Turning to the Lord for help in controlling appetites . . .

Note:  The following is an entry that I originally wrote in my personal journal on June 11, 2013. It's not ordinarily something I'd publish online, but I'm learning that sharing my struggles helps me realize that I'm not the only one battling to be happy with who I am and how I look. This entry also references my religious faith. (I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) I don't know why, but it's taken me a loooong time to realize that I don't have to face my health and wellness issues on my own.
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Tonight I was reading Elder David A. Bednar's April 2013 conference talk, "We Believe in Being Chaste." Although Elder Bednar was talking about chastity, his comments had a lot to do with our physical bodies and our spiritual well-being. I found his words to apply to my own struggle with physical health and overeating. Here are a few quotes from his talk that I found meaningful.

• "Our physical bodies make possible a breadth, a depth, and an intensity of experience that simply could not be obtained in our premortal existence."
• "... The man [or woman] of Christ is spiritual and bridles all passions, is temperate, and restrained, and is benevolent and selfless."
• "We are dual beings, for our spirit that is the eternal part of us is tabernacles in a physical body that is subject to the Fall. As Jesus emphasized to the Apostle Peter, 'The spirit indeed is willing, but the flish is weak.' (Matthew 26:41)"
• "The precise nature of the test of mortality, then, can be summarized in the following question: Will I respond to the inclinations of the natural man, or will I yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and put off the natural man and become a saint through the Atonement of Christ the Lord? That is the test."
• "Every appetite, desire, propensity, and impulse of the natural man may be overcome by and through the atonement of Jesus Christ."
• "Because a physical body is so central to the Father's plan of happiness and our spiritual development, Lucifer seeks to frustrate our progression by tempting us to use our bodies improperly. One of the ultimate ironies of eternity is that the adversary, who is miserable precisely because he has no physical body, entices us to share in his misery through the improper use of our bodies. The very tool he does not have is thus the primary target of his attempts to lure us to spiritual destruction."
• "Significantly, disciplining the natural man in each of us makes possible a richer, a deeper, and a more enduring Love of God and of His children. Love increases through righteous restraint and decreases through impulsize indulgence." (Note: This applies to 'love of self' as well -- said the woman who impulsively indulged in six Creamies -- the entire box -- today.)
• "The Savior is often referred to as the Great Physician, and this title has both symbolic and literal significance . . . . From the Atonement of the Savior flows the soothing salve that can heal our spiritual wounds and remove guilt."

Elder Bednar's talk really spoke to me and helped me see that I can turn to the Lord and draw on His Atonement to help me overcome overeating. Like so much else in life, I have to find the personalized and specific tools that will help me overcome physical appetites.

Just like it says in Alma 34: 21-26, I can:

21) "Cry unto him in [my] house, yea, over all [my] household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.

22) "Yea, cry unto him against the power of [my] enemies.  (treats and sweets)

23) "Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.

24) "Cry unto him over the crops of your fields . . . .

25) "... But this is not all: ye must pout out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness."

And the way my clothes fit lately, crying in the closet is a definite possibility. It should say, "Cry unto him in the kitchen" . . . That's what I'll be doing. I'll ask for peace and contentment as I eat, that I can be filled with gratitude and open to the subtle feelings of fulness.

Here's a thought -- when I over-do it on eating, I wonder if the Lord looks at me like my husband does? I'm sure that they both want what's best for me, and they're probably both going to be delighted to see me nourishing myself just enough and not too much.

My prayers will be different. They may include these phrases:

• Give me the determination and will to awake and get out of bed and EXERCISE. Help me to remember how good I always feel whenever I go to the gym or work up a sweat.
• I need thy help to spiritually create a day where I treat my body with the love and respect it deserves.
• As I feed my body, help me to be thankful for the food I eat -- for its taste, texture, smell; for those who grew it, processed it, and prepared it.
• Please help me get the nutrition and nourishment I need from the food before me, but help me to realize when I've had enough. Please give me the strength to put down my utensils and step away from the table -- even if there's still food remaining on my plate.

Of course part of overcoming the "natural woman" also means finding and engaging in activities to help me not eat out of boredom. I'm sure that the Lord can inspire me to come up with all sorts of great activities.

I'm won't be on a diet. I may lose weight, but that will be secondary to nourishing my body and using it in a way to fully enjoy this time in mortality that I'll spend with it. It really is all abou health and happiness.

I truly believe that the Lord expects me to pray and then do. I'll continue to learn about tips and strategies that fit in with caring for my physical and spiritual well-being.