#38 Can you smell "IT" -- it's called Sabotage!!!!!!

I have had a time this week with one little word - "NO."  I start off having a great morning meal, snack, lunch and dinner -- but then -- I go out and my nose hits "it" and before you know it my hands are wrapped around something I had no intention of eating.

Introducing this weeks temptation "Exhibit A"

A friend of mine made trays of these delicious cupcakes for our meeting

This month I have been meditating on a podcast from Joel Osteen.

It's entitled "Don't Give Away Your Joy."  In his message he talks about how the first thing you need to do before you even get out of bed is to decide ahead of time that you will not give away your joy.  Then when life happens -- traffic is worse then normal, your children forget their homework at school, your spouse is in one of those moods, when your plans don't work out -- it's no big deal because you've already decided -- "This is the day the Lord Has Made" and your going to live it happy.  He mentioned something very, very important.  He said "YOU CAN'T WAIT UNTIL YOUR IN THE HEAT OF THE BATTLE, YOU HAVE TO DECIDE AHEAD OF TIME - THEN WHEN THINGS COME AGAINST YOU (AND THEY WILL) YOU ARE PREPARED.  YOUR MIND IS ALREADY MADE UP!!!!!

I realize I have to take this a step further.  I have to have that same mindset when it comes to saying "NO" with food.  I have to decide ahead of time that no matter what I smell, no matter how good it looks, I have got to say those two little letters.  It doesn't matter what is calling your name -- you have to decide ahead of time as well.  I am finding that no matter how good you are doing, something will always come along to sabotage our efforts. 

Now don't get me wrong -- I'm not stating that you can NEVER have something that is offered to you, quite the contrary, you can have whatever you like.  I'm talking to people who have a goal -- who desire to stay on track with their health and fitness plan.  People who desire to loose weight and perhaps stay consistent with where you are on the scale.  If you fit in that category then I'm saying that we need to be intentional about WHEN and WHAT we are going to indulge in.  Not just willy-nilly giving in to whatever is right around the corner.  Just because it is offered to you that does not mean you have to take it.  Think about what it will do to your hips if you keep saying "YES" all the time.  And don't fool yourself by thinking "Oh, all in moderation -- OK I will take it" or "I'll work it off when I get home" and as soon as we get home we are too tired to move.  All I am saying is plan your indulgences wisely and stick to it.

I'm reminded of Joseph in the bible.  There was a women who had a sexual addiction.  Joseph was a nice looking brother and not only that, he was second in command to HER husband Potipher.  This women hounded Joseph day in and day out to sleep with her.  Joseph said "NO."  But the hounding never stopped.  She finally did something that the bible never said she did before and that was she reached out and grabbed Joseph's garment -- as he was getting the heck out of her presence -- and she ripped it.  Her evil intent now was to lie and say that he raped her and she tore his clothing while trying to flea from him.

I say all that to say -- the same way Joseph fled from that temptation -- we need to do the same with whatever the food temptation is.  You say, "Aren't you taking this a little too far???"  I think not.  According to an article written by CBS entitled "Can People Be Addicted to Food 
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500165_162-20050841.html -- it showed that people with addictive eating behaviors have brain activity that is similar to people with drug or alcohol addictions.  

First get it in our mind -- like Joel said -- whatever the temptation -- decide ahead of time that we are going to flee it -- like Joseph.  Decide ahead of time that you are not going to allow this to sabotage your efforts.  Can you smell it?  Run like Joseph away from that temptation -- if you are in your car -- I don't advise breaking the law -- but go an extra five mph faster (five is usually allowed LOL) pass that Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.  Don't be suckered in at the office to indulge just because every time you look up they are bringing in pizza, sweet rolls and all types of chocolate.  IT'S A TRAP!!!!  RUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNN!!!!

If you have fallen into this trap -- don't wollow in it.  Get back up, dust yourself off and know that today is a new day.  It's called the present -- and it is!  Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning (Psalms 30:5). We all have choices -- but choose ahead of time that you are going to make up in your mind to say no to the temptations.  But as you know -- you are going to have to do more then just say no.  You will have to take steps by substituting those nos with yeses.  In Tosca Reno's book -- The Eat Clean Diet Recharged -- she encourages us to prepare a tote full of clean eating foods while we are out and about.  That way you won't have to stop at the drive-thru and you can easily say -- no thanks to the temptations.

Let's play it smart and be prepared.

Until next time...

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