[Villages PL]

Toward the end of July there was an article in the Daily Sun: "A higher power diet" was the heading of the article.

Pastor Rick Warren wrote a diet book titled "Daniel Plan" but not much was said about the actual diet. There was just a brief mention that white flour and sugar should be avoided.

The sub-heading was, "Christians embrace 'the Daniel Plan' to change eating habits, lose weight".

Are you familiar with this diet and fitness program? Would you be more likely to choose this plan because it's promoted by a Christian pastor? Or less likely?

To me it seems like a contradiction to what Warren has been known to preach, like God determines everything by designing every detail of what we will be at conception. Tall, short, fat, skinny, healthy, sickly, it's all determined by God. If I remember correctly, this was in his book, "The Purpose Driven Life". So now he's telling people to take charge of their body and their health in general.

If you live a healthy lifestyle you are likely to live longer, right? Of course, welcome to the real world. But didn't he used to say, "your days are numbered from the day you are born?" Or, to put it another way, "God determines when you will die".

It seems like now he wants to have it both ways with the effect that the spiritual world and physical world are coming in conflict.

Interesting note: The article stated: "....gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins." That might be an interesting part of this conversation. What is gluttony? How can you tell if someone is a glutton? If you're overweight, does that mean you are a sinner? In that case it covers 2/3 of the U.S population.

[rubicon]

Some so called expert comes along and explains that the diet they designed will.............

Yet every year more new diets are introduced. The same applies to magic diet bills, reducing equipment , etc.

Some so called expert comes along and tells you eating trans fats is bad or that you ought to eat just vegetables....you get the point

We find people in this country so fascinated by the subject of food that they literally are taking photos of themselves with food served at a restaurant.

Many of these myths are now coming to light butter is not a problem, meat is not a problem in fact if you are over 65 you need more protein....yes I know vegetables contain proteins.

What is really bothering me is that I am tired of other people being so preoccupied about what foods other people eat and how much. It has become an obsession with some folks

The only one that should matter to you about your health concerns is your doctor.

The end result of all this preoccupation is that we have far too many folks abnormally preoccupied with body image and that is not a healthy thing for anyone

As to the issue of gluttony depends. a person can over eat one day and then
return to his/her regular eating routine

We talk about a person's right to choose and I believe that should apply to this issue too.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Some so called expert comes along and explains that the diet they designed will.............

Hundreds of books have been written about diet and exercise. It's part of our free market economy. Capitalism.

Yet every year more new diets are introduced. The same applies to magic diet bills, reducing equipment , etc.

Those who are only casual observers and haven't really done their homework are the most likely to get fooled and taken advantage of.

Some so called expert comes along and tells you eating trans fats is bad or that you ought to eat just vegetables....you get the point

Right, anyone who's been to the Limbaugh School of Nutrition knows better.

Many of these myths are now coming to light butter is not a problem, meat is not a problem in fact if you are over 65 you need more protein....yes I know vegetables contain proteins.

How does one decide which is the myth and which is the truth? I think too often it's decided by what the person likes to eat. Those who have a natural dislike of vegetables and legumes etc. will decide to believe in those who promote animal protein and saturated fats.

What is really bothering me is that I am tired of other people being so preoccupied about what foods other people eat and how much. It has become an obsession with some folks.

What's worse, in my opinion, is people being preoccupied with eating and becoming overweight and obese. Two thirds of people in the U.S. are overweight and one half of them are obese. (1/3 + 1/3 = 2/3) This has had a profound effect on the overall health status of Americans. And as health care costs and insurance premiums have risen over the years, more and more people were unable to afford health care. This, in my opinion, is the reason why so many Americans were eager to see universal health care enacted into law. This should be a good reason to be interested in this subject because it has a huge impact on how we practice free market economics.

[kittygilchrist]

VPL, great post.
Can't speak to what Warren said or meant, but know some Bible.
God indeed creates us uniquely, specifically, and with a purpose. A lot of mystery in that many seem very disadvantaged, but that does not mean those are any less in God's sight, tho they may seen so to our human eye.

Whether to do as we please or get fat or eat well is a matter of our own will. Maybe that is missing explicitly from warren, but obviously it is implicit and essential assumption of motivational books that choices are the reason for appealing for change by the reader.

Ps bible disses many forms of intemperance, incl gluttony. It has no mention of 7 deadly sins per se.

[graciegirl]

You are gonna die, VPL. And so am I. And they will too.

I will share some excellent advice from my beloved Grandmother.

Have some nice chocolate cake.

Gluttony is not on my self improvement list this week. I am working on the sin of pride. If you had our grandchildren you would too.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

VPL, great post.
Can't speak to what Warren said or meant, but know some Bible.
God indeed creates us uniquely, specifically, and with a purpose. A lot of mystery in that many seem very disadvantaged, but that does not mean those are any less in God's sight, tho they may seen so to our human eye.

Whether to do as we please or get fat or eat well is a matter of our own will. Maybe that is missing explicitly from warren, but obviously it is implicit and essential assumption of motivational books that choices are the reason for appealing for change by the reader.

Ps bible disses many forms of intemperance, incl gluttony. It has no mention of 7 deadly sins per se.

Thanks. I just did a Wikipedia search and found that the seven deadly sins are in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. For those who might not know they are: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

You are gonna die, VPL. And so am I. And they will too.

What? Get out of here!

I will share some excellent advice from my beloved Grandmother.

Have some nice chocolate cake.

When I first moved to the Villages I joined a neighborhood group and we would all go out to eat periodically. Once we went to the Red Bopster. At the end of the meal, Peggy said she was craving some chocolate cake and she wanted to know if we ever tried it. No one had. She said, "Their chocolate cake is to die for!" So she ordered it, it was BIG, and gave everyone (5 of us that day) a small piece of her dessert. Within a few years they all died. I'm the only one who survived it. She wasn't kidding when she said, "Chocolate cake is to die for!" That's a true story.

Gluttony is not on my self improvement list this week. I am working on the sin of pride. If you had our grandchildren you would too.

And I suppose you take pride in working on it.