August 6, 2019 SHARE: Reading time: two minutes. This week’s wellness epigram, “I don’t eat that!” is not even really good advice, but I like it anyway. Read on and I’ll tell you what I like and what I don’t like about it. It’s become something of a slogan for me. I’ve passed by people in the airport or at a conference and had them shout across the concourse at me, “Hey, Darrell! I don’t eat that!” and give me the thumbs up. Funny. Carol read it in a health and wellness magazine one time, and we tried it. The idea is to pick one source of empty calories, take it out of your diet for a while by saying, (like you mean it), “I DON’T EAT THAT!” and the theory is that, after a few months, you don’t. What I like about it is that it works for us. There are now whole sections of the grocery store that we haven’t visited in years. It took a while, and Carol’s great dedication to a healthy diet, but our pantry, refrigerator and especially, our dinner plates, look much healthier, and we feel much better. Feeling good feels good and we know the kinds of things to eat that make us feel good and those that don’t. We don’t eat that. The full version is, “I have more respect and thankfulness to God who gave me such a wonderful liver than to shove any more of THAT into my mouth.” We try to eat more food the way that God designed it and less food the way that Sara Lee did. Here’s what doesn’t work with “I don’t eat that.” I’m learning that portion control is just as important, maybe more so, than our food and beverage choices. Concordia Plan Services has made available to its members a wonderful program for healthy eating called Naturally Slim. It’s a fun, online instructional course that offers wisdom and encouragement to be much more intentional about our eating habits. I’ve learned a great deal and developed some better habits by participating and I know you could too. There’s a new class beginning soon. You can find more information at http://www.ConcordiaPlans.org If you’re in need of a more intentional weight reduction program, CPS members can try Omada, about which we’ve heard wonderful things. Registration information is also available at the CPS website. God made eating so pleasurable because He wants us to enjoy the fruits of the earth as His gift to us. That’s why I’d never say, “I don’t eat that” to a scoop of ice cream. But I’m learning to say it to the third scoop. Thanks for reading. Do you serve on a professional church worker conference planning committee? Our staff has vast experience leading groups of all sizes from every church work background through innovative wellness programs custom designed to meet your needs. Contact Program Director Darrell Zimmerman today to begin exploring the possibilities or visit our website to see some of our ideas for your conference!