A couple evenings ago I enjoyed a gooey chocolate magnum bar for dessert. I was a little unsure if I would have one, but in the end I just went for it. Why did I hesitate? Well, I'm interested in health and nutrition, and these...aren't. (high fructose corn syrup? What!?!)
I've struggled with finding a balance between eating healthy and enjoying my food. Now, I'm not saying healthy food is icky (it can be quite delicious), but I still want to be "free" enough to eat magnum bars with my family. After all, it's not something we have in the house very often and meals are a time to share things with my family, be they magnum bars or some chia-kale-coconut-liver mush. (just kidding)
We shouldn't become slaves to our food: it's something that nourishes and delights us. I can get very conscious and even a little paranoid about my food: Oh, does it have too much sugar? Ack, it has modified corn starch! We're all gonna DIE!!!
I don't want this interest in health to get in the way of savoring my food. If I'm constantly thinking of food in regard to their micro and macronutrients, I might as well open a can of calcium and order protein in bulk. See what I mean? It takes the joy out of eating if I'm simply thinking what vitamins I'm getting out of this and how I'm going to be affected by that.
All this isn't to say we should eat cupcakes for breakfast and ignore the veggies. We should be good stewards in taking care of the body God gave us. We just shouldn't become slaves to this task or become so preoccupied that we don't enjoy our meals anymore. It isn't a "sin" to eat a french fry. Jesus Himself declared all food clean (Mark 7:18-20). This doesn't necessarily mean that we should go and binge on sugar, but that we shouldn't feel like we're "defiling" ourselves if we have some birthday cake.
I went grain-free for a couple months, but I just stopped two weeks ago. I've never been unhealthy and I don't think I was better off not eating grains. In fact, I think I was worse off emotionally! I would keep questioning my decision, which led to many tears and anger at God. I was mad that He'd given me this interest that was causing me pain. I also felt left out if my family was eating something I "couldn't". And remember that paranoia? I got so bad that I would even pick out the individual grains of rice that somehow got into the leftovers. So I went back.
I'm still finding a balance between caring for my body and enjoying my food. I'm sure I'll never find the perfect balance, but I hope I will not be so preoccupied that I cannot enjoy a magnum bar with my family.
I don't want this interest in health to get in the way of savoring my food. If I'm constantly thinking of food in regard to their micro and macronutrients, I might as well open a can of calcium and order protein in bulk. See what I mean? It takes the joy out of eating if I'm simply thinking what vitamins I'm getting out of this and how I'm going to be affected by that.
All this isn't to say we should eat cupcakes for breakfast and ignore the veggies. We should be good stewards in taking care of the body God gave us. We just shouldn't become slaves to this task or become so preoccupied that we don't enjoy our meals anymore. It isn't a "sin" to eat a french fry. Jesus Himself declared all food clean (Mark 7:18-20). This doesn't necessarily mean that we should go and binge on sugar, but that we shouldn't feel like we're "defiling" ourselves if we have some birthday cake.
I went grain-free for a couple months, but I just stopped two weeks ago. I've never been unhealthy and I don't think I was better off not eating grains. In fact, I think I was worse off emotionally! I would keep questioning my decision, which led to many tears and anger at God. I was mad that He'd given me this interest that was causing me pain. I also felt left out if my family was eating something I "couldn't". And remember that paranoia? I got so bad that I would even pick out the individual grains of rice that somehow got into the leftovers. So I went back.
I'm still finding a balance between caring for my body and enjoying my food. I'm sure I'll never find the perfect balance, but I hope I will not be so preoccupied that I cannot enjoy a magnum bar with my family.
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