Body/ Spirit- Overeating (eating beyond full)

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I am thinking a lot about why I have the urge to eat 5 cookies instead of 1! Especially when I am not even physically hungry. I am talking about "really thinking" about it!

Have you ever been eating a bowl of a really good cereal (1/2 way through the bowl) and start thinking about getting the second bowl?
This really does not make sense because you don't even know if your hunger will be satisfied with 1 bowl or not. You are eating for something other than hunger and nutrition.

Image by Sam Cockman via Flickr

I am learning that this type of overeating is permissible ----- But NOT beneficial(1Corinthians 10:23). Not paying attention to what is beneficial for your body's needs almost always leads to an unhealthy choice and an overweight body.

My new plan (Weight Watchers)- has got me just sampling (really small portions) pleasurable foods. For example I did just have 1 delicious homemade choc. chip cookie the other day and thought "well, that is really a nice treat that I enjoyed and was plenty to satisfy my physical needs".

I think at the heart of any weighty issues is the truth that (simply put); the desire to overstuff past satisfied makes you store fat! If you can eat according to your hunger and fully embrace the idea that pleasurable eating is only truly real between the boundaries of hungry and (NOT full but) just satisfied -- the battle is won.

Here is the hunger scale that I am trying to become used to following:

Eat when you are at 3 on the scale and stop when you are at 6 on the scale. ---------

10- You are so full that you feel a little sick (acid reflux, belly ache etc.)
9. uncomfortably full and feel the need to loosen your clothes (especially the top button of your jeans & don't ask how I know this one).
8. bloated and lazy
7. a little uncomfortable - Would say that you are full and  that you would like to sit around for a little bit.
6. Perfectly comfortable - satisfied
5. You could eat a little more but are more or less satisfied.
4. slightly uncomfortable - beginning to feel empty - "I could eat".
3. Stomach is starting to growl and you are very aware that you are hungry.
2. You are experiencing true discomfort. You are feeling irritable and unable to focus on something other than your hunger.
1.You are light-headed and feel nauseous- extreme growling.


I believe that God wants us to be free from any desire to overfeed our bodies- Don't you? Next time you are faced with a desire to ovreat - Ask yourself if :having a lot of food is beneficial to you or if just a dab'll do you?

Image by Keoki Seu via Flickr