“Clean your plate or no dessert.” I heard this over and over as a child. I know my mom did that to make sure I ate all my vegetables, but it taught me that cleaning my plate was an important part of being a good kid.
And being a good kid was what I lived for. [Stop laughing.]
This rule may have something to do with my insane need to clean every plate; something I do to this day. If food is leftover, it feels like my responsibility somehow to make sure it is consumed. This came from countless meals where I was told, “There is not enough to keep so here is some more.”
Not all folks are like this. In fact, one of the biggest fights I can remember was with someone I was in a relationship with at the time. She was furious that I opened an extra can of biscuits when my parents came over. She saw it as wasting food. I saw it as necessary because my family loves biscuits.
Now, I am not blaming my parents for getting fat, overeating or anything about my health, except perhaps bad genes. I am the only person responsible for what I put in my mouth.
But I cannot break this insanity of cleaning my plate after every meal. So, I make sure I only put out the amount of food that is measured for my diet.
Just to be safe, I never complain when my children leave food on their plates. I know children are starving all around the world but that is no excuse for making our children eat more than they want.
In fact, I find what we put into our bellies to be a very personal thing. That is why it is important for me to never judge what someone else eats.
Actually, to be fully honest, I cannot stand it when someone comments on what I am eating. I have being trying so hard to address this with myself. I have mostly failed. I realize people love to talk about food. But I have a specific anger when people comment on mine. Someone said to me last week, “Rabbit food, huh?” when I was eating some spinach and carrots. I do not remember my exact reply, but I do know it was sarcastic, and rude, and not full of grace or friendly at all.
Thankfully, we have a God full of grace who makes up for such agony dealt out by people like me.
One of my best friends in the world, Mike Peercy, ends each day posting on Facebook about the places he witnessed grace that day. What a wonderful way to end your day! He ends many of his posts with a similar phrase, “grace upon grace.” You can follow Mike’s blog “Confessions of a Broken Tool: thoughts of grace and gratitude” here.
When I began my weight loss journey, I had to have a conversation with God. Part of that conversation included a literal “Come to Jesus” meeting to discuss how I got to where I was. But God said, “Take it easy, I got this!” He had all the grace I needed.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. – 2 Corinthians 12:9
If you are looking for someone to coach you through your weight loss journey, email the author at ken.centralhigh@gmail.com. Rates are $25/30 minutes. Confidential Skype, telephone and local appointments available.
Three Conversations 