Any Reformed Christians here?
 

Are there any Reformed/Sovereign Grace/Calvinist Christians here? I would love to talk to Christians who DO NOT believe that having good 'self esteem' is the key to having a healthy body, but submitting to the Lord and obedience to the Savior in good stewarship, and thanksgiving to God and to be a reflection of His Glory as we spread the gospel in this fallen world should be our motivation for being healthy. Not that we can't have fun doing it, but the underlying motivation is different from the world's. Anybody else on board with me?

If you are referring to John Calvin who is considered to be the father of the Presbyterian Church. I am a Presbyterian and Christian and am in fact an Elder at Westhope Presbyterian Church.

I'm reformed. Member of the PCA. Children's Catechism teacher. :) I hold to the Westminster Confession of Faith (the old one, not the revised).

Big RC Sproul fan. Also love Calvin, Owens, Gerstner, Piper. Working on reading Augustine's City of God right now.

Theology is my passion, and unfortunately so is food. Working on the food part.

I don't think I need more self esteem. I need to love God more and food less. My sinful disobedience shows on my body. I want to be able to glorify God in everything I do, including my eating.

Soli deo gloria!

I don't think I need more self esteem. I need to love God more and food less. My sinful disobedience shows on my body. I want to be able to glorify God in everything I do, including my eating.

Soli deo gloria!

That is exactly it Qualera. We are on the same page. I don't want to be under constant condemnation of the law, but I think that my life under grace should show on the outside, too!
I'm also a big fan of theology, I spend several hours a day listening to strong reformed preaching; Sproul, Piper, etc.. online radio teaching and others... Now I just need to be straight on my theology regarding my body and food. I am so glad you are here!
Soli Deo Gloria! indeed!

So how do we address this?

replying to my own post
 

i found an online program called "shrink yourself" that is by a psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorders. It is not so much about improving your self esteem, but about figuring out why you eat when you know you shouldn't. I just started it, but I have found that so far, although by necessity, it is "man centered" I think it is something that can be useful even to us. He stresses finding alternative ways to address your stresses and problems. Although he does not offer any godly alternatives, I think what he offers is certainly not ungodly or unacceptable to me. It is healthy. Google it and tell me what you think.

It does seem that much of what is offered there would be acceptable to me. Learning what foods trigger overeating and examining what makes you overeat emotionally could be useful. Though I think you would need to exercise your discernment when trying to use any program that isn't focused on getting a right relationship with God. I think it could serve to help you better understand why you do what you do. But keep in mind, that at its core, your food issues are issues about your relationship with God. Food is an idol for me, and that is an issue that no man-based program is going to address. But I see nothing wrong with taking from a program what you can, especially when you are exercising discernment and not accepting things that don't fit with your worldview.

I don't know of any good Christian programs. Long ago I tried Weight Down Workshop. I took a few good things away from that, but then learned how scary her theology was. And if I try pure portion control strategies like she suggested, I start to slip and slowly add more until I'm back where I was. But one thing she said that has helped me is that the problem is mostly with you, and not with the food. You should not be making the food behave (using tons of "diet" products), you should be making yourself behave.

This is where I am probably going to come off as extreme or weird to you. I try to eat as close as possible to how things existed when God created them. So I pay extra money for grass-fed beef, because cattle were not meant to be fed corn and soy beans. There is a nutritional difference in the meat, especially in Omega-3 fatty acid content. I try to buy organic grass-fed milk, when that is too much trouble, I buy organic at the store. I buy wild caught seafood, because salmon and other marine animals were also not meant to eat grain. And the thing that makes most "diets" difficult for me, I won't use artificial sweetener. Though recently I did buy some stevia-based sweetener, that is herbal, but still it isn't a normal thing to eat, so I've only used 1 packet of it. And that was to try something I thought was required on the program I'm using, which I hated. I'd eat a slice of 100% whole wheat bread preferably sweetened with honey instead of corn syrup, long before I'd even think about eating 2 slices of "diet" bread with filler and low calories. I don't enjoy diet food, and it leads to its own problems of overconsumption. Most of this I have thought about for a long time, but have only recently really started to apply it. It does seem to help me to focus on what is healthy for me and eat that, rather than using food for gratification.

One thing I've found that helps (when I do it, and I am bad on this) is to pray before each meal or snack I eat and ask God to help me to honor him through my eating. And then make sure that I pay attention to what I'm doing, and try to stop when I'm satisfied. And if I overeat or eat when I shouldn't, then I repent of it and ask God to strengthen me in the future. However, knowing what I should do, and doing it all the time are two different things. When I get lazy (which is often), I use Weight Watchers points to help me exercise control over my eating that way. And the WW thing can be trouble for me, since as long as a stay within my points, then I can feel like I'm doing good, even when my heart isn't where it should be. I know it is sinful to eat when I am not hungry and to eat more than I need, yet I will do it if I have the points to. But even this, isn't a bad as a how much and how I was eating before trying to get some control... so its a marginal improvement. I'm still trying to work on my heart issues. I am glad to have someone from the same perspective to talk to here. It is making me refine my thinking even as I try to explain things. And convicting me of what I've been doing.

Anyway... I'm very glad to meet you and look forward to hearing from you.

Sounds like we are on the same page. I also like to eat foods the way they are made; organic, whole milk, whole grains, fresh eggs and veggies. No additives if I can avoid it.
I remember the "weigh down" phenomenon, and what a heretic that woman was. Wow. No Thanks.
Are you aware that most of John Piper's sermons are available on his website? I am going to look through them for something that might be related to this topic; he might not address food per se, but the odolatry that it becomes for food addicts; can't be too different from other types of addiction, which I think he does address. If you run across something to read, please pass it along.

Listening to my favorite online radio program (wretched radio) today, and in the 2nd hour.. was a piece from Paul Washer about loving something ... anything.. more than God..
very convicting.

I've been to Piper's site a couple of times. Mostly I've read his books. Desiring God is a masterpiece. I don't have a lot of time right now, but I did look at the site. I found one lecture from one of Piper's conferences on God, Psychology, and Christian Care of the Soul. But so far it doesn't address the issues we were looking for.

Right now I"m not doing much that I should be. Quite tied up with running errands today. Had to take my grandma out to lunch and shopping today. Then come home, make a list and go out with my husband. Grandma needs help, so we can't do our shopping with her. And once we get back from shopping I have to cook dinner with my husband.

Have a blessed day!

Paul Washer is great. My husband has watched quite a few of his videos from YouTube. He is often convicting and inspiring. And so passionate.

I know at least a dozen people who thought they were Christians for 10, 20, 30 years or more.. and after they listened to Paul Washer's "shocking youth message" realized they were false converts, and got saved! I wonder what Paul Washer would have to say about all this unhealthy eating I do. He has chronic health problems. Terribly severe for such a young guy; has had several joint replacements already; I will search around and see if I can find him addressing the stewardship of our bodies.... I bet Piper does somewhere.. he has hundreds of sermons available online. I got to the gym yesterday, but ate and ate and ate.... ugh :-(

I not a big fan of fasting, but I found this article by John Piper to be interesting. I generally trust Piper's teachings, and thought this would be worth a read. I have never fasted as a form of prayer/worship, and wonder if a fast would not change your view of food. Just thinking... http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceL..._in_1984/Array

I have fasted for up to 3 days at a time. It isn't something I like to do, so I only do it when I feel strongly called to. Usually after I have committed some sin long term and God has just brought it to my attention.

I read the article. I was really struck by this:

I probably should be fasting more. But I am so generally miserable when I do that I hate to even think about it. I will have to prayerfully consider it more. Which of course I won't want to do, since I know what conclusion I will come to when I do.

Though it doesn't specifically have to do with food issues, I did recently read a really convicting book about sins that Christians often find to be acceptable in their lives. It is Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges.

I feel deeply for those who feel that they are saved and are not. I could say they are the hardest to reach, but all people who aren't elect are equally impossible to reach. I would say that they are the hardest to talk to. Where an atheist will happily or angrily reject God, to tell someone who thinks they are a Christian that they are rejecting God is heartwrenching, both for them and for you. I praise God that he uses Paul Washer to accomplish his purposes.

I was brought to faith by Jed Smock, a crazy full-Pelagian campus preacher. It was the first time that I had heard the message that I was sinner and needed to repent. It was years before I finally got my head screwed on straight. But he started me on the path. Hank Hannegraaf pushed it along a bit years later, and RC Sproul finally got me put together right.

I do think that fasting does change your view of food some. As does eating more naturally. I have been realizing recently that I crave things that are totally bad for me. Refusing them and replacing them with healthy things is changing how I view food as well.

If you decide to try fasting, you might want to try fasting for a meal or two and see how you do. I am pretty sure that the Jews in Biblical used to fast twice a week only eating dinner on those days. My husband jumped right in to a three day fast and had some blood sugar problems.

Peace and Grace, Mercy to you all through Jesus Christ, our precious Lord. I also am of the doctrine of Grace (which I prefer to either Reformed or Calvinist), and have been struggling with my eating habits as well.

Up till a couple weeks ago the past year found me in a very dark dessert. Yet, with nowhere else to go, no one else to turn to, I continued to call upon and seek Christ, my Lord. The more I rely on Him, the more spiritual food I intake, the less I rely on physical food. As we all know, yet do not like to hear, gluttony is a sin, one ranked right up there with the others such as drunkenness and sexual sins. Also, the more physical activity I do, the less eating of the garbage occurs.

I also have a condition known as insulin resistance. What that means is that my body reacts to carbs in such a way that I have to be very careful as to which carbs I intake. If I allow myself a little it has to be 100% whole grain, but I prefer to intake it in the form of fruit or veggies, and it MUST be accompanied with protein. In fact, the protein must be at least twice the amount of the carb. So, instead of bread, I'll enjoy my tuna salad on a tortilla. I can not eat cereal, as that sends my body into drive that I can not control, wanting to devour every carb.. to the point (because I do not keep them in the house) that I go and buy crap like pizza.

For me, the plan that seems to work is a combined one. I have followed the south beach for a few years, and lost 30 lbs. on it. recently I read the Insulin Resistance program... and incorporated some of it's principles for more proper balance. The issues with the IR diet, however, is they allow white breads and potatoes, and other things. This, hand in hand with a prayer/scripture life is what works for me.

Now that i've shared what works for me, I'd like to add to the discussion on fasting. The purpose of fasting ought not to be to lose weight. Fasting doesn't stop with foods we eat or don't eat... fasting is abstaining from anything that stands between us and Christ, and seeking Him. It could be TV, Internet, family, friends. Yes, we tend to seek family or friends when things happen that we want to discuss, rather than run to Christ, our savour! When faced with a difficult situation that happened at work, where do we run, a spouse? A friend, a sister? or do we run to Christ? Or when something awesome happens, like losing ten pounds, where do we go for that "pat on the back" rather than run to praise God for His help in the matter.

As believers in the reformed theology we must always remember that God IS in control of all things... When Christ healed the ten, only ONE returned to give Him Thanks! Oh Lord, forgive me, for forgetting the very same!

PS... have either of you lady's ready anything by A. W. Pink? I HIGHLY recommend him! You can get his "Studies in the Scripture" through Mount Zion. They send out "Free Grace Broadcaster" as well, both quarterly magazines of the great reformed, puritan authors!

At present I'm greatly enjoying "The Christian in complete Armour" by William Gurnall. Of this book Spurgeon was quoted saying if he could only have one other outside the Holy Scripture, it'd be this one! If you check it out be sure to get this one "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0851511961/ref=ox_ya_oh_product" and NOT the three volume, as the three volume is abridged and leaves out a lot!



ALSO: Sermonaudio.com is an awesome sight to download sermons! They only post "reformed" teachings..

Wow Loriann what a blessing you are!
Thanks for joining us. I have recently heard someone talk about fasting, that fasting is a form of prayer, and that as you fast, every time you feel hungry, it reminds you to pray. I don't know if that is the traditional way of fasting, but it made sense to me. I listen to podcasts day and night of various teachers; John Piper, Paul Washer, John MacArthur, Mark Kielar, Tozer, Spurgeon, other greats who have gone before. I was streaming the "Resolved" conference this weekend. The audio files from there are free. The subject of the whole three day conference was "sin". And you are so right, gluttony is a sin... it is an "acceptable" sin, but a sin nonetheless.... I think how "acceptable" sexual sin is in this culture and it make me sick to think that my sin is as bad as their sin, but mine is generally overlooked. It shouldn't be.
I just got two books by Elyse Fitzpatrick .. "Idols of the Heart" and "Love to Eat; Hate to Eat"... that I will be reading this weekend. If you know anything about her, please share.
I spent so many years listening to false teachers and heretics, it makes me all the more on the lookout for wolves. They are everywhere; filling up most of our churches these days. Wolves leading goats. <sigh>
Paul Washer says that the state of the church in America today is God's judgement. I believe it.
Praying, praying, praying
Thanks you guys for joining my tiny thread!

just got this in my email:
it's from "Grace Gems" a daily email.

Today's Puritan Audio Devotional:
"A bird that is tied by a string"
By Charles Spurgeon, on temptation. Please listen to this insightful gem, as you read along below. Just click on the above link. We have a new reader--a godly pastor from Spain!
~ ~ ~ ~
A bird that is tied by a string

(Charles Spurgeon)
"For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin." Acts 8:23
"If the Son sets you free--you will be free indeed!" John 8:36

A bird that is tied by a string--seems to have more liberty than a bird in a cage; it flutters up and down--and yet it is held just as fast.

When a man thinks that he has escaped from the bondage of sin in general, and yet evidently remains under the power of some one favored lust--he is woefully mistaken in his judgment as to his spiritual freedom. He may boast that he is out of the cage--but assuredly, the string is on his leg!

He who has his fetters knocked off--all but one chain--is a prisoner still.

"Let not any iniquity have dominion over me," is a good and wise prayer; for one pampered sin will slay the soul--as surely as one dose of poison will kill the body!

There is no need for one to be bitten by a whole nest of deadly vipers--the tooth of one cobra is quite sufficient to insure his destruction.

One sin, like one match--can kindle the fires of **** within the soul!

The practical application of this truth, should be made by the professor who is a slave to any lust, or to covetousness. How can you be free--if any one of these chains still holds you fast?

We have met with professors who are haughty, and despise others; how can these be the Lord's free men--while pride captivates their heart?

In will and intent--we must break every chain of sin! We must perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord, or we cannot hope that the Son has made us free indeed.

O Holy Spirit--break every chain of sin, I beseech you!

Hi Wanting to (OK< you have to share your name! lol). As for fasting, please read with care and prayer Isaiah 58. I believe that is the best we have on the subject and I like to stick with the Word before all else. Let me know your thoughts, and I as well will reread it and converse with you.

I do know know Ms. Fitzpatrick. Did you read those over the weekend? What are your thoughts on them? Were they refreshing? Were they Biblical? Did you check any scriptures for contextual consistancy?

I just read your devotion from Spurgeon... what timely fashion this has both to our discussion and where I'm at in Gurnall's book... and the Bible Study I had Thursday with a friend talking about James chapter 1, temptations! Wow, the Lord sure is talking to me! Lord, allow me not only to hear, but give me your Spirit with which to heed!

I will visit later, have to run DS to work.

blessings.

Hi!, I'm part of the Reformed faith, and a member of a PCA church. So glad to have found you all :)

One book that has really helped my with my problem with food/eating is called The Mortification of Sin, by that great puritan, John Owen. I recommend it for any besetting sin you might have.

For me personally, I finally realized that junk food is a major idol for me. I turn to it for comfort, joy, relief from boredom, peace, and a lot of other stuff. Other food I can enjoy and be thankful for, but there is so much emotional charge in junk food, I just can't eat it in good conscience. I feel much freer since giving it up because it really held me captive.

Do any of you lack self control in other areas? I find that laziness is also a big one for me.

I think for those of us who have big problems with food, just eating soberly and with self control is like fasting for everyone else. I'm not saying don't fast, but I'm just putting it in perspective.

Thanks for these recommendations!

Nice to meet you thinpossible! I have heard of that writing by Owen and have it on my to read list. Thanks for that.

I never thought of food as an idol, but your right, it is! But so is anything else that comes between us and the throne, us and Christ, us and the Father! TV, the internet, even spending too much time trying to rid ourselves of our temptations such as dieting (food). While eating is a sin, so is focusing too much on trying to lose weight, one substitute for another!

Eat to live rather than live to eat! remember that food is fuel for the body. Our bodies do not care if we eat a salad or a pizza, that would be our soul. However, when we eat veggies as opposed to cookies, our body does react differently to it! I know I feel more energized after a salad than I do after a heavy meal such as lasagna (*can anyone say food coma?)

ok, must go now.

thinpossible. thanks for joining us.. is that owen book in modern english?
I will add it to my list.. i want to get through these fitzpatrick books first, but I have a very hard time reading anything but my Bible for some reason. I almost never read anything else anymore.. that's good.. but there are other things that I could be making time for.
glad to see more members on this group. I did not know if I would get any takers, so it's reassuring to know that there are actually a few of us here <g>

i read something today.. might have been here..might have been in a magazine.. I have been in two doctor's offices waiting rooms today, so the day is a bit of a blur.. "there are snacks and there are treats; snacks provide nutrition and satisfy your hunger at least partially... treats only satisfy your hunger, and then only momentarily"... or something like that.. I thought it was a good thought to have when there is something yummy available and easy to grab, but not very good for your body.... ..

thinpossible.. did you really go a month without junk food? ANY junk food?
how did you do this? I keep thinking that if I would cut out sugar from my diet, I would be healthier, but I have never actually tried to do it for any length of time.. I guess it's like smoking I say "I can quit whenever I want. ... I just don't want.... "
LOL

HI Wanting... I'm finding there are more reformed believers out there than previously thought. Lot's of awesome websites too! I'll add some at the end of this message.

wanting, I don't even crave sweets anymore. However, if I do eat sweets watch out, cause then my body goes into severe crave mode and can not stop! As for snacks, if I really need something I try to have string cheese on hand as that is considered a protien, or celery to be stuffed with peanut butter (no sugar in the ingredients) or laughing cow light cheese! Talk about fulfilling till the next meal. And don't forget an apple a day! if you haven't already had one helping of peanuts or nuts you can add a little to the apple. I had to do this for a spell because the apple wasn't fulfilling enough for me. now it is. But the peanut butter on the apple is healthy and VERY satisfying.


http://www.reformed.org/
http://www.pbministries.org/index.html
http://www.apuritansmind.com/
http://www.monergism.com/

You'd be surprised at the numerous sites available!

You can get a modern English version. Of course, he still has an old fashioned way of phrasing things, but I didn't find it difficult to read.

For me junk food is any food that compels me to eat it-- food that calls my name, so to speak. For me that's all kinds of sugary foods: candy, sugared cereal, soda, pastries, ice cream, etc. I do eat yogurt which has sugar in it, and I put a bit of brown sugar in my oatmeal, but I don't eat either of those too often. Also, fast food is off limits for me. Anything they sell at a drive thru is on my no-no list.

It was pretty difficult for the first few weeks, but now the cravings have lessened considerably. I also cut back on diet drinks, which make me crave sweets. I'm glad I quit, because as I said it really is a BIG idol for me. I'm very emotionally attached to junk. And as we know from the OT, when God says get rid of your idols, he doesn't approve of occasional indulgence ;) There may be some point in the future I may be able to partake again, but frankly, I don't think so. It will be far in the future, if I'm able to at all.

Recovering addict, saved by grace.
 

I am surrendering my food addiction to the Lord, I know that He is my strength, my only hope for success in my battle with food, you see I feel it is also a spiritual battle, as satan knows that I have spent more time worshiping food in the last 50 years, than God. I have been a Christian for 9 years and Jesus has been gently leading my through the painful process of giving up alcohol, pot, and ciagrettes, he has healed me from the pain and wreckage of my past and now it is time to honor Him with my body, like it says in Romans "You were bought at a price so honor God with your body" (paraphrasing). I am new to 3FC, and starting at Metabolic Research Center. I have a long road ahead and I know that Jesus with be walking beside me. I am grateful there is a thread for belivers. God Bless.:hug:

That's great to hear Shelley..
Keep hanging in there everybody.
I have been reading the Elyse Fitzpatrick book "Love to Eat; Hate to Eat" and was a little reluctant to start it because it is advertised as "Christian" and about 95% of all of the books I have picked up in the past 20 years that were labelled as "Christian" were so full of garbage, man-centeredness and outright heresy, that I had gotten to the point that I don't even go into the "Christian" bookstore anymore because it is so depressing and discouraging..
so anyway, I got a very nice surprise to find that she is (first few chapters anyway) soundly based in the Gospel and scripture and the Sovreignty to God!
How cool is that?! There is even a chapter in the back of the book about Salvation that is gospel centered, not man-centered.
Don't know how she got this published, but I'm glad she did.
.... more later.....

Please everybody here, pray for the other ladies in this group. We are a tiny group, and I think we should take the time as sisters in Christ to do this. If only to pray "God, please give wisdom to the women in the 3FC Reformed group" once in a while.... thanks...

Welcome Shelley! Glad you're here!

Great idea! Let's each list something for the others to pray for. My prayer request is that I would be more diligent in my study of scripture. I've really gotten out of the habit of studying daily. (I hate to even admit that, but there it is!)

Looking forward to hearing more about that book, wantingto.

Hi everyone! :wave: I'm so glad to have found this thread! I, too, am a believer in salvation by grace alone, although, I have left the corporate church to fellowship with the Lord. (Revelation 18:4)

Thanks, wanting to, for starting this thread. :)

Here is a link to a site to those of you who are looking for a Christian-based program http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/ And as a bonus: it's grace centered! The program is called The Lord's Table. Skimming over the info on the program, it looks like it may have changed a little bit since I did it 2 years ago, but only in structure, I think. The courses seem to be the same. I lost about 17 pounds over the course of 60 days. Unfortunately, tho, I treated the program as a diet and gained back the weight after my 60 days were up. But many, many people have found success with this program, so I do recommend it to those of you looking for a Christ-centered approach to weight loss.

Having shared that, I will also share that I do not "diet" anymore. The approach I have been following is Intuitive Eating (by Tribole and Resch) but with my own twist, as I need to watch my carbs. Like you, Loriann, I am also very carb sensitive and cannot stop eating carbs once too many are in my system. In fact, I didn't understand this when I was doing The Lord's Table program and chalked up my inability to "stop sinning" (gluttony) as failure. I didn't realize that it was the carbs causing me to eat so "gluttonously." (So to those of you who may feel you cannot stop sinning (by overeating), please make sure it isn't the carbs causing you to crave before you beat yourself up as I did.) I actually learned this lesson following a different program called "You: On a Diet" (by Roizen and Oz) which looks very closely at how what we eat affect our bodies. Long story short, I'm finding balance by limiting my carbs and listening to my body, which has set me free from dieting. I don't eat like a "glutton" anymore (because the reduced carbs do not cause me to overeat) and I do not feel guilt or shame anymore. The weight is finally beginning to come off for me, ever so slowly, but I feel free from the food trap, finally.

I hope I don't sound too contradictory by offering information from seemingly opposing views (Godly approach vs. physiological approach to losing weight), I am only trying to share the most recent paths I have been on in this battle with self to lose weight. We are both spirit AND body ... and for me, when I got the physical part under control, the spiritual part was no longer affected by the battle with food.

But mostly I'm glad to have found this group, as I have been quite distracted (with life) the last 2 or 3 months and have not been spending as much time with the Lord as I know I need to. Sharing with you ladies may be just what The Doctor ordered! My prayer request is that I can get my eyes back on the Lord where they belong! Thanks so much everyone, and nice to meet you all!

Have a great one! :sunny:

Welcome Blue Serenity! I haven't checked out "you, on a diet"yet.. but I highly recommend checking out the South Beach. It's very educational, does go into how foods interact in the system, and with the 2 week phase 1 you do learn as you reintroduce starches ("legal starches that is, like fruit")... you learn which ones effect you negatively.

I am, however, iming you personally to discuss what you said having left the corporate church.

Hello. This is my first post at 3fatchicks. I found this thread by googling reformed faith forums. It was so exciting to find you here. For the past several months, I've been very active in a wonderful low carb forum and have lost weight and gotten diabetes (the I.R. kind) under great control. However, through the months, I've noticed an obsession with the way of eating and not with my Lord Jesus Christ. While I realize that my faith is totally a gift from God, it is nonetheless my responsibility to concentrate on that faith. For me, my way of eating is a moral responsibility due to health problems. It's not my intention to promote my chosen way of eating for better health, I just want to fellowship with other believers along this way. Every day, I am amazed at God's hand print on my life.

Hello and welcome to our forum. As I previously mentioned I am having a very difficult time losing the weight and am very carb conscience. Mind if I inquire as to the method that is working for you?

Hello everyone! :wave:

Thanks for the welcome Lori. :) I gave South Beach a feeble shot a few years ago. But I think that's the problem, like every other program I've followed, it just did not fit into my lifestyle. Each program reinforcing the idea of "diet" and all the baggage that goes with it. I think the programs out there touch on some good ideas, but in the end one has to be able to live with it. I think I've finally found what it is that I can live with ... now just to get the weight coming off at a steady rate! lol

Welcome unbelievablygraced! Good for you getting the diabetes under control! There is lots of diabetes in my family, which puts me at greater risk of developing it, so I've decided to be proactive in my fight against diabetes by following diabetic guidelines myself. "Every day, I am amazed at God's hand print on my life." <<< I love that quote of yours! What a wonderful way to think on God's sovereignty!

Have a great day! :sunny:

Happy 500th Birthday John Calvin!!
Thank God for the Reformers!


my eating plan is not working very well, but it is because I can't really move much. I go to the gym and do the recumbent stepper three times a week, but in between, I am on a cane (and probably should be on crutches) so although I am probably building up a tiny bit of muscle, or maybe staying even, it is very discouraging.
Eight weeks to go for a new hip! Whooohoooo... I can't WAIT!!!
In the meantime, I am doing the "No Excuses Workout" which is interval training three times a week, and weight training three or four times a week. I added "Abs" last week; which I should have done long ago, but there you have it.

For me, the most help is to keep carbs down to about 30 a day and to monitor blood glucose a lot. I've met some non-diabetics who also monitor their blood sugar so as to know which carbs (and the amount) are most likely to cause an insulin spike which encourages weight gain. I've read so much about this, that I realized that in my efforts to take care of myself, my vision had shifted from heaven to this earthly life. There are some great low carb authors including Atkins, Bernstein, Eades, Carlson, and even Kendrick who wrote "The Great Cholesterol Con". With low carbing, there can be often stalls which can be broken sometimes with intermittent fasting. Personally, I've had about a 3 month stall, but am not obsessing about it because I've had a lot of bronchitis and then cancer treatments from which I've just about recovered, but everything has taken it's toll. You know, I know God wants my life to be balanced: I must take care of myself, but there has to be more to me that my WOE.

wanting to: I had a total knee a year ago. Yippee!!! Three months later, I was able to take my 2nd grade class on a 2 mile hike from a canyon floor up to the rim. I really think you will enjoy the "fake hip" results.

Blue Serenity, thanks for the welcome. You know, you may be a sitting duck for diabetes but I think you are wise in learning to eat properly before it comes knocking. It can be controlled and it sounds as if you already have a mental library of knowledge about it.

Hello and Blessings to all. Sorry to have been MIA for a week or more but I've been busily organizing the house! What fun it's been! One of those things where you hate doing it but when it's done your glad for it.

What you all do not know is that I've been unemployed on and off for a year now. Been accepting temporary positions, and I'm glad now that I did as my unemployment benefit year just ended. I'm eligible under the new year but it's gonna be $120 a week loss on my end so I've been talking to the utility companies, lowering payments or deferring them where possible. Now that the car is paid off I was able to take comp and collision off of insurance, carrying only liability and cutting over $40 a month on that bill alone.

To make a longer story short, the Lord has been blessing me with not just the finances, but the gift to cut back on literally every area of my life. So I thought I'd pop in here to see how everyone else is doing?

off to make my menu.

Looking for support
 

My church is currently holding a group to help support weight loss, we are using the Lose it for Life book and workbook. I have just recently joined this group and started reading the book. I'm psyched, I praying that this not only helps me lose weight, but will strengthen my relationship with Christ. Has anyone read this or done the workbook?

Lose it for Life is written by Steven Arterburn and Dr. Linda Mintle

Best-selling author and radio personality Stephen Arterburn has a national reputation for helping people emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Now the principles from his nationally recognized Lose It for Life Seminars ($1,600 value) are available in this book for people who are tired of struggling with their weight. Lose It for Life is a uniquely balanced program that not only deals with the physical issues of overeating, but also focuses on the emotional, mental, and the often-missed SPIRITUAL factors related to weight loss to help readers achieve PERMANENT results. Lose It for Life is also the perfect companion to any weight-loss program--Atkins®, South Beach®, Weight Watchers®, whatever! This ground-breaking new book is co-authored by Dr. Linda Mintle, who has been in clincial practice for 20 years and specializes in issues of weight and eating disorders. Together, Arterburn and Mintle give hope to those who have tried "diet" fads with only temporary results. This book will give them the information and motivation they need to live healthy and to finally--lose it for life!

About the Author
Stephen Arterburn is the founder and chairman of New Life Ministries and is the host of the nationally syndicated New Life Live! daily radio program. He is also the founder of the Women of Faith conferences and an author of over 40 books. His most recent releases include Every Man's Battle, Finding Mr. Right, and Integrity's Feeding Your Appetites
Linda Mintle, co-author of Lose It for Life and Lose It for Life Workbook, is a nationally recognized writer, speaker and licensed clinical social worker specializing in marriage and family therapy and eating disorders. Dr. Mintle is the resident expert for ABC Family Channel's Living the Life, and is a regular contributor to several Christian magazines.

Hello
sorry I missed you guys. I have been gone for a little over a week. I went to Ireland with my mother and sister. Mom turned 85 last week, and she has cancer, so this may be her last trip. It was a pretty trip. We ate great food three or four times a day, and other than short little walks to get to this or that monument, no exercise. I can't walk much anyway, so I did not miss it, but I would sure like to go back some day when I can do a lot more walking. So anyway.. I have not done anything toward my goal(s) for a week, and will start back on the program tomorrow.

Six weeks to Labor Day!!

Wow, I am so excited to find this forum...I belong to the Christian Reformed Church. Your post have really encouraged me. I knew that God was leading me to 3 fatchicks but I did not know why. Now I do. You are all so right. Thanks!!! I will be back and look forward to the conversation!!

Anybody out there?

I haven't visited 3 fatchicks in several weeks.. let's get this up and running again shall we?

The Lord reminded me yesterday that in everything we do we should be doing it unto the Glory of God... and that includes how we nourish our bodies. Oversized portions and/or the wrong nourishment is what the norm is in our culture today along with the "ease and convenience" of modern day machines, stores etc. As most adults today I drive everywhere, of course the closest store is a 15 minute drive as I live in the country, so the only walks I get are the dog walks every day. We no longer garden as a norm, and the small garden I have isn't enough to count. In times of old everyday living was their exercise... chopping wood, washing clothes, gardening, walking to school/work... today, we hop in our cars, turn on a gas furnace and/or stove, throw laundry in the machines.... you get my meaning... so as a result of this and the convenience of foods readily available it's so much easier to have what we intake stick to our insides... not to mention the depletion of vitamins in our foods. I'm bound and determined to stick to a menu this week. And as I eat, may the Lord remind me that I don't live to eat, rather eat to live... eating is a nourishment just as reading the Word is nourishment.