If you really look at food for what it is, it’s powerless. We can chop it up, blend it, cook it, freeze it. It does nothing unless we do something with it. It can’t jump in our bellies without our consent, yet so many people are completely controlled by it’s alluring aroma – or just the thought of it touching our tongue.

How can we allow food to have that much power over us? Key word here – “allow”. We allow our bodies to, basically, be “deformed” (reshaped out of shape) by it because of our lack of food-control. Isn’t it crazy that we allow the taste of something to completely change our shape and health?

It’s not that food is bad – or even that having a bad meal every now and then is even all that bad. However, letting food have control of us, is what is so bad for us.

So many of us have no control over food or we have formed an unhealthy relationship with food as a way to comfort or entertain us. We run to it when we are sad, mad, happy or just plain bored.  We allow the temporary pleasure trump the lasting consequences of what it does to our body, health and self esteem.

Listen, you aren’t alone. I too struggle with the power of the food calling me from the pantry at night while I sit on the couch innocently taunted by the habits I’ve formed. I’m not going to die without a snack, but I’ve taught myself to snack every night since I was a kid. Why do I feel the need to have some hand-to-mouth action after I just ate dinner? I’m not hungry. It’s just a habit – a dirty bad unhealthy habit that continues to give food more power than it deserves.

Addicted?

“You know you’re addicted to something as soon as you try to take it away.”

I once heard someone say, “you know you’re addicted to something as soon as you try to take it away.” If you panic, make excuses, try to figure out a way to keep it in your life, etc – it’s likely you have formed some type of addiction to whatever it is. Not all addictions are chemical. They can be an addiction formed on habits and emotions. We can be addicted to food, people, spending, attention, power and even experiences. Interestingly enough, none of those things are necessarily bad in moderation – until it starts controlling you.

Seriously, it is ridiculous that ANYTHING could have that much power over our lives – and it will CONTINUE to have that much power over our life IF WE LET IT. We have to make a change – and it won’t happen on its on.

We HAVE to start starving what our flesh wants. Joyce Meyer says “the best way to kill something is to quit feeding it“. If you want to kill a bad habit, you have to quit feeding it. Think about it. If you stopping a meth addict, you don’t just cut back a little or do it in moderation. You don’t just have a little bit of crack, or just one drink, a day. No. If you have a bad habit, you STOP IT.

Commit to retraining your body this year.

Set clear boundaries on snacks, chocolate cravings, nightly wine or whatever your hang up is. You MUST get this under control. Otherwise, the fact is, that silly little powerless food or beverage is the boss of you.

Regain power in your life. Take authority over your health. Tell it “NO MORE! Not this year!! The year food submits to ME!” Who’s with me?!

Scripture of the Day:

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12

Many are enslaved to food. We look at food like “we have the right to eat whatever we want. What scripture is saying is you “have the right to do anything, but not everything is beneficial” you “have a right to do anything, but do not be mastered/controlled by anything”. Sure, you have the right to eat a cookie, but does that cookie control you?