Day 14 Tuesday

I'm eating less!  I'm finding pleasure not just in a couple of tiny bites of  Jello dark chocolate mousse TEMPTATIONS, but in smaller portions of other things. Lemon custard yogurt at Braum's is soooooooooo delicious. But I don't have to eat the whole 6 ounce up - 170 calories - at once. I can eat a few bites and savor the smooth and creamy texture; the tart but sweet, lemon flavor. Then, put the rest back in the refrigerator for later.  I can enjoy it several times a day - and never eat more than that one little 6 oz cup.

Maybe someday I'll be able to handle ice cream in my freezer without it seducing me into eating a whole pint of it, or worse, even MORE, in one day.

Reasons for eating ice cream or any frozen treat -
1) I like the feel of cold in my mouth and throat
2) I enjoy the flavor
3) I want the feel and the flavor to continue, so I eat more
4) I'm bored
5) I'm stressed
6) It doesn't taste as good as I thought it would, so I eat more, hoping that will change

Probably no one else but me eats anything for the last reason, but then, maybe someone does.

How I am changing the need to eat ice cream or frozen treats:

1) When I am craving something cold, I drink diluted fruit juice or water with ice in the glass.

2)  I can enjoy the flavor of just a couple of bites.     Yummy!

3) Eating more is NOT going to make it taste better.  My taste buds get numb very quickly. So, if it doesn't have a taste or doesn't taste good - stop eating!

4) When I was a kid and made the unfortunate decision to inform my mother that I was bored, she had a remedy. She put a scrub brush in one of my hands, a bucket of soapy water in the other hand, and told me that since I was bored, I needed to scrub the porch. I learned very quickly not to let her know I was bored. She never said, "Oh, you poor little thing. You are bored. Have some ice cream!"  HA!  No way!  No wonder I was always fit and trim.

So, if I am bored, I need to change what I'm doing and find something else to do - like scrub the bathroom, fold the laundry, write a letter to my senator, go outside and sit in the sun for a while, pull a few weeds, read my bible, create something, do anything but stuff food in my face.

5) If I am stressed I don't have to eat to stuff my feelings down. I can decide what my feelings are - sadness, anger, anxiety, disappointment, rejection? And deal with them accordingly. Exercise helps relieve stress. I know you aren't supposed to exercise before going to bed, but last night I did my back, hip, and core exercises. It relieved stress in my muscles and throughout my body and I was able to quickly go to sleep. I also could listen to some praise and worship music and worship along with it. What a great stress reliever.

6) Stop and ask myself what I am really hungering for and take it to the Lord in prayer. Drink a glass of water. Food should taste good and be good for me. If it doesn't taste good nor is good for me, I need to keep it out of my mouth.

Paul said we are fighting against the "world, the flesh and the devil".  My flesh seems to be my worst enemy as it demands attention and wants to sin. Paul also talks about beating our bodies into submission. He is not talking about abuse, but is reminding us that our bodies, our flesh, should not be our boss. The Olympic athletes have their bodies, their flesh in submission.  If I am neglecting my spiritual food, my flesh will rise up and be more and more demanding of physical food.

Lord, you are the bread of life; you are the living water.  Fill me with your Spirit, forgive me of my sin and where I stumble. Help me to remember that in times of temptations, in times of discouragement, I can run to you and you will rescue me; you will lift me up, and you will fill me. Thank you, Father.  Amen.

"Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled."  Matthew 5:6