coeuri is offline coeuri Post #1  July 6,2009, 10:58am
coeuri's Avatar

life is an interesting journey

Virtuoso

Joined: Jul 2008

home

Posts: 2,886

See profile

I apologize upfront to those of you who may think this topic shallow, but I think it deserves a place in this group.

Sometimes, I think that taking care of the "inward man (or woman, as the case may be)" becomes an excuse for ignoring the care we need to take of our bodies. Presently, I am the weight I should be for health, not overly so but the point is still there. I am chosing to work with my diet and exercise to rectify this situation in a responsible ongoing way. I am not doing this to be "prettier". I have enough people who think of me as "cute". I am doing this because it will help me meet concerns that can be there in the future due to family historys and past injuries of my own.

I have also seen people on here mention the "sin of gluttony" something that I never really thought about it becuase it is so much easier to make the big important sins things other people do. Since sin to me is simply the symptoms of turning from God to focus on the creation, then gluttony is a sin in my life. How often have I turned for comfort to some favoured food or whatever instead of to God when I had a struggle in my life? How often have I holed up in pity instead of going out and walking even though I find that exercise is a time that I feel God near?

I am not going to become a person that fits some of the fashion trends. My bone structure wouldn't even allow it in a healthy way. I am going to honour God's creation and improve my care of myself so that I will have the energy and the strength to live out my faith actively in the world I am in. Anyone want to join me in encouraging each other in this?
 
  Reply With Quote
rix is offline rix Post #2  July 7,2009, 1:57am
rix's Avatar

Happy 1st Anniversary, babe!

Veteran

Joined: Mar 2008

Cascadia

Posts: 1,388

See profile

Hey coeuri,

I couldn't let your thread sink into oblivion without having someone to respond to it. Funny, I grew up in one of those churches where people assumed gluttony was a non-issue. We would have those church potlucks where people would consume everything they could (even the tablecloth). However, there were some three hundred and fifty pound people who were pretty proud of the fact that they didn't drink or smoke (I guess they didn't have time, considering their rate of consumption).

Anyways, I do favor a gestalt, or holistic, approach. After all, we are more than the sum of our parts. And, taking care of ourselves spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically is essential to our overall well being. I do not believe each part is compartmentalized, and each area could have a bearing or impact on the well being of the other. Therefore, maintaining oneself physically is also essential to spiritual well being. I once had a theology professor who said that the best thing you could do for yourself spiritually, was to have a good sleep (which explains why I'm spiritually deficient ).

I also believe we should use all the tools at our disposal in order to maintain our health and well being, and this includes yoga, meditation, alternative medicine, etc...I have to shake my head at some fundamentalists who regard anything "Eastern" as suspect. However, one is usually not prostrating themself before hindu gods while performing yoga, nor "eating food sacrificed to idols," so it is really a non-issue.
 
  Reply With Quote
coeuri is offline coeuri Post #3  July 7,2009, 7:58am
coeuri's Avatar

life is an interesting journey

Virtuoso

Joined: Jul 2008

home

Posts: 2,886

See profile

I agree, Rix. Somehow, I think this is an issue of our faithwalk as we are witnesses to the world and, frankly, our outer appearance speaks to others in ways we may choose to ignore. It is a part of the whole, as you pointed out. I only highlight it in this thread because we seem to sidestep around it. And, frankly, I actually want encouragement and support in this area.
Last edited by coeuri; July 7,2009 at 8:06am.
 
  Reply With Quote
IndyLady is offline IndyLady Post #4  July 12,2009, 10:27pm
IndyLady's Avatar

Newbie

Joined: Jan 2008

Arizona

Posts: 31

See profile

I'd love to join this discussion. So many of the things you said, coeuri, rang true for me as well. Too often I have tried to fill a lonely heart by filling my mouth and stomach. It really doesn't work, but we keep doing it anyway. I have gained and lost weight several times over the years. I had the most success with Weigh Down workshop.(before GS took a wrong turn). I think many of the basics are really good. Eat only when you are physically hungry and stop when you have had just enough. Hunger is just our bodies telling us we need fuel and is OK. So many fads keep us focused on the food and food "rules". We even try to blame the food...good foods/bad foods...when Jesus declared ALL foods clean.

I must confess, and will address in another post, that I get kind of angry when it comes to this topic. I know this is my issue and maybe this can be a forum for me to work through that.
 
  Reply With Quote
coeuri is offline coeuri Post #5  July 13,2009, 9:52am
coeuri's Avatar

life is an interesting journey

Virtuoso

Joined: Jul 2008

home

Posts: 2,886

See profile

Fantastic, Indy! Glad to have you to talk to on this. By keeping our thoughts to this thread then thos who don't want to look at this can close it out just by not reading this thread.

I understand your issue on anger. I have a daughter who has issues on this when it is brought up. She shares the view that it is all based on eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. But I do believe that God has gifted others with analytical abilities I don't have. Give me a song to arrange, a cumputer program to disect, a child to teach and encourage in learning and I can be there. But I do not have the time to research everything in life so am thankful for those who have learned about what different foods and exercise do for our bodies.

One of the things I have learned is that our bodies can mix up the signals of hunger and thirst so that bfore I eat anything, I am learning to have a drink of water.

I also appreciate the information I am learning about different types of fats and the help of fibre etc because I frankly feel better when I change certain things in my diet. Being able to observe simply helps me gain strengths for the things I can do with my life.

Just some of my thoughts. I agree that all food is clean, though I think that dealt with a different issue, but I do think that as in so many things in life, we do have to be wise enough to have a balance of discipline to frame any freedoms we feel.
Last edited by coeuri; July 13,2009 at 9:54am.
 
  Reply With Quote
IndyLady is offline IndyLady Post #6  July 14,2009, 4:14pm
IndyLady's Avatar

Newbie

Joined: Jan 2008

Arizona

Posts: 31

See profile

So true! I think my anger about this issue results from well meaning friends making thinly veiled insinuations that I would be happier, more acceptable,etc. When I first got divorced I had lots of people telling me what they thought would "fix" my life....'take down the wallpaper'..paint...sell your house...buy this...go there...get a job....color your hair...and my favorite... how about gastric by-pass surgery!

Thankfully I had a terrific Christian counselor who showed me that while my friends meant well, I was internalizing their remarks as "you are not good enough" the way you are. I has taken a lot of work and a long time, but I am finally at a place where I really like myself. I have made changes in my life, but they came at a pace that was good for me and were God led. (Hence, IndyLady no longer lives in Indy, but in Arizona!) The biggest changes have been on the inside, though. I love God so much and trust Him more than ever!

So, yeah, now that inside is at its best, I guess I'm ready to tackle the issues of the body. But not to "get a guy".
 
  Reply With Quote
chawks64 is offline chawks64 Post #7  July 14,2009, 5:52pm
chawks64's Avatar

is keeping warm with her Honey.

Power Poster

Joined: Jun 2008

Southern Nevada

Posts: 6,735

See profile

IndyLady wrote :
The biggest changes have been on the inside, though. I love God so much and trust Him more than ever!

So, yeah, now that inside is at its best, I guess I'm ready to tackle the issues of the body. But not to "get a guy".
Good for you!

Losing weight to get healthy is a great idea. Losing weight to "get a guy" is a bad idea. First, no two guys can agree on how much a good looking woman weighs. Second, it sets yourself up for the whole "we got married and she just swelled right up" complaint, since you're doing it for the wrong reasons. I know so many women that have lost weight to attract a man, then gained it all back when they felt they had "caught" him. Third, change like that should always be because YOU think you should, not just to make others happy.

It really comes down to treating yourself with respect. I'm guilty of emotional/bored/availability eating. As I'm typing, I know I just downed 2 Entenmann's donuts instead of the chicken taco I had planned on. Not good. Luckily, my work has me extremely active, but that doesn't mean I couldn't stand to lose about 15. It doesn't sound like much, but it looks like I'm pregnant. Not a good look for a 44-year-old single woman...

I'm really glad you have the right attitude. It makes a huge difference in how successful you will be. And I'm rooting for you!
 
  Reply With Quote
IndyLady is offline IndyLady Post #8  July 15,2009, 11:40am
IndyLady's Avatar

Newbie

Joined: Jan 2008

Arizona

Posts: 31

See profile

I'll be out of town for a week taking a road trip with my Mom
 
  Reply With Quote
Reply


« Are Christians as shallow as the world? | Christian Singles | confused? »
Topic Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new topics
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off

Similar Topics
Topic Topic Starter Board Replies Last Post
Has Customer Care helped improve your eHarmony experience? eH_Advice_Host_Renee Using eHarmony 19 July 22,2009 12:42pm
Scientific evidence ...maybe women REALLY don't care about status, and its okay to have.8 hip ratio. cp30 Dating 167 June 27,2009 6:23pm
Enjoying life while a bankruptcy is taking place. bigfincat Politics 42 June 9,2009 2:51pm
Has Customer Care helped you find your Special Someone? eH_Advice_Host_Renee Success Stories 0 June 5,2009 4:52pm
Help The Dog Is Taking over chazmunkee Chit Chat 19 April 20,2009 10:53am

Looking for a Great Relationship?

Get started now. Fill out this form and take the questionnaire to receive your matches.

First Name:

I'm a:
seeking

Postal Code:

Country:

Email:

Confirm Email:

Password:


How did you hear about us?


Latest on our Dating Advice Discussion Boards

“ Excellent, thank you. I think I will leave out the first part, I think it is unnecessary information to give him. I'm not interested in putting myself out there like that and it might be a little ... ” –  generallyyou

Join the “Ending a friendship” discussion

“Alfred Hitchcock - 18 Steven Spielberg - 62 *notice what?” –  dmi

Join the “War of the Directors” discussion

“ I would be "certain people" :P The issue isn't a deal-breaker, but a very strong factor preference-wise, for me.” –  ThePriestess

Join the “How much does race play in your dating someone?” discussion

“Love Texas Hold'em!.. I'm thinking of trying another tournament this summer...not sure yet though.. Never entered a tournament before, outside of online ones. Personally I prefer to play with ... ” –  Freezepop

Join the “Favorite Card Game” discussion

“Make that 3! I also had a crush on Donny Osmond. I think I still have a record or two of his. Suzie ” –  legend29

Join the “Robin Gibbs Dead at 62...How Deep is Your Love?” discussion

“Oh, my revised profile can be seen in the forum in the section where you can ask for a profile review. Suzanne” –  SuzanneScorpio

Join the “Photo Review” discussion

“Just remember, everything that you are feeling and/or are capable of he is as well. If he wanted to reach you, he could. Right now he knows that you are hurting, and that this is not what you ... ” –  lynntlb78

Join the “Can I wait and move on at the same time?” discussion

“ Yohio. And the shortened form (Anya) is nice too.” –  ThePriestess

Join the “Where is Becky?!?” discussion



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 7:32am.

Discussion Boards Archive

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0