Six-Pack Abs Are Born in The Kitchen
Why You Shouldn’t Throw Your Pearls In Front Of Swine
“Pasta makes you fat!” said the woman who had been proudly sharing her carb-free diet with another woman at the Publix supermarket checkout line. She was going on and on about the meal she planned to prepare that night, a meal which included NO CARBS AT ALL!
As I glanced at the slab of ribs the size of a newborn piglet in her grocery cart, my pearls threatened to launch an assault on her swine theory. But the wisdom of Matthew 7:6 held me back.
“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” — Matthew 7:6
Deprivation May Give You A Perfect Body, But It Won’t Last
A few months ago, I would have engaged in a conversation with that woman, telling her that eating for health is a lifelong process, not one that will help her shed a few pounds, deprive her of her favorite foods, slow down her metabolism, and send her back to carbs faster than if she had allowed herself the gift of moderation.
But that was months ago. That morning encounter at Publix reminded me that sometimes it’s best to keep my mouth shut and let my computer keys do the talking.
Even the Facebook post in which I shared the details of my grocery line meeting with the pig in the basket prompted a few castigating comments from friends who have had success with the latest diets du jour: Paleo, Keto, intermittent fasting, and the plethora of plans that promise to give you a perfect body.
What those who support these diets don’t tell you is that even if you’re disciplined enough to follow their plans and get a perfect body (whatever that is), it won’t last. Deprivation kills motivation, and any diet with deprivation as its main ingredient may give you results, but they are only temporary.
But this article is about more than the battle between carbs and protein. It’s about the bigger picture of trying to educate someone based on the lessons your life experiences have taught you.
The bottom line is … you can’t.
You Can’t Force The Student To Learn What They’re Not Ready To Learn
You can’t tell someone that shedding pounds while their body struggles to adjust to the radical changes it is being forced to process is unhealthy.
You can’t tell them that exercise, in moderation, will do more for their mind, body, and soul than any pill or powder ever will. But spending too much time in the gym won’t necessarily give them the body they crave. Six-pack abs are born in the kitchen, not in the gym.
You can’t tell them that there’s a difference between fitness and health.
You can’t tell them that if they’re drinking a glass of wine every night for “health reasons,” the only ones getting healthier are the alcohol companies. Sober is, after all, the new cool.
You can’t tell them that 15 minutes of meditation each day will give them the extra time they wish they had to do everything they want to do.
You can’t tell them that living in the moment is all there is.
You can’t tell them that sometimes nothing is the best thing to do.
You can’t tell them that their to-do list will outlive them.
You can’t tell them that surrendering the outcome to God, the Higher Power, the Universe, or the Source from which they came is always the best action plan.
You can’t do any of those things because the conclusions you’ve reached based on the lessons that life has taught you are precisely that … your lessons.
These lessons have touched the deepest parts of your soul and stirred passions so strong you can’t help but want to share them.
But when the passions stirred by your life lesson are involved, it’s best to keep your pearls in the safety of your jewelry box.
You can’t learn anyone’s lessons for them. You can only teach by example.
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery. But no one will imitate you if you preach to them, especially when emotions are running high. And body image is one of those things that will set emotions running at warp speed.
However, my friends, I can’t live without pasta. And neither should you.
Thank you for reading this article.
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