatisfaction can cloud our perception and make us ungrateful for daily blessings we experience daily.

The manna was free on their part. no work involved. no seeds, soil, sunlight, time... just food from the sky!! Instead of being thankful, they wanted more. They found the RESTRICTION intolerable.
See where I am going?

God decided they would live under a set of dietary restrictions. There food, for the season, was Manna. They were upset because limits were placed on what they could eat, and what they were missing.

They obviously enjoyed the pleasant taste of many different types of foods. Yet now, for reasons they cant control, were required to abide by certain guidelines, but their flesh rejected it and they couldnt show gratitude for this provision by God himself.

Conclusion:

Take this as you will. Whether you are in a season where your not able to eat a certain foods due to money, perhaps you are fasting, perhaps you are trying to get healthy or lose weight etc..
I say be content with what you do (or do not have) you want the sweets. you want the treats, the fatty foods, fast food, you want the foods you cannot have for THIS season. Well, get over it. God has provided food in general, and to that we should be thankful.

Lets say your goal is weight loss. Well, the truth is, weight loss DOES require us to restrict the amount of food we eat and to set limits on the types of foods we eat. And it is GOOD to set some parameters when it comes to what we eat.
We tend to let RESTRICTION cloud our eyes of provision. We focus on what we are missing rather than what we have been given.

In numbers (21.5), the isralites said, "we Detest this miserable food!!"
Manna wasnt miserable, the problem was their rebellious, self indulgent hearts that couldnt come with terms of living with a set of dietary restrictions.

A lot of people despise some of the foods that will better their health. "i remember the danish rolls, and bacon i used to eat every morning" i dont want anymore fruit and oatmeal!"

Like manna, healthy food becomes an easy target. God has given us the earth to produce foods (fruits, veggies, whole grains) that are benificial to our health and well being. How dare we complain about them!!

Response? stop complaining about the food, and start examining your heart.

Unless we let the Holy spirit examine our hearts, we too will respond in the same way. Healthy foods are a blessing from the Lord and being content with them, is great GAIN.

So whether youa re restricting to be healthy, lose weight or perhaps are starting a fast, remember to be thanful and not always WANTING more taste, more food more more more.

If you struggle with food or need help with discipline, i reccommend fasting as well. Fasting can help you master this appetite, by filling yourself with God instead of certain foods/pleasures.The key is to replace the cravings with Worship, the word and prayer. And remember to not hold on so tight to things that really arent that important.

We are to live a disciplined life. Self controlled. This is evidence of Gods spirit and work in our lives.
No longer living unself controlled as we use to to. and this includes the area of food, in which food is by far mans strongest appetite. But it can be mastered. If we walk in contentment and by the Holy spirit.
Kelly the trainer
"Live THE Life"

Half Way through the hoildays..........

Awesome! You have made it through candy season and the day of Gluttony (Thanksgiving)... just a few weeks to go. But..oh, wait. then there is Christmas... gotta enjoy the partys and food festivities!!

Can't forget New Years..lots of food-get togethers there. But its a new year! Time to get back on track from the hoildays!!
Then... shoot. Valentines Day (more candy!!) and Easter... an Easter dinner and more candy! Another get together for mothers day that supplies mothers favorite dishes....
Um. And then there is cook outs for memorial day. Followed by fathers day. More BBQ's with the 4th of July. Then I am sure we'll be eating bad for labor day, flag and earth day, right?? Dont forget all the birthdays..in which you MUST have cake!!

Are you getting my point yet?

You see, there is always going to be SOMETHING. There is always going to be food get togethers, temptations and reasons to eat. And we play this game with ourselves. Its just one day... when this is over, I will get back on track. Let me just enjoy ONE DAY!

And then the cycle continues. And we get, well, no where.

Think about it. Think back to each year up to 5 years ago. What changes have been made to your body. Are you gaining? Maintaining? Losing?
Find the pattern. Make the change. It is up to you.

These "days" will never end. You wont "get it together" once school gets out. or once the kids are back in school, or when you go back to work, or once this hoilday is over. Why? because there is always something else.

These things arent the issue. Dare I say it? YOU ARE.

You are the issue.

You have to decide what is important and what lifestyle you will lead. What compromises you will make. What places you will go. What foods you buy. What gym member ships you DONT get.

Life is a series of choices. One compromise after another. Once bite here one bite there.

So here we are. Faced with a choice. Do you want it?
How bad?
Bad enough to stop going to your favorite resturant?
Bad enough to wake up at 5:00am (b/c thats the only time you can squeeze it in?)
Bad enough to keep a daily food journal
Bad enough to say no to dessert?
Bad enough to stop going out with people that don't support your goals?
Bad enough to not have family ice cream night anymore?

How bad do you want it?
Do you want it sometimes, until the going gets tough?
Do you want it until things get tough or the temptation gets the best of you?
Do you want it until stress hits?

This is your question to answer today. Not to be decided upon quickly. What price are you willing to pay? If your not willing to pay the price, no biggie. but dont fool yourself into thinking that you are and then dont follow through. that is what will separate those reaching their goals and those that dont.
And IF you are..... Well, DONT GIVE UP! KEEP GOING!! YOU WILL GET THERE. THROUGH ALL THE STRUGGLE, "NO'S", AND SACRIFICES. IT WILL BE WORTH IT!!