Family

Read 2 Chronicles 10-12

2 Chronicles 11:4 "Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the Lord, and returned from going against Jeroboam."

Family will be our first line of support or sabotage in our efforts to lose weight. They are closest to us and most affected by our new habits.

The kinds of foods we are now eating means we are buying less of the higher calorie foods our family is used to. It will also mean our family will be eating healthy right along with us and may not have access to other foods they may crave.

The time we take to exercise may also mean we will have less time to spend being available. Our family may have to get better organized so that they will be able to work around our new activities.

Redemption

Read 2 Chronicles 7-9

2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

We grow older and that is a blessing. Unfortunately, age takes its toll on our bodies.

The years we have not been careful about our health also take a toll on our bodies. With the damage age does and the damage our bad habits have done, our health doesn’t stand a chance.

However, we can repair some of the damage by changing our habits. It’s surprising how redemption works even on our physical beings.

Ceremony

Read 2 Chronicles 4-6

2 Chronicles 5:13 "It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord;"

Sometimes when we’re distracted and we eat, we might forget what we’ve eaten. We might even wonder if we ate.

But if we put a bit of ceremony into eating, we might be more likely to pay attention. Something as simple as using a favorite dish or even our fine china can give our eating flare.

Praying before we eat is another way to give our meals ceremony. When we pay attention to what we’re eating, we may enjoy our food more and be able to eat less.

Wisdom

Read 2 Chronicles 1-3

2 Chronicles 1:10 "Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?"

We try to eat sensibly. We’re plodding along with some success

Then we see crash diets advertised and see how quickly it is possible to lose weight on a crazy diet. At least, according to the advertisement.

We have to pray for continued wisdom. We need wisdom to take anything good from another diet, but to keep our eyes focused on becoming healthier, even if it takes longer.

Wine and Fine Dining

Read 1 Chronicles 26-29

1 Chronicles 27:27 "And over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite: over the increase of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite:"

When we go to fancy restaurants, we want to give ourselves a little more freedom in what we choose to eat and drink. We know we're likely to rack up the calories, fats, and carbohydrates, no matter what we eat.

One glass of wine a day is recommended, depending on what diet-related columns we read. Some say it can be healthy, if we stick to one.

So we still choose carefully. After listening to how a food is prepared, we can decide what might fit in best with our diet plans.

Kitchen Creativity

Read 1 Chronicles 22-25

1 Chronicles 23:29 "Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size;"

I have two dessert recipes that do not use eggs. One is for cookies and one is a cake, so when I need to provide a dessert, but don't have any eggs, those are the recipes I use.

When we get ready to prepare dinner, too often we look in our cupboards and refrigerator and see what we lack to fix what we had in mind. We carefully plan our menus because we are committed to a healthy diet.

In those instances, we will want to forget what we had planned and look again at what we have available and then put together a meal. We might surprise ourselves and our families at how tasty and healthy our kitchen creativity can be.

Ready to Cook

Read 1 Chronicles 19-21

1 Chronicles 21:23 "And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all."

Nothing is more frustrating than being in a hurry to get dinner on the table and find we’re not ready. We’re missing either the ingredients or the tools.

We need to have the right foods for the dinner we’re preparing. Not only the main things like the right meat or potatoes, but we need to have the right spices or sauces.

And isn’t it frustrating when the pan we need is holding leftovers in the refrigerator? We might be ready to cook, but not what we had planned.

Next Generation

Read 1 Chronicles 16-18

1 Chronicles 17:11 "And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom."

We don't want to pass our bad eating and exercising habits on to the next generation. We are hoping they will do as we say, not as we do.

It's only because we want to spare them the suffering we have been through. So now we're trying to set a good example for them.

We also try to balance our message because we don't want to go too far and make young people afraid of eating fat or of getting fat. Nor do we want them to become complacent about keeping healthy.

Teaching

Read 1 Chronicles 13-15

1 Chronicles 15:22 "And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful."

How much weight do we have to lose before we can teach weight loss to someone else? Do we have to reach our goal and maintain it for a few years before we dare teach others?

We respect those who have lost a ton of weight and kept it off. We are eager to learn their secrets from them.

But it can be intimidating—how can we ever hope to accomplish what they did? As long as we are losing and learning, we can teach others and encourage them to lose along with us.

Premium Water

Read 1 Chronicles 10-12

1 Chronicles 11:17 "And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!"

We need a certain amount of water each day to stay hydrated and healthy. Other drinks have chemicals and additives that make them less desirable as water substitutes.

But not all water is created equal. Some waters are also full of chemicals and additives and don’t taste good.

It’s not only taste—some water doesn’t seem any better for you than diet sodas since it’s not pure. That’s why some of us, like David, crave a certain, premium quality of water—water that tastes great and has the right additives.

Local Cuisine

Read 2 Chronicles 7-9

1 Chronicles 9:29 "Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels, and all the instruments of the sanctuary, and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices."

When we’re kids, we don’t realize that not everyone in the country is familiar with the foods we take for granted. We find out when we leave our local area and can’t find our favorites.

Going home then has another motivation. Not only do we want to see our families and friends, we want to eat the local cuisine.

But we also discover the foods we’ve become familiar with in our new location can’t be found back home. So we introduce the folks back home to our new cuisine and our new friends to our foods from back home.

Working With Food

Read 1 Chronicles 4-6

1 Chronicles 4:23 "These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work."

If we want to work with food, we are not confined to being chefs. That is the most obvious way.

We can craft with food. Remember those macaroni pictures from grade school?

Some bring their art to the food itself. Radish roses and the like are another way to work with food.

Historical Foods

Read 1 Chronicles 1-3

1 Chronicles 1:19 "And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother's name was Joktan."

Herbs, meats, vegetables, nuts, rice, fruit and the rest have been around a long time. When we eat a slice of bread, we are eating food that our ancestors ate.

The ways of preparing the food is very different, though. If you read a very old cookbook, the recipes seem strange if not downright impossible to prepare in quite that way.

The taste of those dishes are also unusual to our palates. We wouldn't dare eat any actual food that survived history, but it's interesting to think we can eat similar, if not actual historical food.

Famine

Read 2 Kings 22-25

2 Kings 25:3 "And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land."

Those of us who live here are blessed that we do not have to face real famine. Not having anything to eat, not being able to feed your family, and not being able to grow any food or find any food anywhere is unimaginable for those of us who have never faced it.

When we are hungry, we can easily find something to eat. We may choose to eat wisely or unwisely, but it is our choice.

Dieting is something we do to improve our health. We do not take the suffering others are going through lightly.

Healing Foods

Read 2 Kings 19-21

2 Kings 20:7 "And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered."

We forget sometimes that before medicine, herbs and roots were used for healing. Most of them do not have to be figured into our daily consumption totals.

We may sprinkle a healing herb on our food before we eat it. We might also prepare the foods like Isaiah did to help the healing.

We might use baking soda and water to help with digestion. We can use any edible healing substance when we need it.

Unexpected Changes

Read 2 Kings 16-18

2 Kings 17:4 "And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison."

Those around us who are used to our eating and exercising habits being a certain way may not be too pleased at the changes we have made. They may not begrudge us our choices, it’s the spillover onto them that they may find hard to take.

It may be family members we normally cook for that have grown tired of the healthy foods they are now being presented with. They miss the way things used to be.

It may be friends, coworkers, neighbors, or fellow church members that use to count on us to bring them our famous calorie-laden treat. We can certainly understand the disappointment and frustration, but we can’t let others derail our resolve.

Enabling

Read 2 Kings 13-15

2 Kings 13:21 "And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet."

A buddy system can give strength to our dieting resolve. If we have somebody we can call on to encourage us, rejoice with us, or be accountable to, it can keep us on track.

It can also be frustrating if that person has more success than we do. If that person is losing weight faster or having an easier time sticking to a diet and exercise plan, we might be a little jealous.

But we can also keep things in perspective. Even if we feel like we are the enablers of another person’s success, we can rejoice in their greater success and still be proud of our own progress.

The Right Place

Read 2 Kings 10-12

2 Kings 11:15 "But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the Lord."

If we find ourselves always wanting to eat, even if we know we’re not hungry, we may need to reprogram ourselves. We may be associating food with everything we do and everywhere we go.

Normally, there’s no problem eating in places other than at the table, but if our eating is out of control, we have a problem. We may need to stop eating in front of the television, snacking in the car, and eating while we work.

It won’t be easy, since we may be the only ones not eating, but for our weight’s sake, we will want to discipline ourselves. Once we reprogram our habits, eating only at the right place will become easier.

Food on the Cheap

Read 2 Kings 7-9

2 Kings 7:1 "Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria."

We love a good sale, but may not always trust one, if it concerns food. If the food is too cheap, maybe it’s because there’s something wrong with it.

But there are reasons other than expiration dates for food to be cheap. Fruits and vegetables in season are one example.

Food with damaged packages might deserve a second look. The damage may mean the food is also damaged, or it could mean the food is good, just not so pretty to look at.

Bake Sale

Read 2 Kings 4-6

2 Kings 4:7 "Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest."

Bake sales can definitely be hazardous to our health. The thought of all those wonderful goodies for sale can make our mouths water.

It doesn’t help that the bake sale is trying to make money for a worthy cause. We justify our purchases in the name of helping out.

And then there are those bake sales that we contribute to. The smell of the treats baking can start a longing in us that we are tempted to give in to.

Convenience Food

Read 2 Kings 1-3

2 Kings 3:17 "For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts."

Preparing healthy meals from scratch when we’re hungry can be inconvenient. When our time is also at a premium, we will want to grab something quick.

So we’ll want to use convenience foods. We want to open a package, heat something up, we want to stick something in a microwave and be able to eat right away.

There are plenty of convenience foods vying for our purchase. All we have to do is match our budgets to the healthiest foods we can find.

Preventative Eating

Read 1 Kings 19-22

1 Kings 19:7 "And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee."

We may engage in preventative eating. That’s eating that we do for purposes other than hunger to keep from getting hungry.

We eat because it’s lunchtime and we fear if we don’t eat now that we have the time we will get hungry later. We don’t know when it might happen, so we don’t know if we will get a chance to eat then.

We may eat before we go to a party. We may not be hungry, but we do some preventative eating, so we aren’t so hungry by the time food is served that we eat more than we intended.

Served

Read 1 Kings 16-18

1 Kings 17:6 "And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook."

We get used to approaching eating with caution. Especially in group situations, we can’t be too careful about what we’re about to eat, in terms of our diets.

It’s a welcome relief when we are invited to the type of gathering that serves our diet-consciousness. Sometimes we get to eat with others who are all watching their weights.

Then we can relax and eat whatever looks good to us. We can enjoy the great tasting food, not being afraid we will pay for our pleasure later.

Restriction

Read 1 Kings 13-15

1 Kings 13:9 "For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest."

When we restrict our diets too much, we could be setting ourselves up for failure. The more restricted our diets, the harder it is to stick to it.

We may find that the only food we want is the one on our “never” list. We may even crave that one forbidden food.

No matter how badly we want or need to lose the weight, too much restriction is not helpful. Even if it’s a matter of health, we will want to find a way to make allowances for and adjustments in our favorites.

Spices

Read 1 Kings 10-12

1 Kings 10:2 "And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart."

One thing we may miss about the foods we’re cutting down on is taste. Some of our favorites have a strong taste to them

But we may not have given new foods a chance to taste good. Maybe they could use a good dose of spices.

First we can try the spices we are familiar with and experiment with what gives a food its best flavor. Then we might want to try out some new spices for a different taste.

Decorating With Food

Read 1 Kings 7-9

1 Kings 7:42 "And four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, even two rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters that were upon the pillars;"

When we’re trying to keep away from temptation, we probably adopt an out-of-sight-out-of-mind philosophy. We don’t want to have food too handy in case it might trigger a desire to eat.

But there are times we might want to decorate with food. A cornucopia at Thanksgiving time or a gingerbread house for Christmas, eggs at Easter—and more.

While we’re trying to stay away from goodies, we may want to use healthy foods when we decorate, like fruits, vegetables, and eggs. Later, we can bring out the candy and cookie decorations—when we can handle them.

Groceries

Read 1 Kings 4-6

1 Kings 4:22 "And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal,"

Some of take a list with us when we shop for groceries. We plan our meals ahead and know what we already have and what we still need for the week.

Others go without a list and plan as they shop. They look around for what looks good and what’s on sale that week. Once they get home, they combine their treasures in creative meals over the next several days.

If we avoid shopping when we’re hungry, either way will work to feed ourselves and families tasty and nutritious meals. Or a combination of partly plan and partly winging it.

Chilly

Read 1 Kings 1-3

1 Kings 1:1 "Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat."

When we eat certain foods at certain times, we may find ourselves feeling chilly afterwards. It’s nothing to be worried about.

It doesn’t mean we’re doing anything wrong. It doesn’t even mean we should avoid those foods.

But we can take note of which foods or which times affect us like that. Then we can be prepared when the chill comes.

The Last Diet

Read 2 Samuel 22-24

2 Samuel 23:1 "Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,"

We’ve been on so many diets we’ve lost count. We could write the history of the world as seen through the diets we’ve tried.

Some worked and some didn’t. Some we enjoyed and some we hated.

But now we have the opportunity to make this the last diet we ever go on. We’re not just dieting, we’re changing our lives and we don’t need to ever go back to what we once were.

Know Who We Are

Read 2 Samuel 19-21

2 Samuel 19:22 "And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?"

We look in the mirror and make decisions about who we are. Others look at us and we make decisions about who we think they think we are.

We’re more than our physical selves. If we see ourselves as heavy strugglers who never quite get it right, we’re not seeing the whole picture.

We need to know who we are in God’s eyes. God loves us and we don’t have to prove ourselves to Him, even if we do to ourselves and others.