MY DIET...by Rich

My husband and I are on the Atkins diet. I appreciate his insight and wanted to share it with you all.

susie


I’ve been on the Atkins Diet for a month now and have been learning a lot.
The Atkins diet, as you know, is a low carb intake diet. The idea is to avoid as many “carbs” as possible and fill up on high protein foods such as meat and eggs. The first thing I learned is this is not a cheap diet; carbs are much cheaper than proteins. But the real eye opener was in the discipline of eating just very specific foods (ones with little or no carbs at least to get the ball rolling) I became actually more aware of foods that had carbs in them. To be more precise I saw how my old eating habits were filled with carbs and how many of them were just snacks. In fact I may have become a carbaholic! For instance, I’d be at Ace Hardware and at every checkout they had the boxes of Salted Nut Rolls, mmmmmm, not just the small ones but those great big ones and better yet for only a dollar! No wait two for a dollar!! Double yumm, they’d be gone by the time I got homeL. Sometimes I’d catch myself saying, “Don’t I need to pick something up at Ace? “ Don’t let me get started on those side trips to McDonalds and did you know you can still get an ice cream cone for 50 cents at Cubby’s yeah really its right there next to the Krispy Kream case.

At home I really ate healthy though; you know fruits, grains, and vegetables. Cereals, potatoes and gravy, skim milk were the daily fare. Well of course I’m not perfect there was always plenty of beer and pizza on the weekend, well you know how it’s a better buy if you get a case of beer and of course why get only one medium pizza when you can get 2 for the same price if you have a coupon.

It was only through the discipline of eating specific diet foods that I became more away of the undisciplined eating habits I actually had. In fact rejecting all that crap has made me feel much better physically and eventually probably make me look much better too. But then it struck me isn’t this also true for my soul? It’s also important to nourish the soul. Had I been neglecting my soul in the same way? I saw an uncanny parallel to the spiritual life. It’s actually quite easy to fall into carb-aholism of the soul (sin). Just as my undisciplined eating habits had raised my weight to the point of obesity and my blood pressure to a hypertensive state so to an undisciplined spiritual life leads to selfishness and hate. In both cases, left neglected long enough, eventually to death.

If a steady diet of the right foods will illuminate my improper eating habits, shouldn’t a steady diet of spiritual food bring to light the sin in my life? Yes that’s exactly what happens Through prayer, spiritual reading and the sacraments I become more aware of the sin in my life. When I get on the scale in the morning and see my weight going down, I now that what I’m doing is working. But I need to check my weight on a regular basis. If I stop losing weight or if I lose it to fast I know I may have gotten off the track. I need to weigh myself spiritually too. I need to step upon God spiritual scale, to examine my conscience. How do I measure up to Gods Law the 10 commandments? What about the beatitudes have I been properly loving my neighbor? This in essence is what lent is about. Through the disciplines of lent we become more spiritually fit.

Some how I got incentive to start a diet. It might have been when I was labeled obese by the insurance company or maybe I just got disgusted with my rotund shape. The point is I took steps to lose weight and through those steps I gained encouragement to continue. When we take steps toward God he gives us grace to continue. It only takes a small step of faith to get started. It’s a whole lot easier to loose 10 lbs than 100. I think that’s why the church says, “Go to Mass on Sundays, obey the commandments, love your neighbor, feed the hungry, go to confession, read your bible and most of all pray.” The Church doesn’t say these things to control our lives and ruin our fun. It’s actually God thru the Holy Spirit saying, “Don’t eat too many carbs, eat a balanced diet, get some exercise, and use some restraint when you dish up your food.” This is the way to lead a happy and healthy life.

Rich

Psalm 86:11

Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.

I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.

For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

The arrogant are attacking me, O God;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life—
men without regard for you.

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

Turn to me and have mercy on me;
grant your strength to your servant
and save the son of your maidservant.

Give me a sign of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.