Is this a sacrifice?

I was impressed by this post from Provida member Baniki, who gave me permission to post this on my BLOG. It expressed what I have felt about this program for quite a while. I hope you find it helpful, too. Liz

People may look at you and say, "How could you give up all that?" when you tell them of this program. Some have even made comments like, "well, that probably ain't gonna last long!", and like my brother-in-law said after I bought my treadmill, "that was a waste of your money. It'll just end up on the curb in a few months" and "9 out of 10 people fail, what makes you think this one will work, especially when you have to give so much good stuff up?" Of course, I don't know where he got his statistics, but I don't buy into that kind of thinking. Is it a sacrifice? Some may think so... I'm not so sure. True, we give up a way of eating that we obviously enjoyed before starting this program. True, we give up sugar. And salt. And even milk. Foods that I myself have truly enjoyed for many years. But is it a sacrifice? I don't think so. I think it depends on how you look at it, and from what end of the spectrum you look at it. For example, I think of all the years that I have lived obese---now -THAT- was a sacrifice!! It was a sacrifice to my self esteem, my confidence, my relationships, the example that I set for others, especially my children. It was a sacrifice to my health; my emotional, physical and spiritual well being. It was a sacrifice of me. This heavy blanket of fat hid my hurts, my loves, my trueness to myself for fear of being rejected even more. Oh, the suffering my weight has caused me. All for what? food that we "just can't live without"?-- why not? These types of sacrifices that I have made over the years are what have been KILLING me. Taking sugar, salt, milk, or whatever type of food that you love and are not "on plan" out of your diet is NOT a sacrifice. It is not a loss, espcailly in comparison to all the years that I have lost already. If you think of this plan as a sacrifice, then that's what it will be. It will be painful. It will be hard, grueling. And though we all face temptations, if you think of it as a sacrifice, then those temptations will be harder to resist. The plan will become a burden rather than a tool to set you free. You have to ask yourself, "what do you really want? and what do you really want out of life?" "Do you want food to control you? or for You to control your food?" Each one of us has to make that decision. We may even have to remind ourself on a daily basis. We CAN do it! Just focus your mind, envision your future, and take it one day at a time. Baniki (Provida member)I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13