I Finally Agree With Oprah

My wife and I watched yesterday as Oprah admitted the one thing she has not been able to get a handle on is her weight. Now 40 pounds heavier than she was at her most svelt she is coming clean about her problem. It seems the key to happiness is not the amount of money you make. (On a side-note I just heard on the radio the wealthiest man in Germany just committed suicide by jumping in front of a train.) Happiness is not a result of things or even fame. Oprah declared that to be happy you must learn to love yourself. This is exactly what I've ben preaching for years, but it is not original with myself or Oprah.

Leviticus 19:18 (GW)
¹⁸ Never get revenge. Never hold a grudge against any of your people. Instead, love your neighbor as you love yourself. I am the Lord.

So Oprah has a weight problem, who knew? It never seemed to bother her while on TV, but she admitted that there were times she did not want to be seen. Now she has a new attitude. It's not about the weight. It is all about being healthy and happy. 

Many of you know last year I had a similar epiphany. At the time of my birthday I saw myself on video I said, "Who is that man with a tire for a belly?" I felt tired and miserable, so I decided to take matters in my own hands. I had balooned to a size 38 waist. (Oprah said she went from a 12 to a 14 to a 16 then to elastic.) I was wearing extra large shirts and 17 inch necks. Or was that 17 1/2? Now one year later and one year older I wear a medium shirt, 33 waist pants and I am 16 inches in the neck. Notice I did not mention my weight. I know what I weigh and how much I lost, but I perceive the scales as an enemy. The goal is not weight loss but healthiness. So after one year of being healthier and staying a 33 I want to once again share with you how I changed my lifestyle. 

I do not fuss much about breakfast. I think a hearty breakfast gets the metabolism started and you feel better and begin burning calories early in the day and that process continues all while your active. 

I love bread. I eat mostly whole grain breads. We don't even buy "white" bread anymore. Hummus, (ground chick peas and olive oil that I discovered in Israel) is my spread of choice over butter. If I do want butter on my sweet potato (not Idaho) I use it in moderation.

I dropped the sweet tea and soft drinks for Coke Zeros and tea sweetened with Splenda. 

Three out of four times I eat meat it is chicken or fish. Hamburgers are a rare treat. Even then I omit the french fries. I do however like the low-fat chips and salsa. If I have a steak, and I do about once a week, it is lean and grilled. 

When I get hungry between meals I eat low fat yogurt or sugar free chocolate pudding. If I want something crunchy I go for some sort of roasted nut. I even keep popcorn around. I just don't smother it in butter. For desert I have no suger added ice cream with a banana and lite whipped cream. 

At least one meal a week I get a Blue Coast burrito. Made with chicken, lettuce, pintos, salsa, onions, and rice on a spinach tortilla it is a great low fat lunch. I have to be careful about the fried chips they serve. I eat them in moderation. 

Then I eat whatever I want about once or twice a week. The great thing is once you have learned to like things that aren't loaded with butter or oil you really don't want to eat things that are unduly unhealthy. 

I am not suggesting everyone should eat like I do, but several have tried and found it a very satisfying way to stay healthy and even lose a few pounds. My next big hurdle is exercise. I'm in the process of working on a plan, but like my eating habits it will be in moderation.

  Philippians 4:4-5 (KJV)
⁴ Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
⁵ Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

I hope you will learn to love yourself. For all of you who aren't happy with who you are or how you feel let me say I can sympathize. I also know how much better you will feel if you just make the effort to love yourself and begin to take even baby steps to get healthier. Be thankful that this old body, even though you may have abused the tar out of it, hasn't let you down yet. Thank God for it and now take some steps to treat it better. Remember the scales are not as important as your BIBLE. Most of us would be a lot healthier if we made a b-line to God's Word in the morning as quickly as we do he bathroom scales. 

Pastor Ken  

 

Comments

[Eugenia]

Way to go! You look great. You have found ways which work for you to make healthier food choices and change your wants, which is the key to keeping weight off. Each person has to fit their changes to their life.
Yes, exercise is important to rev the metabolism and control the gain.

[Jerry]

Responding to the first paragraph of your blog, I have the following quote from John MacArthur's book "The Gospel According to the Apostles".

"I am deeply concerned as I watch what is happening in the church today. Biblical christianity has lost it's voice. The church is preaching a gospel designed to soothe rather than confront sinful individuals. Churches have turned to amusement and show business to try to win the world. Those methods may seem to draw crowds for a season. But they are not God's methods, and therefore they are destined to fail. In the meantime, the church is being infiltrated and corrupted by professing believers who have never repented, never turned from sin, and therefore, never really embraced Christ as Lord or Savior.

We must return to the message God has called us to preach. We need to confront sin and call sinners to repentance--to a radical break from the love of sin and a seeking of the Lord's mercy. We must hold up Christ as Savior and Lord, the one who frees His people from the penalty and power of sin. That is, after all, the gospel he has called us to proclaim."

And I wholeheartedly agree with the above statement.