Monday Musings...

As you all know, we'll be celebrating the resurrection of our Lord this coming Sunday. What a joyous time for the believer! Jesus' resurrection means everything to us. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians chapter 15:17, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, you are still in your sins." But we know that He has been raised and because of Him, we also have been given life...eternal life. Makes me want to break out into the classic song, "Because He Lives"!

So, while this is a time of rejoicing for the believer, the world celebrates with bunnies, chocolate, and Easter eggs. And it can be very tempting to take advantage of those sales on chocolate and indulge a bit too much in traditional, festive foods. For those of us trying to lose weight, holidays are one of our greatest downfalls. It's so easy to overindulge, and when you mix the nostalgic emotions with the abundance of yummy food, the result is often disastrous.

Knowing that next weekend could be a tough challenge for a lot of us, here are a few quick tips to curbing that emotional eating :

-Don't go to the table "starving". It's better to eat a light snack of fruits, veggies, or nuts about an hour or so before sitting down to a large meal. This will help you to eat mindfully you'll be in a much better state of mind if your stomach isn't making loud noises!

-Drink lots of water. It's important to stay hydrated at all times, but especially during times when you know you'll be tempted to eat more. Often times, we mistake our body's signal for thirst and actually think that we're hungry, when all we need is a glass of water!

-Steer clear of tempting situations! For example, if you know that you'll be tempted to sneak a few extra bits of food, don't offer to clean up the food. Instead, offer to do the dishes or sweep the floor.

-Decide before sitting down to the meal what you're going to eat. Prior planning is important!

-Eat slowly, and pick foods that are full of protein and fiber. Stay away from foods full of sugar or fat. They only increase your blood sugar levels and make you crave more! If you are disciplined enough to be satisfied with one bite, great! But if not, don't even open the door for that temptation.

-Finally, just be smart and know yourself. Eating one little piece of dark chocolate isn't going to cause a major weight gain, but eating several little pieces could. Know your strengths and weaknesses, and ask the Lord to help you practice self-control!

I'm thanking the Lord that because of His death and resurrection, He has given me the power (His power!) to overcome my sin and the struggles that I still encounter each day. He has made it possible for me to be dead to sin and alive in Him! So it would be foolish of me to spend a day reserved for rejoicing in His life by indulging in my flesh, don't you think?

Life is worth the living, just because He lives!
Bekah