The Prayer Diet Day 3

I had my yearly opthalmology appointment today in Lexington, KY. That's a 70 mile trip each way that takes ~ 1.5 hours each way due to traveling on country roads. I had been thinking that I wanted a hamburger, something I had not eaten for a few months. Wendys' had a sale on their Single so ate that without fries, still ~570 calories!! (not healthy with too much fat) Still praying and plan to eat more vegetables and fruit tomorrow!!

1/4th cup Krusteaz protein pancake mix with turkey bacon

1/2 cup cherries

Wendy's Single Hamburger ~570 calories

4 brazil nuts (healthy fat), 1 serving of cookies made with oats, flax and blueberries

I continue to pray – 3 times per day and keep the dieter’s prayer visible throughout the day. I want to write a little about emotional eating, something most people will do sometimes, that is eating an excess of food in response to negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, loneliness, sadness, or depression. Research has shown that emotional eating is a risk factor for obesity and also impedes weight loss. Thus, if you are an emotional eater, this is something you need help with to lose weight and keep it off. A national survey in 2011 looking at 5863 survey responses reported that 20.5% of these individuals responded that they ate emotionally often or very often. But, in my opinion, eating emotionally less often could still impede weight loss. Another research study showed that young college women who were more spiritually healthy as determined by a spiritual well-being scale, including individual perception of their faith and other measures, were less likely to overeat in response to emotions. These individuals may have found that seeking God is a way to deal with negative situations instead of turning to food for comfort. Having lists of scriptures that address different types of problems or emotions or knowing scriptures that help you, as well as praying, can be a big comfort. You don’t have to rely on food to take your mind off the problem or the emotion.

Elran Barak, Roni; Shuval, Kerem; Li, Qing. Et al. Emotional Eating in Adults: The Role of Sociodemographics, Lifestyle Behaviors, and Self-Regulation—Findings from a U.S. National Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Basel. 2021; Vol. 18: 1744. DOI:10.3390/ijerph18041744

Hawks SR, Goudy MB, and Gast, JA. Emotional Eating and Spritua Well-Being: A Possible Connection. American Journal of Health Education. 2003; 34:30-33.