Each
time you look in the mirror, see your body as your temple. That truth—refreshed
gratefully each day—can positively influence your decisions about how you will
care for your body and how you will use it. And those decisions will determine
your destiny.
A
pivotal spiritual attribute is that of self-mastery—the strength to place
reason over appetite. Self-mastery builds a strong conscience.
When
we master our appetites within the bounds of God’s laws, we can enjoy longer
life, greater love, and consummate joy.
Each
day is a day of decision, and our decisions determine our destiny. Choose
wisely each day’s decisions for eternity.
Russel M. Nelson
Decisions for Eternity http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/decisions-for-eternity?lang=eng
Typically,
I don’t see my diet decisions as symbolic of my spiritual/physical strength.
Usually, I’m not considering the eternal implications when I make the decision
to eat of forego the cookie. Almost always, the decision is about this cookie
at this moment. I’m not thinking about the next time I step on the scale, let
alone eternity. I’m just thinking that I want a cookie. I’m sure if I looked at
each cookie decision as a representation of my strength or weakness I would eat
less cookies.
Addictions
rob our freedom. Everyone knows that. But so do restrictive diets. Then again,
the diets are actually easier. By turning over the reins of our diet to someone
else, we give away our decisions. We don’t have to make decisions. Someone
else, some diet program, has already decided for us. And it’s great. And it’s
easy.
Until
it’s not.
Very
few of us can afford to stay “on program” for a lifetime…and eating is a
lifetime activity. Every day we are all faced with the decisions of what and
when to eat. Dieting/living isn’t about a program or a plan—it’s about daily,
small decisions. When we give away those decisions to a counselor, coach, or
personal trainer , are we really saying I’m
too weak and incapable of making these decisions for myself? What does this
do to our own sense of strength?
Maybe
by looking at each decision as a way to not only feed our bodies, but also as a
way to feed our strength (as opposed to feeding our weakness) we can reach not
only optimal physical health, but also optimal emotional health and confidence
in our ability to decide.
