WEIGHTED DOWN?

A friend has wondered if I had any dieting tips. So I will tackle the subject, but not head-on. Have you noticed that our rebel bodies don't like to be told what they can and can't eat?!?!? So you have to bypass that. Seriously. Don't tell your body what it can and can't eat. It doesn't like that.
Start with some scripture: "Your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit." 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19
When we meditate on that scripture, we realize our bodies can reflect God. It's an opportunity. We can witness to others in many ways, and one of those ways may well be to let that fruit of self-control manifest in our bodies. A desire to "run the race to get the prize", as Paul describes, ought to inspire us to eat those foods that will make us most healthy and full of life for His purposes. But again, let's not tackle "WEIGHT" head on, because weight is not at all as important as the things that stand between us and God. (Which may not be weight at all.)
C.S. Lewis wrote on gluttony, saying that even a skinny person might have the sin of gluttony if all he does is think about food all day. The time spent thinking of food (whether it's eaten or not) is time not spent thinking about God and His goodness. We must break free from bondage to food thoughts, and get out of the "DIET" rut!
God in His goodness provides for our every need, and we hardly have to think about it. When I have faith in God's provision, I discover He always has the perfect food for me, even if it's just a perfectly ripe piece of fruit. AND, when I ask God to bless my food, my food tastes so good! I don't have to be held hostage to some diet plan that dictates every move, overwhelms my thoughts, and leads to obsessing.
I have experienced just about every diet plan there's been. Beverly Hills, The Zone, The Macrobiotic, Dr. Atkins, Low-Fat, Hi-Fat, Low-Carb, Hi-Protein, Body-Type, Allergy Diets, Fasting... need I say more?! With that experience, and knowing a bit about nutrition, I've drawn some conclusions, which seem to keep me fit and slim withOUT obsessing about it. So let's move on to the nuts and bolts. Are we ready for that? Because, remember: We can't tackle this head-on. If our only goal is to get as skinny as so-and-so or whatever, we may be doomed. How would God be in that?! God doesn't want us to try to be anyone else. He created us uniquely, to be who He made us to be. And that may not be twiggy-girl. But where's our head- in the pantry? THAT's the problem. If our mind is focused on all that is awesome and wonderful (as Philippians 4:8 tells us to do), we will be right where we're supposed to be.
O.K., so back to nuts and bolts. If we're clear on our goal, to be a temple for God's Holy Spirit, to be worthy of all He has planned for us, to be able to run the race, then we're ready for the hot tips. After all this build-up, you may not like the hot tips! Oh well... works for me...
I start my day with flax seed. I use a little electric coffee-grinder to whir a tablespoon of flax seeds into powder; I add half-cup or so of water, and down the mix. (Already-ground flax seed is probably rancid- don't bother with it.)
There are many reasons for this ritual. The flax-mix is certainly not the most appetizing thing (as the texture becomes a bit strange as it sits). But what a great way to start out! If I can start out with the flax, suddenly something like plain oatmeal with dried fruit and toasted pumpkin seeds seems like quite the treat! Actually, ANY thing seems especially tasty after my flax-ritual. But what a great way to break the corruption of our taste-buds. Man-made foods, with all that extra salt, grease, sugar, and synthetic flavorings, only serve to pervert our senses to the point where we can't appreciate the REAL food that God created for us.
More hot tips: I eat a lot of homemade soups, without salt. Bean soups, vegetable soups, with brown rice, etc. I'm convinced that the salt corrupts my taste-buds and often makes me eat more than I meant to. I generally eat more simple foods earlier in the day (like the soups, fruit, cereals, etc.), so that if I splurge on some salty, cheesy, meaty thing for dinner, it doesn't set me off course for the rest of the day. I even have dessert on occasion, but usually ONLY if it's super-deluxe, home-made, fresh, and excellent. Why waste calories on something less than the best?!
I bet America would trim down if it started making food from scratch. I suspect that the closer our food is to its natural state, the better it is for us. I generally don't use convenience foods or store-bought dressings, and I find that I have a better appetite for the healthy stuff that way. Even oil and vinegar on a salad can be a treat, letting the flavors in the salad come through. Something as simple as olive oil is full of wonderful flavor, but the modern-day palate has indeed been overwhelmed by all the man-made foods. Beware!
Whoa- enough about food.
P.S. Walking and gardening are wonderful exercises- don't forget that.