First Lesson Learned From Dieting

Last week I gave you the low down of what I wish I knew before I started Keto, one of my last of many diets. 

This week, along with the next two, I’m going to explain my top three lessons.

All in the hope you can learn from my mistakes…

Lesson number one:
Beating myself for “failing” by eating off my diet plan does not stop me from eating it next time.

I kind of want to go back and give that old me a hug. She really needed it.

My self-confidence (the confidence that God made me a beautiful creation) was at an all-time low during my keto craziness.

Being in that pit just made me focus on myself further. I was fixated on what I couldn’t eat, how I couldn’t stop myself, and how I wish I was skinnier and feeling great.

All that spinning in me but made me feel WORSE.

Since I felt terrible, I looked for ways to feel better.

Unfortunately, my brain knew food did the trick for a quick fix.

Here is what that cycle looks like:

I would have a thought about myself, like, “You don’t look good.”

It seems like an honest thought.

The problem was that thinking made me feel shame. Shame doesn’t feel right in my body. It feels like an emptiness that will never be relieved.

But, my brain, the "smarty pants" it is, knew how to help me feel better.

Food.

My automatic brain (my habits) would kick in. Food would give me a dopamine hit and create a little feel-good moment.

In that moment, I would feel good, until the dopamine wore off.

Since I never took care of the shame, it was still there, waiting for me. But, it was worse now, because I was telling myself, “You have no self-control. Look what you did. You’ll never feel good now.”

Now, there was shame, disappointment, AND frustration.

The cycle started again.

Do you see where this comes from?
This thinking, those feelings, those actions... they are spurred on by the enemy.

He wants you to feel miserable, stuck, frustrated… captive. So, he whispers all the lies and deceptions he can conjure up to keep you there.

Because he knows, if you feel this way, you will use food to numb the pain, hide in your fear and shame and fake your own happiness just to make it through.

And, you won’t be living a life of freedom in Christ.

Here is what I learned and I hope you embrace.

I HAVE A CHOICE.

I can choose to beat myself up, or I can choose grace and learning.

One will keep me captive and spinning.
The other will provide redemption and growth.

Don’t talk ill about yourself to yourself.
Be a friend. Talk to yourself like you would your own best friend.

When she screws up and doesn’t follow through, what would you tell her?

I bet some loving honesty sprinkled with grace.

Now, go, do that for yourself.