I know several of my fellow fatfighters have read, are reading, or have on their to-be-read lists the book MADE TO CRAVE . (I have it on my NOOK Color, heheh). Are you?
Well, the author of that book, Lysa TerKeurst was on Focus on the Family today. Lysa is one of a long line of Christian ladies who have addressed the weight/food cravings/bingeing/eating disorders.
I remember Neva Coyle in my youth with FREE TO BE THIN--and yeah, hers was the first book I bought as a chubby believer wanting the fat gone. Neva regained the weight. Got gastric bypass. And who knows where she is weight-wise today, as she seems to have stopped talking or writing about it. I remember Stormie Omartian talking about ED, encouraging fasting, addressing weight loss, and modeling her exercise-friendly, prayerful lifestyle. I even had her video and used it in my workouts. And it goes on and on...and our nation and churchfolk get fatter and fatter in the pews--although I guess you get kicked out of Gwen Shamblin's church if you do, snort. (And yes, I eve tried the intuitive plan of Weigh Down, which was part of me figuring out that Gwen and Geneen's way was not meant to be for me, as I intuitively wanted to eat everything in sight.)
Fat hits the faithful, too, and sometimes more than the non-believers.
Southern Baptists run large, say the surveys on this matter. Having spent 25+ years as a member of a SBC church before we went non-denominational, I know how those potluck suppers of super-fattening casserole fare and those spaghetti and garlic bread missionary fund-raising suppers tempt and waylay the dieters. Donuts and guava pastries beside the Sunday School coffee carafes--that's killing us. Geesh.
I'm begging our church leaders--cut that crap out of the agenda! Put out fresh fruit and nuts, maybe. Or maybe just some toast or oat bran rolls for the grain eaters, a bit of ham or cheese cubes, even, for the lowcarbers, instead of donuts and danishes. If it's a budget thing, then, shoot, take refreshment donations or tell folks to bring healthy fare to share. Maybe add a suggestion list of "happy snacks" to the bulletin or newsletter. :D
I know that when we find our future home church, I'm bringing my own snacks. I cannot trust the church to be responsible in what it lays out. Me and my bag o' goodies will spread the healthy word.
Seriously, if we're gonna preach what is health and healing for the soul, then we ought to stop serving up what leads to disease and obesity for the body. We need to stop fueling gluttony and irresponsible--even sinful-- food choices. I mean, we're big on not laying spiritual stumbling blocks to the "weaker" brother and sister. Then why do we lay out all these diet stumbling blocks to our brother and sisters with diabetes, heart disease, and who are trying so hard, year after year, to heal their obesity?
Healthy bodies, healthy souls, healthy minds. I'm all about getting it ALL cleaned up and strong. The church really needs to get behind this.
You know, even just stop laying out food at all. What? People can't get through 1 to 3 hours (depending on the church) without food? Eat at home, come full, and eat lunch after. Really, people, you won't die without snacks in that short of time. And if for medical reasons you need to eat frequently, BRING YOUR FOOD. :D
Yep, stop spending money on snacks, and that's more money for the missionaries or the food kitchen/pantry for the community or for that family with a laid-off dad or mom. Seriously, we need to move away from our dependence on constant food provision.
For those of us who follow certain creeds, it's not just calories and push-ups and miles walked. It's addressing gluttony and sloth. It's spiritual. We have to address soul and mind and body..cause that's how we see our humanity. Not just brain and bone...spirit and soul...all affecting each other.
If you normally listen to FoF and missed the show, or if this is of interest to you at all--& be aware, this is a conservative Christian program, consider yourself informed--you can hear part one on the FOF website. I guess they know a whole lotta listeners in the Christian community made those weight loss resolutions on January 1. :)
On we go...fighting the good fatfight
12 comments:
I remember those potluck dinner. My husband and I were both raised Southern Baptist. Around here though, the non-denominational folks feed their crowds pretty well too. It is just an overfed nation of believers. Dail and I don't attend church anymore so we aren't tempted by the donuts and dinners. I miss the fellowship but I don't miss the ugly things we saw members doing to each other. We like to worship in nature now.
I was fortunate in my main SBC church, the one we belonged to from my newlywed days until a few years after the best pastor EVAH relocated out of state to a different church. Under two pastors, that place was like a second family. The sick got helped. The jobless. It was happy, full of laughter and support and tears and commisseration and spiritul uplift and growth. I have never found that again...but i keep the faith I will find a home church again with that amazing spirit of goodness and familial love. OMG, that was so wonderful.
People can be heavenly or hellish. Churches with hellish people insult God and make others turn from Christ. A terrible thing. But when a church is both strict and totally loving, it's probably as close to kingdom living as one gets. Family...with the best Dad. :D
The potlucks need work, though. hahahah
Oh, my previous church was very health-oriented. The pastor even prayed for folks to lose weight and get fit. He was lean and fit and we had a lot of good looking, lean, athletic members. And guys who hunted--very primal. hah
They also liked involvement in the arts--which is what attracted me. writing, painting, etc. Being part of the media/arts. But they were way too political for me. Shame...
Preach it sister! Faith and obedience to God. He doesn't want us putting too much in the body because it messes up what He made. Gluttony is idol worship and idolaters will be condemned. We have to repent of this and stop.
This has grieved me greatly for years, cost me friends and made me even more cynical than I was already.
I argued until I was sick of talking about how people who preach that drinking alcohol in front of an alcoholic is wrong because you might cause them to stumble, will think nothing of sticking all kinds of food in front of people's faces and not give it a second thought.
I was demonized (hehe) by my last Sunday School class, and bible study class, when I refused to sign up to bring snacks. What the heck, we can't get through 90 minutes without sugary carby food? I'd bring bottled water, but no, it had to be pastries or muffins. No thank you.
It cracks me up when some churches try to preach nutrition to their congregation, which usually ends up as a low-fat, low-cal, low meat diet. Oh, and don't forget, bake your own whole wheat bread, because bread is HOLY, and will cure all sorts of diseases. (I am not making this up.)
Meanwhile, the pews get wider, the believers sit on their blessed assurance and wholeheartedly embrace gluttony. But hey! We're not cussing or drinking in public, so we must be good xtians!!
Sorry for the sarcasm. As you can see, this really hits a big nerve. Hubby and I love the Lord, but churches that claim to be Christian and then do the exact opposite have as much appeal to us as politicians who claim to be honest. :-)
You hit a chord! I remember those meals too, when we lived in Georgia when I was growing up. What a community it was! We were new in town and the church took us in. I was in 2nd grade and those dinners are all that I remember about that Baptist church - we moved out 2 years later.
Love your blog! I just stumbled upon it a few days ago. Do you link somewhere to your daily meals? I would love to read more about what you eat during the day!
If I could klick "like" here, I would have told you, how much I liked your post! Fortunately I don't know any church that has these big feasts every Sunday. Our church in Germany would just have coffee and cake after the service, so that people would be able to sit down and chat with each other. For the real food we would go home. The cakes were sometimes way to healthy. hahaha In Germany, people seem to be more aware of the health problems.
Here in China we also eat together after our meeting, but then it's dinner time anyway. (We meet at 5 pm)
LOVE this, Mir! So true, so true. I grew up Methodist, then Southern Baptist, and I remember the potlucks, Wednesday evening dinner and prayer services, youth group snacking, Ladies' group coffees.
I married a cradle Catholic and converted to Catholicism. Our parish is Franciscan, which means NO emphasis on material abundance. Everything we have is a gift from God, given in grace and meant to be enjoyed and appreciated - but not so much as to succumb to gluttony and greed. We are called instead to be faithful stewards of God's gifts. All we have is meant to be shared with those who have little, whether it's food, treasure, time, talent, education, political representation or (most of all) faith.
That being said, there are still donuts at gatherings, but in our parish hall the tables are equally laden with fresh fruit and veggies. ;)
Loved this post, Mir, I'm going to listen to that FoF program now! I haven't listened in way to long.
Kristen, I have uploaded pics of my meals occasionally, and I've listed how I eat in certain posts (my dietitian's guidelines, Primarian guidlelines, etc.) It's no rocket science--when I pattern my meals like my dietitian and Dr. Berkeley outline, I do very well. When I deviate in portions or types of food, I don't do well or even regain a little.
I saw the dietitian back in January of 2011, so the post relating to that should be in January. Feel free to browse. But pretty much, limit starches to ONE SERVING a day, and focus on vegetables and protein for meals, with fruit for dessert. She limited me to 2 fruit servings, and my bugaboo is often fruit. I can easily eat 5- 10 fruits a day when I get going. I seem to do fine if I keep it to 2-3 if I watch other food sugars. I don't do gluten anymore (as mof mid-2011) and that made me feel better generally, so I'm likely gluten sensitive. I still experiment with protein amounts and things to see what might be even better.
Ladies, thanks. Chinagirl, eating with believers, full meals, is totally a New Testament thing, and if we sat down and had real meals that focused on real healthful foods (not prcoessed or overindulgent fare), it would be joyous and satisfying. Yes? It's the junk that kills us, not nutritious, properly prepared food in moderated portions.
ANGELA, my mom was a lay Franciscan and to this day I hold a soft spot for Franciscans, like John Michael talbot, the musician. One of my goals this year is to move toward greater simplicity in my life so we have more to GIVE. St. Francis would approve.
Because I've been running on empty for a little while my best buddy has been reading and because we've cut out most meat in our diet she says it seems like I'm short on iron. I was taking a multi vit to make up for some of the vits I'm not up too but no $$ for extras right now. Anyways, not me...you, maybe a bit of extra iron. Just a thought. I am a baptist also.
Take care Mir and have a blessed evening.
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