Reading an article about diets that are called Christian Diets–made me wonder: IS a Christian Diet Better? Or DOES a Christian Diet Better?
By Beth | January 19, 2008
According to Charles Henderson, writing on the CrossCurrents Forum, at the GodWeb, the idea of a “Christian Diet” or a Christian Weight Loss program is very big in churches these days. Henderson takes a pretty fascinating look at some of these diets and does some analysis regarding whether there is something special about Christian diets. His concluding opinion is that despite the word “Christian” being attached to the front of the word “Diet,” there is little else different between the Christian Diet programs and any other diet programs. But he notes that churches can be helpful to dieting Christians because of the group structure of churches, allowing people to get together and do diets together.
Hmmmmm. Interesting, yeah. But my question, I think, would be not so much about Christian DIETS being superior as about whether Christian DIETERS do a better job than secular dieters–in other words, not: IS a Christian best, but: DOES a Christian diet best?
If I had to put in some chips (poker–not potato) (no–potato chips sound better)(hmmm. idea: poker played with potato chips instead of poker chips–winner eats all) (digression. sorry.) on this question, I’d put in a pretty big stack in favor of the idea that Christians probably do actually diet best.
First, the support of friends and loved ones is so important when a dieter begins the challenge. In fact, if even ONE friend diets with you, your chances of succeeding are greatly increased. (Unfortunately, if they QUIT the diet, your chances go down. Pick your diet buddies accordingly hahaha) Similarly, if multiple friends/family supporters help you, then what better milieu to be in than a church when you start a diet? In our culture, there are very few groups like church groups–where large numbers of people and whole families get together weekly, or more often, and share important aspects of their lives with each other. I’d say that is a special plus that churches provide: support and friendship on a frequent and large-group or multiple-person basis. If those fellow Christians know you’re on a diet, and encourage you cheerfully, that’s a lot of extra support that you, as a Christian, are going to get, as compared with a person who is more isolated.
Second, Christians are probably a bit more familiar with the idea of “will versus temptation.” From childhood up, Christians are taught about the will, and about free will, and about how present choices and willpower combined, can determine one’s future to a significant degree. That’s kind of what it’s all about in Christianity. Throw in the idea of “temptation” which is also familiar to every Christian from childhood on, and you’ve almost got a whole diet parallel going on! In the faith, as in the diet, you first decide what’s right, then you engage your will to do it, then temptations come along, and the winner is the one whose will was stronger than the temptations.
Finally, I do believe completely in the power of prayer. And most Christians, I think, would agree that being a Christian raises your chances that people will be praying for you. Well, unless you’re one heck of a sinner, and then you might have entire towns putting your name on their prayer lists. hahaha But seriously, prayer is no joke and no hocus pocus. Scientific studies have even shown its power, and despite what critics may say about prayer, and despite the fact that not every single prayer appears to be answered in the manner and time frame expected, the fact remains that prayers do affect reality–sometimes in extremely dramatic ways. If I were going to put my money (gosh, it’s not like I’m a gambler or something but here comes another gambling analogy. Hey! GET my name off that prayer list! hahaha)…on a dieter who had people praying for her and a dieter who didn’t, all other things being equal, I think I’d go with the prayed-for dieter. If prayer works, she has an advantage. If it doesn’t work, she has no disadvantage, BUT she has people rooting for her, and sometimes that can make a lot of difference.
And there are many religions besides Christianity in which people pray for each other, get together weekly, and learn about will and temptation. I am very respectful of that fact. And knowing how much I like to talk, I could easily write a blog entry for each one of those groups.
And one for people who have no religion at all, but have their friends and family in the cheering section for them!
The point is much the same: if you have lots of folks who love you and want you to succeed, and if you keep yourself surrounded by them fairly often, and if they take what actions they can to help you reach your goals, then you’ve got something there.
I picked Christianity in response to the article I just read, and because I am a Christian myself, as is my chief 6WD partner, Anita.
And now that I’ve reached the finish line on my own weight loss, I have a new race: the brand new challenge of doing everything I can to find everyone who needs the Six Word Diet so badly, and getting it to them–and in that large-scale endeavor, the prayers of so many of you have blessed me so much. Thanks for those, and for all good wishes!
Love,
Beth
Topics: Christian Diets | 5 Comments »
Favorite proteins
By Beth | January 18, 2008
Protein foods are such a great help on the Six Word Diet, because proteins last a long time and, well, protein is good for you, and you need to get enough–I aim for 40 to 50 grams a day.
Before I show you my list of favorite proteins that I usually have around the house–here is an interesting excerpt from a bestselling book–this explains a bit about our protein needs. After this excerpt is my list.
This is from the book called SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life, by Dr. Steven Pratt. I haven’t read this book, but found this interesting excerpt online:
“In 2002, the National Academy of Sciences published a new Dietary Reference Intake on everything from fiber to fatty acids…What does [it] translate to in everyday terms? Well, adult women need at least 46 grams of protein; adult men, 56 grams (very active and elderly people may well need more). It’s very easy to achieve this protein recommendation. A woman can reach her daily goal with 3 ounces of tuna (20 grams of protein) plus 3 ounces of turkey breast (26 grams of protein)…A few dangers in an exceptionally high protein intake: the more protein you take in, the more calcium you excrete in your urine, raising your risk for osteoporosis.” [Article gives the example that 95 grams of protein a day might be too much.]
That kind of information is why I aim for between 4o and 50 grams of protein every day.
So one day I decided to make a chart of my favorite proteins that I use for my meals. I mean, these aren’t necessarily my favorite FOODS, but they are kind of simple-to-eat proteins that are easy to keep around the house, and are relatively inexpensive and require very little labor.
I wanted to see which one gave me the most protein for the fewest number of calories AND let me eat the most, or which lasted longest between meals. I think that’s how the list started.
So here’s what I found:
Favorite proteins were:
Hard-boiled egg whites — 16 calories each — 3 grams of protein each
Egg beaters or generic version (pourable egg whites for scrambled eggs) - 60 calories per serving — 12 grams of protein
Hormel canned chicken breast in little cans — 50 calories per serving — 11 grams of protein
Albacore tuna in foil packet (expensive) — 90 calories per serving — 19 grams of protein
Fat free cheese slices (also a bit expensive, but worth it) — 30 calories per slice (3 slices almost 100 cals) — 5 grams of protein per slice (would be 15 grams of protein if 3 slices eaten)
(This one is weird and is one of my favorites–but truly weird!) Baby meat sticks–one whole jar is just 70 to 100 calories, and there’s like 9 meat sticks in the jar! Crazy tasting, but grows on you — 8 grams of protein per jar
Skim milk (how simple does it get?)– 90 calories in a whole cup — 8 grams of protein (Hot or cold, mixed with sugar free Hershey’s syrup–yum!)
Swiss Miss diet hot chocolate mix — only 25 calories in a whole packet! — 2 grams of protein (make it with skim milk and it’s even more protein and SO good!)
Cottage cheese — (there are better kinds than 4 percent, but that’s what was in the house)–just under a half cup for 100 calories(that’s not much, so I’d go with lower fat content and get to eat more) — a bit less than 12 grams of protein
Kidney beans or garbanza beans or similar — 100 calories per serving (about a third of a can?) — 8 grams of protein. Beans are SO healthy but need something zippy. They’re great hot with raw onion on top and vinegar or ketchup (that’s southern cooking there). Sometimes I use a whole can of garbanza beans and make hummus and just divide the hummus into whatever size equals 100 depending on whether you put olive oil in or not–without olive oil, and just spices, salt, garlic? and lemon, the whole can made into hummus should come out about 100 calories for one third of the can’s worth of hummus. If you add one slight Tablespoon of olive oil, then that’s 100 calories, so you could have one fourth of the resulting pile of hummus, not one third.
This is just a quick list–not all inclusive! It’s just the stuff I like and that I tend to have around the house.
Hope that helps!
Topics: Protein | 1 Comment »
I love what I do SOOOOOO MUCH!
By Beth | January 17, 2008
I mean, seriously. Does it GET better than this?
What could possibly make a day more than receiving an email like this, as I did today:
“My wife and I have read your diet book and started the diet on 1/7/08. We both have been on a 1200 calorie diet before and as for myself I was hungry all the time. We have been amazed at how fast the time passes and we have to have another meal. As you said in your book we seem to be eating all the time and one of the hard parts is deciding what to have, because there are so many choices. After 9 full days on the diet I have lost 9 pounds. My wife has lost a little less, but we think that is because it seems harder for women to lose than men. We both look forward to reaching our goals.
“Many thanks for writing the book and sharing it with others.”
I don’t know–I just couldn’t figure out whether to laugh with happiness or cry with being so touched to the heart when I read that.
I guess the main point is that, when I started figuring out this diet, it was only for myself. And when I decided to share it, it was just a practical matter–no emotional content involved: Person X needs to lose weight. I know how Person X can lose weight. I will give that information to Person X. Person X can then lose weight.
But the EMOTIONAL aspect of this is just surprising me into a total head twirl!
When I am reading all these testimonials about the quasi-miraculous weight loss on the Six Word Diet, and reading the thank you emails to me for having shared my formula, and letters that people have taken time from their busy lives to write to me, often simply THANKING ME!–and having it really begin to sink in, that SO many people are losing SO much weight–all kinds of people, all over the world…..
……..never, never, ever did I foresee this kind of profound joy that I am feeling, that people are reversing obesity–and it is common knowledge that obesity can kill!–so people are literally saving their own lives, and reversing their risks of a slew of godawful diseases–merely to think (perchance to dream!) that I was able to offer ANY ONE of them a hand, much less to offer a hand to so many….
….they say you can’t do what you haven’t first dreamed.
Wrong.
I never dreamed how much I could love doing ANYthing like I love this.
And I love doing this SO much.
Thank you. Everybody. Thank you.
Topics: Gratitude | No Comments »
