Lessons

 Lessons

 

When I got up this morning, February 16, my weather app informed me we had a -17 temperature and a -36 wind chill (did you know weather forecasters didn’t begin to give wind chills until the 60s?  And they really took off with wind chills in the 70s and 80s.)

 What a year this has been, yes?  Derecho, COVID, and extraordinarily cold temps we’ve not experienced in years.  So how is your appetite during these stressful times?  I know I’ve written this before, but it seems like mine is even worse during this time.  I finish breakfast and look at the clock to see how much time I must get through before I can eat lunch.  I begin to plan lunch.

 And after lunch?  Right.  I look at the clock to see how much time I must get through before I can eat supper.  I begin to plan supper.

 But I’ve learned a few lessons about my relationship with food during these past 12 months.

 The more involved I am with a task I am interested in, the less I think about food.  Those tasks can vary--reading, going through old photos, completing a Bible study. . .

I’ve also learned I need to eat vegetables and protein at my meals, for these foods fill me and stay with me longer.

This next lesson we’ve heard many times, but it bears repeating for me.  Do not go grocery shopping when you are hungry.  So why did I head out to do exactly that last evening at 4 p.m.?  By the time I finished shopping, I was ready to grab anything to satisfy my growling stomach.  Even the beef jerky looked good, and I NEVER eat that (one of the few things I don’t eat).

 The Bible verse that comes to mind in light of these lessons is this from Proverbs:  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.”  (Prv. 3:5, Life Application)

 I need to trust the Holy Spirit to guide me in how to use my time, when to eat, what to eat, how much to eat, and when to go grocery shopping.

 

                                                                                                                                     Sharon Witty  

Water, Sleep and Exercise

Three critical elements of a healthy lifestyle are water, sleep and exercise. When we get tired of focusing on what we eat, lei’s try putting the emphasis on these three instead. We may just discover one makes a difference in our weight or hunger.

Drinking water is good for the body. It can suppress our appetite, help burn fat, stimulate metabolism, and even reduce stress by avoiding dehydration.

 

Sleep is critical to a healthy body. Sleep maintains a balance of hormones – even those that trigger cravings. Our bodies need a regular sleep pattern to stay healthy.

 

Exercise – oh, I had to bring that up! Yes, exercise is important to our bodies. Let’s try moving more each day. To reduce sitting is a great place to start. Walking around the house, cleaning, and performing daily tasks all help our bodies perform properly and that leads to good health.

 

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV).

 

Gloria D. Stewart