Guidelines and Assignments for you

For best results:
Do these assignments on the last 5 days of Week 3 after you’ve read through the material in section A and B

Day 1

REMEMBER YOUR 40 DAYS – Please click to watch the video below:

I have a little body checklist for you – some of these will be covered in the weeks to come, so don’t fret about those just yet. However, some of these might need some action on your behalf starting today.

Please write down this list in your journal and write COMMITMENT next to the ones you feel you can commit to right now. Then come back as we go through our weeks and your feel ready to commit to something else as well.

I commit to take care of my body, starting TODAY! Make an appointment to see your physician and take your medication Do you suffer from depression, or have you been worried about your health for a while? Please see a doctor – commit today Make a commitment to drink lots of water and take vitamins daily. Have a plan to make it easier for you to do these two very simple things daily. I have a huge jug of water by my computer where I work and a bottle of adult gummi vitamins that I take daily. Make a commitment to eat well We will discuss this in detail in week 4 Make a commitment to rest and do some recreational activities Are you taking care of everybody but yourself? It’s not uncommon among Moms but it might be contributing to your eating disorder – you might feel that food is the only good thing you do for yourself and you can not possibly give that up as well Make a commitment to exercise We will discuss this in detail in week 5 Make time for the people and things you love Hidden passions, long forgotten hobbies, or friendships that enrich your life Look for opportunities to laugh Laughter brings healing and relieve stress – invite laughter into your life Buy some new clothes, get a massage/facial/manicure/pedicure Don’t wait until you lose weight to do some of these things – taking care of your body at your current weight will become part of your victory

A few words about commitment: Most of us have found it hard to keep commitments to ourselves and to God over the years. The fear of failure might make you cringe back from making a commitment. I want to encourage you though that broken commitments are very much the same as “falling” – the key lies in getting up! It’s the enemy who keeps you from making another commitment. He might be presenting you with thoughts of shame and guilt about previous commitments to God and yourself that you didn’t keep. God is the one calling you to “COMMIT AGAIN”. Go ahead commit as many times as you need to – THAT DAY WILL COME WHEN YOU WILL MAKE THAT COMMITMENT AND NEVER LOOK BACK. PLEASE DON’T STOP HALF WAY BECAUSE OF GUILT AND SHAME.

PLEASE STOP! DON’T GO ANY FURTHER TODAY!
To get the most out of this course, please apply it to your life in the bite-size pieces that I recommend. Take AS LONG AS YOU NEED, but be sure to take at least ONE DAY.

DAY 2

Detox from Addictive Substances

1. Make a List

2. Choose your plan of action (slow or fast)

Going through different seasons in my own life while struggling with food, and also listening to the feedback I’ve received from many ladies, made me realize that there is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach to eliminating addictive foods. You might be in a season now where you can not possibly take the time to prepare menus and slowly eliminate addictive food, or you might be in a place where eliminating addictive food fast will throw you into immediate binging and purging. For this reason I’m presenting you with different options below.

Option 1 and 2 (slow approach) have worked best for me MOST OF THE TIME. However I have also found myself in a place where I felt stuck in the “slow approach”. During this particular season of my journey the “fast approach” immediately yanked me out of food addiction.

WARNING: OPTION 3 IS NOT FOR YOU IF YOU HAVE ANOREXIA. People who suffer from Anorexia (or any form of anorexia) should not follow any plan that restricts certain food or calories. If you have anorexia I would recommend you work under the close supervision of a nutritionist to created menus with “normal food” and a moderate amount of calories. A plan with meal replacements is not a good idea if you suffer from anorexia seeing that it can result in obsessive eating regimes. OPTION 3 IS NOT FOR YOU IF  the thought of eliminating food makes you panic. If you are being able to focus on the material at the moment,  and you don’t have HUGE BINGING AND PURGING SPREES right now, then please follow the plan to eliminate addictive foods in OPTION 1.

3. Replace

• Whether you are replacing slowly (Option 1 and 2) or you want to eliminate it all at once (Option 3) you need to REPLACE. Replacing the addictive food with  food that satisfy you but don’t make you binge is key to STAYING HEALTHY and SATISFYING CRAVINGS. This in turn can prevent binging.

• If you’re using a meal replacement program to detox from addictive food, make sure that the products do not contain sugar and white flour. (More on different programs in Week 4)
• Here are some of the replacements I’ve used when detoxing.
  WARNING: If my replacements are trigger foods for you, you obviously don’t want to use those. Always replace with items that satisfy your cravings, but don’t make you spiral into a binge:

   

  • Cheese flavored rice cakes – instead of chips, crackers etc
  • Popcorn popped with air or olive oil when I crave anything crunchy
  • Kashi coconut bars when I crave chocolate
  • Other Kashi bars or cereal with low fat milk when I have sweet cravings
  • Warm apples or blueberries with a little light whipped cream and sprinkled with granola when I crave pie (add a few nuts for protein)
  • String cheese and almonds when I crave something high in fat
  • Stir fried shrimp and veggies when I crave Chinese food
  • Strips of steak on mashed cauliflower when I crave food with rice or mashed potatoes
  • Decaf tea or coffee with low fat milk and Stevia or Splenda when cravings hit  (I do not recommend staying on any kind of artificial sweetener for long periods of time, but while in detox it might be very helpful. Just don’t drink more than one cup at a time, as it can become a “binge food” in itself)
  • Whole wheat Pitta Pocket with tuna/cold meat/cut up low fat sausage and veggies (tomato, avo, lettuce) when I crave a sandwich or a hot dog
  • Whole wheat pitta pocket/flat bread with salmon patty or hamburger patty (home made with low fat ground beef and onions) when I crave a regular hamburger
  • Toasted wholewheat pitta bread or flat bread with hummus when I’m just hungry (I can not eat pitta chips without overeating though)
  • Try eating lots of protein when the cravings hit you (I cook up lean ground beef and also chicken breasts and keep it in little bowls in the freezer)
  • High protein bars that contains almost no sugar (such as Atkins bars) have helped me with sugar cravings int he pat *Important* Don’t eat the ones you like – always buy the ones that’s not your favorite so you will only want to eat a small piece at a time to overcome sugar craving. If you find yourself eating the whole box, you’ve just found another addictive food to add to your list (:
  • Sugar free gum can also help, but it can also become addictive, so use it in moderation.

Expect the following withdrawal symptoms when eliminating addictive substances such as sugar, white flour, fat, salt and caffeine: Headache Tiredness Irritability Depression Upset stomach Just not feeling well in general Expect grief (See the video about this in Week 2) Expect temptation (See the video about this in Week 2)

Tip: I’ve answered many questions during the years surrounding the topic of food addiction and abstinence. I’ve compiled some of these answers in posts on my blog. Please click on the links to read the following posts:   Break the Power of a Binge One Sober Day Can Turn Things Around Should I give up dessert forever? Abstinence or Moderation

PLEASE STOP! DON’T GO ANY FURTHER TODAY!
To get the most out of this course, please apply it to your life in the bite-size pieces that I recommend. Take AS LONG AS YOU NEED, but be sure to take at least ONE DAY.

DAY 3

Fight for your heart: EVERY DAY

Please make the following TWO NOTE CARDS:

1.Write down your heart’s desires that you previously wrote in your journal on a note card. It is good to keep these desires and dreams close by when you are tempted and you feel weak.

My dreams and desires Spend some time in prayer today, ask the Holy Spirit to help you figure out what your real heart’s desires are. You have to be still, really think about it, really look into your heart.

2. Write down the distractions and plans the enemy has used in the past to keep you from your heart’s desires.

Distractions that keep me from my true desires Again, don’t rush through this, but let the Holy Spirit remind you of all the things the enemy has used against you in the past to distract you and keep you from accomplishing your dreams and fulfilling your heart’s desires.

PLEASE PUT THIS UP WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT DAILY, OR CARRY IT IN YOUR PURSE TO READ OFTEN.

But be sure to read it at least once daily. This will not only open your eyes to the attacks against you, but will keep reminding you of the things worth fighting for EVERY DAY : YOUR HEART’S DESIRES

Tip: Please click on the links to read the following post about following your dream: Stop the nonsense: Chase your dream!

PLEASE STOP! DON’T GO ANY FURTHER TODAY!
To get the most out of this course, please apply it to your life in the bite-size pieces that I recommend. Take AS LONG AS YOU NEED, but be sure to take at least ONE DAY.

DAY 4

Danger – Beware!! MAKE TIME FOR GOD

Please don’t be fooled by the enemy when he tempts you with things that everybody does and that seem harmless. In Scripture God warns us “…For whatever a man sows, that and only that is what he will reap. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”(Galatians 6:7-8 AMP)

I can assure you that the enemy will use seemingly “innocent” things to lure you away from surrendering to God. He uses immorality and other perversions, but when it comes to believers he often uses things that we will never suspect. Frankly, he will use whatever will work on you, so you need to be awake and aware of those things that keep you occupied and keep drawing you away from God’s presence.

REMEMBER: If the enemy can only get you to not spent time with God, he succeeded for that day. Even if you didn’t overeat or threw up, exercised, spent time with your family, and had an absolutely great day, he has still won. Why? Because one day turns into two and weeks turn into months, and the further you pull away from God the more you lose touch with who you are and what’s going on in your heart, and before you know it you are back in bondage.

Can you see how not making time for God is just an accident waiting to happen? It can possibly create a huge crater within you, where the enemy can throw in any idol he wants.

I wrote down some of the dangers that I encountered in my own life.
Please don’t just dismiss these, let the Holy Spirit search you heart and highlight the things that keep you from God. You might feel sad to give up some of these things, but the sadness might even be an indication of a stronghold or idol in your life, so talk to God about it.

Please hear my heart on this. I grew up under the heavy hand of legalism and I am always careful not to go that route. So the last thing that I want you to do is to stop having fun. Don’t let the enemy tell you that I am suggesting a boring life, because that would be a lie.

But I can tell you from my own life that we can get so used to turning to certain things to numb our emotions that life can pass us by. We can get to a place where we don’t even recognize the real pleasures in life.

Dear woman of God, don’t be sad for too long over the things that only brings death to your life. Life awaits you! It will only be dark for a night, but your joy will come in the morning. Please lay down those idols. You will never look back!

Here are some activities, places and people the enemy might be using to keep you busy or tempt you with addictive foods (the food that you know will make you binge). You might recognize some, or you might have others. Please write these down in your journal, or put it up on your mirror to remind you that the enemy will use anything against you while you are breaking free from this addiction…

MIND NUMBING ACTIVITIES: TV AND MOVIES COMPUTER READING FICTION

PLACES OF TEMPTATION BUFFETS CANDY STORES FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS WANDERING THROUGH THE MALL

PEOPLE EATING BUDDIES PEOPLE WHO PRESS YOUR BUTTONS PEOPLE WHO ENABLE YOUR ADDICTION

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Tip: Please click on the links to read the following posts about the DANGER of mind numbing activities: Can Facebook Pack on the Pounds? Stop Binge Eating: Turn off the TV!

I find that I especially have to stay away from these places and people while I am going through the withdrawal of addictive foods.
However, some of the above mentioned things I really had to give up all together in order to stay free.

PLEASE STOP! DON’T GO ANY FURTHER TODAY!
To get the most out of this course, please apply it to your life in the bite-size pieces that I recommend. Take AS LONG AS YOU NEED, but be sure to take at least ONE DAY.

DAY 5

Be filled with the HOLY SPIRIT daily

You and I need the Holy Spirit desperately in our quest for freedom from this eating disorder.

Because of the depth of our pain and the, sometimes, lengthy healing process, other people can only hang in with us for so long before they grow weary.
We would be wise to not feel offended, but realize that the only One who can go the distance with us, is the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit has been given to us as our helper and comforter.

Zechariah 4:6b NIV
“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty” .

The power of the Holy Spirit is what breaks the chains and makes all the new habits and changes stick, so it can be PERMANENT.

How many times did you believe that you have changed, just to be disappointed when the change didn’t last?
Was it a bad program?
Was the information maybe faulty?

It could be that you were misinformed, but chances are good that it didn’t stick because you were looking to a program, pill or person for your healing, instead of surrendering your life to God. I am in no way condemning you, I have walked the same path, and found no answers either.
But, if you are surrendered to God and you STOP all activity to make time to wait on Him, He will speak to you through the voice of the Holy Spirit. You will receive the Holy Spirit as your guide, living in you, and leading you every step of the way. With His guidance it is possible to make a success of any sound program out there, be free from food addiction, and lose extra weight.

You see even the best plans out there, only take in consideration the general things that might go wrong and help you plan for those. But the Holy Spirit knows you. He knows what you need to do to overcome, and he knows what the enemy will use against you. It is like having your own personal Counselor 24/7, and this Counselor knows you better than you know yourself. This Counselor even knows your past and your future and the next step you should take.

ALSO: WHEN TEMPTED, YOU CAN CALL ON THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SHOW YOU THE WAY OF ESCAPE – HE KNOWS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit

So with all of this said, I think it is obvious that we will want to avoid anything that grieves the Holy Spirit and thus silence His voice in our lives. We can not afford to lose His guidance.

Listen to this Scripture passage from the Amplified Bible:

Ephesians 4:30-32
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you”

We can only get rid of bitterness, rage, anger and the rest of the above by forgiving those who harmed us. You see if we don’t forgive others, God doesn’t forgive us, so we can’t move on from things like idolatry and other sins. Look at this passage:

Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins”.

Now please go ahead and use the above Scriptures to make three more note cards to pray daily:

Holy Spirit I give you full control of my life today. Please come fill all the empty places in my heart. Please guide me through this day. Ephesians 5:18 (AMP) And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but ever be filled and stimulated with the [Holy] Spirit.

I repent of any sin in my life that might GRIEVE you HOLY SPIRIT  “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:30-32 AMP)

Holy Spirit, please open my eyes to UNFORGIVENESS in my life, so that I can repent and keep God’s forgiveness flowing in my own life.  Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV) “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins”.

Stay close to God this week as you are taking care of your body and starting to let go of the addictive foods.

It’s not easy to give up addictive foods, I know. But please remember: All things are possible with God, and He lives in you!

Scripture quotations are from the following versions with corresponding abbreviations:

AMP = THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE, EXPANDED EDITION.
Old Testament copyright © 1965, 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation. The Amplified New Testament copyright © 1958, 1987 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Words in brackets [ ] and parentheses ( ) are those of The Amplified Bible translators, not the author.

NIV = NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION.
Copyright © 1973, 1978 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

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