Reasons for Continuing

I mentioned in the previous post that I had reasons for re-instating my Lenten fast even though Easter had passed.  In order to fully explain those reasons, I'll need to go back a little to when I first started getting interested in my health.

All of my life, I have never had to struggle with my weight.  I have always been small and petite.  And I didn't do anything to stay that way.  I ate whatever I wanted, as long as it tasted good.  I hardly ate any vegetables and, as I mentioned before, I loved sweets.  Me eat a salad?  Never.  I ordered my tacos without lettuce and my hamburgers dry.  And, interestingly enough, I grew up suffering from chronic sinus infections.  Admittedly I was a busy girl--active in band, choir, drama, dance, and church while also maintaining an "A" average.  I would burn both ends of the candle until I would get sick.  The sinus infection almost always went into strep throat.  

I never connected my sickness with my eating habits.  Sadly, it was not until after college that I made that connection.  I made some changes in my eating and I noticed that I did not get sick as often.  I also learned to not let myself get so stressed and busy (thanks to my husband) and that also seemed to have an effect.  I saw trends in my eating habits:  if I ate a lot of sweets then I would often end up with sinus issues.  Slowly, I began to understand that what I put into my body affected how well it would work.

I have to stop here and thank my mother-in-law.  She is very knowledgeable about health and was instrumental in helping me on my journey.  She lent me a book entitled "What the Bible Says About Healthy Living," and as I read through it, I was amazed.  God created all the foods we would need to live on this planet, and live well.  It is man's attempt to improve on these foods (AKA processed foods) that have led to so many health problems.

So began my efforts to really change my eating habits--eating less processed foods and fewer sweets.  I noticed that I cycled between eating healthy and eating unhealthy.  It was difficult to control my cravings so I would fall back into old habits, usually until I got sick.  Then it was easy to start eating healthy again until the next round hit.  And so it would go, over and over.

I lacked the discipline to say "No" when a craving would hit, whether it was for fast food, chocolate, or something else.  That is one reason the Lenten fast from chocolate was so appealing to me.  I wasn't just saying, "Oh I'll do better this week."  I made it a vow to God that I would not eat chocolate.  If Jesus could go without food and water for 40 days, then surely I could offer this small sacrifice to God.  And it was only for 40 days.  It's not like I would be denying myself forever.

During that time, I was in the second trimester of my second pregnancy.  (At the time of writing this I am 36 weeks along.)  I craved more sweets during this pregnancy than I did with my first, so it was very difficult at times.  I would sometimes stand in front of the candy at the store and say, "Lord, I want this so badly.  Please help me to resist."  God was so faithful and I celebrated victory after victory.

After Easter, I allowed myself to eat chocolate again.  The rest of April passed, as did May.  By June, I was feeling out of control again.  I prayed about doing another 40 days and I felt the Lord agreeing with me.  But this time I vowed not to eat chocolate or drink sodas.  

There were still many instances in which I struggled.  But having tasted victory before, I knew it was possible with the Lord's help.