It’s the 9th day of our “Give-Back Diet” program, the continuation of a new week together to help each other “give-back” to pounds, lose weight and get healthier.  If this is your first day, welcome.  If you’re continuing, welcome again and congratulations to you.

I would like to suggest that you keep doing what you’ve been doing: keeping a journal, eating less and less sugary foods, substituting salad and vegetables for one meal a day, walking and moving, and most importantly: giving back to others and to God.

Someone told me the other day, that they had “given back” about 500 calories by eating a barbecue chicken and spinach whole-wheat wrap instead of a “Big M___” triple cheeseburger with sauce and cheese.  I asked how it made them feel, and the response was, “great!  It made me able to have a glass of wine later.”  I laughed, congratulated my friend, and said I hoped it was red wine, as that’s been shown to be healthy for the heart, and only one glass.”  They laughed too.

Another friend was feeling particularly down about not being able to stop the late-night sugar bingeing (and alcohol) she was so addicted to.  I explained that addictions are really a big challenge as we’re not only emotionally addicted, we’re physically too.  The “food” industry has done it’s best for decades now to get us addicted to sugar.  Our brains are wired to crave sugar, once we’ve abused it.  My overly simple solution is to “give-back” the sugar addiction, here’s how in today’s…

ACTION PLAN

• Be sure to have fruits on hand, so when you have a sugar addiction craving, you’ll answer the call with a complex sugar, instead of a simple one (such as added sugar, or sugar-like substances).  Complex sugars, from fruits and some vegetables, as less sweet, contain actual nutrition, and are handled more slowly by the body.

• Do a “forgiveness” prayer/meditation today.  Set aside at least 15 minutes to be by yourself, or with a trusted friend, get quiet, turn off phones, media and computers, and just take a few breaths.  Once you’re quiet and have taken a few deep breaths, say a prayer to God or your Higher Power stating your mistakes and errors, and ask for forgiveness.

• Once you’ve done this, take another five minutes or so to be totally quiet and “listen” for God to respond.  He usually communicates in surprising ways:  through the Bible, or in a word, or a feeling of connection, or sometimes in nature.

Please post a comment below, if you like, and share with us what you asked God to forgive you for.  It may be anonymous, or a pseudonym, or your real name.  I’ll start:  I confess I had a few too many whole-wheat crackers and peanut butter last night.  I’ve prayed to God, and immediately received forgiveness, and a direction to eat less for breakfast this morning, so I cut my morning oatmeal serving in half, thanking God.