Peace with food is a daily struggle for so many people that I’ve worked with over the years. I used to think it was just me… that the struggle with daily discipline was something that only a few of us unlucky ones experienced. But now I know that’s not true. it’s an epidemic…
The struggle leads many people to quit and give up or over-regulate food to the point that they are paralyzed and unable to enjoy life. I’ve been on both ends of those spectrums and have found peace in the middle. The middle is a place where there is balance, grace, structure, and a plan. The middle is also where my faith has impacted my life around food. If you are a person of faith, I think you’d agree that we are pre-wired with an automated way to regulate our food patterns - hunger and fullness. We’ve also been gifted with foods that grow from the earth that are in our best interest to eat in order to sustain health. When we bypass these mechanisms, we find ourselves in an unbalanced place, where we try to self regulate everything to the point that we take a very basic behavior and make it complicated. Eating is basic, but eating for health, body image goals, etc., has become so blurry. That is what our culture does to just about everything that God meant for survival, blessing, and our good.
I know you don’t want a sermon, and I am not equipped to give one, but I do 100% believe that if we go back to the basics with nutrition, we can experience freedom and order in this area. You probably also don’t want a biology lesson, which I am less equipped to give, but it is basic science that food equals energy. That’s it. If we take the emotion and frustration out of the mix, we now have a human need - eating - that needs to happen throughout the course of a day in order for our bodies to operate. The kind of food we choose determines the level to which the body operates. Under eating causes a down shift in the body’s energy; over eating causes a need for the body to store the excess. There are times where we need to deal with both ends of the spectrum: to lose or gain weight, you simply need to address how much energy you are putting in.
My experience with my own food dependencies and disorders, came from using food for purposes outside of the science realm - meaning, instead of fueling my body, I was fueling my heart… I thought. As I hear stories after stories of others that I coach, I’m aware of the problem this same issue causes others. We need to escape, find comfort, etc, so we turn to food. But we end up with a weight problem instead.
The only way to get out of this rut and create structure and peace around food again is to look at it for what it is and nothing more. Easier said than done? Nope… I did it and so have many others that I’ve coached. Here’s how: 1) get a plan (your’s or mine), 2) track your food for as long as you need (this is just a tool to track your energy… it shouldn’t create mental chaos, it gives peace as you learn what your body needs), 3) assess your outcomes (again, this is not mental torture, it’s a tool for measuring… that’s it), 4) repeat daily, and when you can’t stick to the plan, you may need a break, so you enjoy it, turn the page, and get back on track.
Just like with your bank account, you need to have a plan. You need to track your progress daily. And, you need to take an account of the overall plan/process from time to time if you want to be successful. Following a budget with your money is like following a plan with your nutrition - it cuts out the chaos, gives you simple, daily steps, and sets you up for success. I hear people say things like: ‘this is too rigid, complicated, and restrictive.’ What it actually is, is the path to freedom. It takes the mental component and self doubt out. It gives you a clear path to follow. And as long as you stay on track, as with spending, you will stay within your budget/nutrition plan, and accomplish that goal that’s been nagging at you for so long. I’m not saying the path is EASY, but it is POSSIBLE. I promise!!
