Fly Lady column by Marla Cilley
Our bodies are like our homes. In fact, the body is the temple of our being. If we would be just as careful about what we put in our bodies as we are about what we bring into our homes, then that would be an amazing attitude shift for us.
Someone once told me, “You are what you eat, and if you eat fat, you will be fat” For some reason that has always stuck with me. Not that I paid attention to it. I am going to become more particular about what I put in my body/temple. It is the only one I have, and it is worth taking care of. I have taught you how to declutter your home by looking at each item and asking yourself some tough questions.
Do I love you?
Do you make me smile?
Do I have a place for you?
These questions can also be asked when you are about to purchase a new item for your home. A lot of times you will stop in your tracks when you realize that the item really isn’t something you love, and you were just settling because it was on sale.
How can we use this same approach to the food we put in our mouth? If we ask ourselves “Do I love you?” to chocolate or chips we will say, Why, of course! Gobble, gobble, and they will be gone. “Do you make me smile?” Well, yes sir, with every single bite. “Do I have a place for you?” Yes I do, right in my tummy! But the truth is where will it really go; on your thighs or your behind.
Let’s look at some more questions we can ask the food as we take a bite.
Are you going to bless my body?
Do you fit into my healthy way of eating?
Is your taste worthy enough to go into my body?
Why do I want to eat you?
With the first question, Are you going to bless my body? We are looking for good nutrition; vitamins, minerals, fiber.
Do you fit into my healthy way of eating? This one is a simple yes or no.
Is your taste worthy enough to go into my body? This is just like going to a yard sale and buying anything just because it is a quarter. If something has no taste, why would you want to put it in your body? Hey, I am telling you this, because in the past I have pigged out on rice cakes. Why? And that is our next question?
Why do I want to eat you? Am I really hungry, or just need a drink of water? Am I angry and wanting to eat to stuff my feelings? Am I lonely and feeling sorry for myself or am I just tired and really need to go to bed. Is this mindless eating? HALT and think about it for a second. That is all I am going to ask myself.
There is balance in all things; from TV watching to eating! We have to find what fits ourselves. Just like you adapt your routines to fit your family, we all have to find our balance. I do know that this is not rocket science; it is really just plain common sense, but we have to think just a little before we bite. Hey, think before we bite. I love it.
If finding this healthy balance is what you are looking for, then join us on our journey to peace. I will not be counting calories, weighing my food, or stepping on a scale. OK, maybe I am still rebelling again, but hey, I am going to do this my way. Increase my activity levels and reduce my intake. Just like I decluttered our home. I quit bringing it home by getting picky about what I bought and vigorously got rid of what I didn’t love! The key is vigorously! I can move my franny just a little more each day on my treadmill: Morning and evening! Kind of like a hot-spot fire drill! Three times a week I can do a 27 Fling Boogie; that could be working in my garden, digging and planting, going for a longer walk with my sweetie, just lifting a few weights, or digging out one of my workout tapes. My five-minute room rescue could be just getting up every 15 minutes and doing something instead of setting at my computer for hours. This will keep the blood circulating in my legs.
We are going to take those babysteps to a slow and steady new way of living. We did it with our homes, our finances and now we can do this with the body we have. May is the month to get moving! Now make those doctor’s appointments and calls to get permission to boogie to a new way of living! Get out your timers and set them for 15 minutes of loving movement.
We can do this!
For more help getting rid of your CHAOS, check out Marla Cilley’s website and join her free mentoring group at www.FlyLady.net, listen to her http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flylady show, or read her books, Sink Reflections, published by Bantam, and her New York Times bestselling book, Body Clutter, published by Fireside. Copyright 2008 Marla Cilley. Used by permission in this publication.
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