Here are some eating basics. I hope it helps you all out there. This is geared mainly for those who have taken the Weigh-down workshop, but it will benefit all who are struggling to have peace with food and fitness.

Whenever Jesus performed a miracle, somebody had to do something different than normal for it to happen. When he opened the blind man's eyes, the blind man had to wash in the fountain. When he healed the man's withered hand, He told the man to strech out his hand. These are things the people would not have normally done. Now you should be willing to make a small change in your lifestyles the way Jesus would want. Don't go on doing the same things and expect prayer alone to solve your problems.

God works through people

There is a story about a man who was caught in a flood. He prayed for God to help him. After the prayer, someone came up in a boat and said "hop on board" to which the man replied, "No thanks. God will rescue me."

The water was rising now, and the man was forced to the roof of his house. He prayed once again and a rescue helecopter came by. "Grab on to the rope!" said a voice over the loudspeaker. "No", the man replied "God will save me."

The water went over the man's head and he drowned.

When the man went to heaven, he asked God "I prayed to you and you did not rescue me." to which God replied, "Well, I sent you a boat and a rescue helecopter."

So, when God works through people, do not reject them. I wish to share with you some knowledge on how your body works, and how you can use this to help you reduce the extra fat on your body. This is not a diet or plan, but common sense. I believe it does not contradict Gwen's teachings, but supplements them.

There are three rules:

Eat when you're hungry and stop when you're not

Here's how fat cells work. They have enzymes which chain together the fat cells so that they are too large to leave the fat cells. We will call these Builders. A complimentary enzyme is responsible for breaking down the lipid chain so your muscles can use the fat. We will call these Breakers.

When you get hungry and don't eat, the Builders increase and the Breakers decrease. This is preparing your body for a famine. Also, since the Breakers decrease, the fat is not as available for use.

When are you hungry?

Eat really boring foods. Have you ever wondered if you're hungry or not? Well, you can usually eat delicious foods whether or not you are hungry. Who doesn't have room for just one more potato chip, or just a little cookie. But, if you're not hungry, you are not going to eat unbuttered, unsalted brown rice. If you are truely hungry, you will eat the boring foods even if you aren't attracted to them.

I'm not saying "never eat delicious foods". I'm only saying, "test your hunger by eating boring foods." If you eat the boring foods, then you are hungry and now you know you can eat the delicious foods. See also the pecking order below.

In the same way, you should eat boring foods at the end to test if you are really still hungry. This also forces you to have healthy food on hand, and you know you're not eating, say junk food, just because junk food is more available.

What you eat makes a difference

Remeber what Paul wrote:

All things are good for me, but not all things are beneficial

Food can be categorized into three groups:

  1. Carbohydrates
  2. Protein
  3. Fat

In the carbohydrates group are complex and simple carbohydrates. The types of foods that compose the complex group are whole grains (Maize (corn), brown rice, whole wheat, oats, barley (yuck)), less complex carbs like potatoes, white rice, white flour (and white flour products). The foods that make up the simple carbohydrates are vegetables, fruits, and sugar. Fruit and sugar are about the same except fruit has vitamins and sugar doesn't.

Sugar will dissolve in water. This will allow the sugar to quickly enter the blood stream. Whole grains, on the other hand, will swell with water and make you feel more full.

In the protein group are meat and dairy products. Beans are a cross between protein and starch, and don't have nearly as much fat as most meats. Beans are also cholesterol free. (Beans can also make enemies from the resulting rude noises and foul smells. ;-)

We all know what compises the fat group. Additionally, anything that is deep fried should be considered to be in the fat group. Dietary fat (fat you eat as opposed to fat produced by the liver) is important for the absorbtion of fat soluable vitamins. But, if you eat meat, the meat should contain enough fat that you don't need to go out of your way to add fat to the foods you eat.

The pecking order is:

  1. Whole grains (BROWN rice, corn, oats, whole wheat flour)
  2. *tubers (potatoes) and processed grains (white flour)
  3. *Legumes (beans, peas) (also counts as protein, but has less fat and cholesteral)
  4. Vegetables (carrots, spinach)
  5. Fruits
  6. Protein (meat, milk)
  7. Fat (oil, butter, most cheese)
Items marked by "*" are not neccesary

Eat more of 1. than 2. Eat more of 1, 2, or 3 than 4. Eat more of 4. than 5, etc. You must earn the right to eat meat by first eating grains, vegetables, and fruits.

Biology

How the body works: Your most important concern is metabolism. Metabolism is what eventually uses up the fat. 

Thus:

Protein <------ ----------- -------> Carbohydrates ------> Muscle
       \------->|         | <-------/    	       	 ->
       	       	|  Liver  |			        /
	        |         |			       /
	        ----|------			      /
	            V 		                     /
                   Fat ------------------------------

So, the only part of your body that can use fat is muscle. No matter how little or how much you eat, you will not lose your fat unless you

But, staying cold also increases your tendancy to insulate yourself. You insulate yourself with fat. So, it is logical to move around.

Blood sugar

A low blood sugar level will make you feel hungry. So, why would anyone want to stay away from sugar? There is a real good reason. You see, sugar enters the blood stream very quickly. The pancreas is responsible for reducing blood sugar levels. When the sugar level increases sharply, the pancreas excretes too much insulin in an effort to catch up with the high blood sugar level.

This makes the blood sugar level drop to very low levels. The pancreas can not increase the blood sugar level directly. For this, one needs to

  1. Eat more
  2. Convert protein to carbohydrates

Thus, a person will feel hungry after eating sugar because of low blood sugar levels.

Activity

You need to be more active. Watch less TV. At least get up and do something during the commercials. Get a pedometer. You should easily be able to work up to 4000 steps per day.

Good exercise habbits

Your leg muscles are much larger than any other muscles in your body. Thus, to use much energy, it is good to move your legs. Also, leg movement without a load hardly consumes energy. Leg movement with a load is work, and consumes energy. Therefore, laying on your back and kicking your legs in the air will not use nearly as much fat as walking.

Your muscles have energy stored up. They can use this energy for up to 10 minutes before they start using up fat. Fat does not burn as quickly as sugar. If you exercise too strenuously, you will burn only sugar and not fat.

God gave us a free will and he will not take that free will away. God has already given us the grace we need to resist temptation. God never allows us to be tempted beyond our abilities. If you feel tempted to eat when you are full, place the food on the table, and try to coax the food to walk into your mouth. You will find that the food requires your intervention before it will enter your mouth.

It's OK. to refuse someone who is offering you food, and you aren't hungry. If a person insists, tell them you will not insult them. Ask the person to kindly wrap up the food so you can try it later when you are hungry and can better appreciate the morsel.