At a recent seminar, an attendee asked me "What's in your refrigerator"? My response came quickly; nutritional healthy food that I love to eat! Was my refrigerator always filled with those items; no. But once I made the connection between "spirit, body and mind" my refrigerator changed to reflect my new attitude and thinking towards food.
Our association with food, including our attitude towards it, is very telling of our physical, emotional and spiritual condition. Understanding your past relationship with food (how you were raised to view food) will help you understand why you are where you are today:
*Was food a precious commodity in your upbringing (not plentiful)?
*Were you instructed to "fill up" your plate and "eat up" everything on it before you could leave the table?
*Were you served "adult portions" as a child?
*Were you over or underweight as a child?
*Did you receive "atta-boys/girls" when you finished your plate or shamed for not doing so?
*Were you punished for not eating (abused physically, emotionally)?
*How did you feel after eating (sleepy or energized followed by crashing)?
*Was the food you ate fresh and healthy or highly processed, lacking proper nutrition (i.e. fruits/vegetables, lean protein, whole foods vs saturated fats, refined sugar, high sodium)?
*Was dessert used as a reward for finishing your meal?
If you were like most of us, our parents taught us simple values like "waste not want not" and for good reason. However, using food as leverage, punishment or reward is never healthy or beneficial. Learning how to change your relationship with food takes time, but here are some simple steps to help you start moving forward, today:
*Value food as fuel and not as a sacrifice or guilty pleasure (i.e. eat whole healthy food)
*Discipline yourself to eat proportionally not excessively (learn how to recognize what a portion looks like to avoid overeating)
*Remember: Food is not a weapon but a blessing for our body.
*Recognize how food makes you feel and avoid a diet high in unhealthy fat, refined sugar and excessive sodium.
*Eat healthy whole food even if you have to eat less of it due to expense (you'll be surprised how much better you feel and how your cravings for more food or unhealthy food will cease when you eat for wellness).
*Never eat dessert right after a meal. Wait at least an hour before you reward yourself.
Recognizing your past relationship with food will help you form a new relationship and attitude toward food. If you need help getting started, visit my website at http://www.prayfasteatlive.com/store.html and order my Wellness Guide, entitled "PrayFastEatLive - A biblical approach to wellness for weight loss" and learn how my "7-21 Day Diet" will help you start your journey down the road to a "Wellness that lasts a lifetime", today!
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