Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
"You (God) satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise You with songs of joy." - Psalm 63:5 (NLT)
Well, I hate to be cliche', but for Trisha and I the new year brings with it a renewed focus and hope to eat better, exercise more, feel better, and become healthier. It's not really about weight loss for us (although we welcome it!), but more about trying to change some of the habits we've built over our entire lives.
The catalyst for our current thinking/focus comes from a movie that Trisha's brother Travis and his girlfriend had us watch over the holidays. It's called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, and it's the story of an Australian man who was all those things and changed his life through simply adjusting his diet (and ultimately his lifestyle).
"You (God) satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise You with songs of joy." - Psalm 63:5 (NLT)
Well, I hate to be cliche', but for Trisha and I the new year brings with it a renewed focus and hope to eat better, exercise more, feel better, and become healthier. It's not really about weight loss for us (although we welcome it!), but more about trying to change some of the habits we've built over our entire lives.
The catalyst for our current thinking/focus comes from a movie that Trisha's brother Travis and his girlfriend had us watch over the holidays. It's called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, and it's the story of an Australian man who was all those things and changed his life through simply adjusting his diet (and ultimately his lifestyle).
We were a mix of appalled and inspired by the movie - appalled by the cultural eating habits which we ourselves partake in, inspired by the change brought about in the lives of several people in the video - and we've had many conversations since watching. A juice fast/cleanse, which was the main focus of the movie, is something Trisha and I have talked about doing for a while, and I think we're going to partner with several family members and friends in the Spring to do one (we've been advised not to try it in the middle of winter, as the cold weather can complicate the fast).
Instead, starting next Monday, we're going to do a whole foods fast/cleanse. The goal of a whole foods fast is to eat only raw or whole foods, no processed food at all. That means nothing out of a box or a bag, nothing with any added chemicals, etc. So, for an entire week we're going to eat only fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, meat we cook at home ourselves, and drink only water. We've never done anything like this before, and I'm excited for the challenge and to see the results. Frankly, if I'm being totally transparent... I'm ashamed to consider something like this a challenge and a change to my lifestyle. What kind of junk have I been shoveling in my mouth all my life??? Yeesh!
In addition to the movie, I've listed some other recent motivations for making adjustments in our diet/lifestyle below. Each contained motivation for me personally in the areas of spirituality, family, and just plain common-sense. I believe that we are not compartmentalized beings - we can't separate one aspect of ourselves from another, i.e. I cannot divorce my spirituality from my physicality from my emotions, etc. - and that means that each of these influences came together to really motivate me for the new year.
It's also worth saying/confessing, that I've had several health issues over the last couple years that someone my age simply should not have! (Shingles, back injuries, etc.) Every time I'm down and out because of sickness or injury, all I can think about is how being unhealthy damages my ability to care for my family and do my job/ministry. I want to make sure I take care of myself so that others don't have to!
Lastly, and most importantly, I simply do not want food to rule over me. I once heard someone say that we should eat to live, not live to eat. So true. Then I was reading the Bible and stumbled on Psalm 63:5, above, which reminded me that nothing should satisfy me more than God, especially food, which is a created thing, not the Creator, Who is much more worth to be praised (see Romans 1).
So, all that being said, here's hoping that 2013 is a big year for health and wellness in the Blake household. I know this was a long post, and if you read it all the way here to the end, thanks! Let me know via comments, e-mail, Facebook, or Twitter what your hopes are for diet, health, exercise, etc. in the coming year!
Check these out!
"A New You Resolution"
"Food Rules"
"A Theology of Food"
Instead, starting next Monday, we're going to do a whole foods fast/cleanse. The goal of a whole foods fast is to eat only raw or whole foods, no processed food at all. That means nothing out of a box or a bag, nothing with any added chemicals, etc. So, for an entire week we're going to eat only fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, meat we cook at home ourselves, and drink only water. We've never done anything like this before, and I'm excited for the challenge and to see the results. Frankly, if I'm being totally transparent... I'm ashamed to consider something like this a challenge and a change to my lifestyle. What kind of junk have I been shoveling in my mouth all my life??? Yeesh!
In addition to the movie, I've listed some other recent motivations for making adjustments in our diet/lifestyle below. Each contained motivation for me personally in the areas of spirituality, family, and just plain common-sense. I believe that we are not compartmentalized beings - we can't separate one aspect of ourselves from another, i.e. I cannot divorce my spirituality from my physicality from my emotions, etc. - and that means that each of these influences came together to really motivate me for the new year.
It's also worth saying/confessing, that I've had several health issues over the last couple years that someone my age simply should not have! (Shingles, back injuries, etc.) Every time I'm down and out because of sickness or injury, all I can think about is how being unhealthy damages my ability to care for my family and do my job/ministry. I want to make sure I take care of myself so that others don't have to!
Lastly, and most importantly, I simply do not want food to rule over me. I once heard someone say that we should eat to live, not live to eat. So true. Then I was reading the Bible and stumbled on Psalm 63:5, above, which reminded me that nothing should satisfy me more than God, especially food, which is a created thing, not the Creator, Who is much more worth to be praised (see Romans 1).
So, all that being said, here's hoping that 2013 is a big year for health and wellness in the Blake household. I know this was a long post, and if you read it all the way here to the end, thanks! Let me know via comments, e-mail, Facebook, or Twitter what your hopes are for diet, health, exercise, etc. in the coming year!
Check these out!
"A New You Resolution"
"Food Rules"
"A Theology of Food"