“Hmm, there’s no change in our measurements,” the trainer stated. In shock and on the verge of tears I stood in silence as I looked over her shoulder. For months, I had worked hard on my eating habits and exercising. I had never felt better and more fit in over twenty years but the body scans stated otherwise. I wanted to run out and cry, but instead I made myself work out anyway in hopes that the frustration and disappointment would go away. It didn’t. 

My mind swirled as I thought I was doing the right thing but turned out maybe I wasn’t, because I had no outward results. There are so many opinions on health out there, and it seems that all the options contradict each other. “Eat lots of protein! No carbs!” “You need carbs! Too many eggs are bad!” “Don’t eat meat!” “Only eat meat!” “You need high intensity workouts!” “No, it’s better to do low intensity”. It goes on and on. And I think to myself, “I’m just trying to take care of myself!” I laugh-cried at this interchange in my head but it is a harsh reality for many of us. We are flooded with options, methods, and products. It’s enough to make one just say, “Ah! Forget it! Jesus ate dessert, right? If He did then I can!”

This reminds me of the stipulations and arguments that went into the Temple. So many regulations of what and who could and couldn’t go in. Now that we are the Temple of God, how do we take care of what goes in and out of it? There isn’t a laid out set of rules for us, but God did give us a guide. Philippians 4:8 tells us, "Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” So, it doesn’t tell us what to eat and whether or not carbs are good for us, but it does tell us what to feed our minds and that’s a start in the right direction. Perhaps if we focus on this, then the food part will work itself out. Until then, bon appétit!