The Disciplined Man & Woman

"The undisciplined man or woman has no compelling voice with people!"
Shawn Lovejoy

It is very important for chair 1 followers of Christ to be disciplined in all areas of their lives. This includes our physical health and appearance. When we are in shape, we have more energy to serve the Lord and His people, we will be able to serve Him longer, and we will have more voice with people. Meg Reiner and I have had lots of requests for us to share our food lifestyle changes that we have developed. I have some heart disease and she is hypoglycemic, so we have motivation to be disciplined in our food approach. Her diet is a little more strict than mine on choice of meats, and mine is a little more strict on saturated fat, but they are very similar. I just decided that I would print what I basically do, so that you could consider complete life change. This is not a two week diet. It is a complete commitment to lifestyle change. This is written to drop weight which I am no longer interested in doing, so the amount of protein and calories that I take in right now is higher than what you are about to read.
Here we go!

Shopping List --
Grapefruit and a selection of other fruits that you like -- bananas, grapes, apples. Don't buy more than you can eat in week or so. Don't want to waste. Be careful about canned -- usually sugar.
Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter
Some type of 100% natural jelly -- like an all-fruit.
Get two different whole grain breads -- ex. sliced bread & Thomas bagels -- If it says enriched on it, put it back.
Buy a box of Talapia, chicken breasts, and a few pounds of turkey burger, and turkey bacon
Some turkey lunchmeat
Lots of salad stuff.
Fresh or canned mushrooms (anything fruit or vegatable can be used except corn and potatoes) No starch allowed.
Whole wheat pastas -- Rotini, angel hair
Tomato Sauce
Italian Seasonings
Anything that you like in spaghetti or lasagna
Fat Free Cheddar and Mozzarella (Made with skim milk)
No Fat Butter "I can't Believe its not butter" Light or a similar
Whole Wheat Flour
Eggbeaters (Big carton, this is a staple)
Log Cabin sugar free syrup
Blue Bunny Yogurt -- Completely sugar free, No LIGHT yogurt (they contain sugar)
Raw Almonds
Kashi granola bars
If you are not afraid of Splenda, get a healthy supply. If the chemicals scare you, go to Mother Earth and buy Stevia packets to do any sweetening.
Couple of gallons of skim milk.
Cheerios or some other completely whole grain (no sugar) cereal
Whole wheat tortillas are very good.
Big jug of Virgin Olive Oil
Whatever kinds of vinegar you like, I use a lot of balsamic and red wine.

7 Meals a day
1. Early Breakfast (As I call it “pre-coffee”) -- 1/2 Grapefruit
2. Big Breakfast -- Most important meal -- do not miss. Lots of options. 1. Eggbeater omelet, slice of toast, light butter spread or 2. French toast (eggbeaters & sugar free syrup) & a couple of pieces of turkey bacon. Be creative with anything off of the list. Do not miss this meal (you will overeat the rest of the day without this one). If in a hurry, bagel with peanut butter and all-fruit jelly. If you are trying to rip weight fast, watch calories. At least 30 minutes of brisk exercise 5 times a week. Little more than that to rip quickly. Be careful not to get too sore.
3. Mid morning (about 9:30 or 10:00) May have to prepare ahead of time. Options -- 10 almonds, or a sugar free yogurt, or a Kashi bar. Don't skip this.
4. Lunch -- Salad (watch salad dressings, if you like olive oil and vinegar (put a little Stevia and light salt on there and it is great) okay to put one of the above meats on the salad. Or a tortilla stuffed with any of the meats and fat free cheese. Watch chips, there are very few that are truly whole grain. Kashi makes some decent ones. I make my own chips with the whole grain tortillas. A sandwich (no mayonnaise) is fine if made off of the list. Meg and I go thru a lot of the natural peanut butter because we are not trying to lose weight. Be careful with it while you are trying to rip some pounds.
5. Mid-afternoon (very important) a bundle of grapes or a banana, or any of the snacks from the list. Nuts are really good -- just watch the calories.
6. Dinner -- decent portion anywhere off of the list. Grilled chicken breast, rotini in olive oil, asparagus. or spaghetti with whole grain pasta, turkey burger, italian seasonings, and tomato sauce, season to flavor.
Grilled fish & sides (you should not have any trouble eating small portions; you have already eaten 5 times today - HA).
No desserts -- fruits work.
7. Late evening (if you go to bed at 11:00, do this at 9. If at 10:00, at 8. Bowl of cheerios or other whole grain/no sugar cereal (skim milk). Or a banana. This will keep you from a late night binge that will shut down your metabolism.

Weight loss in this is caused by metabolism. If you cheat once (like going out to eat and just ignoring the rules), you will set the metabolism back 7 days. 7 days basically wasted.
No white sugar
No white flour (anything with the word enriched in it will kill you)
Limit salt
No starch (potatoes, or corn)
Watch saturated fat
You can have lean red meat once a week.
You want some protein and complex carbs, not simple carbs
Lots of whole grains and fruits and vegetables
Read carefully; these food people sneak in sugar and white flour. Watch things like "Made with whole grains." Lots of time, it is made with enriched white flour and there are a few whole grains thrown in. Lots of things that look good for you like cranberry juice have tons of white sugar added. Only natural juice only.

Kelley has a great lasagna recipe that qualifies under the diet. Cottage cheese is okay on the list.

Last thing -- drink lots of water. More than you ever thought that you could. Actually, just get used to having water around and sipping on it. It actually limits your hunger.
I am sure that you have lots of questions, but that will get you started.

We honor the Lord with our discipline.

This is a challenge and can actually be fun. It is a little pricey and requires thinking ahead. If you travel around at a fast pace during the day, you will have to prepare and take things with you. Quick stops at fast food can be deadly.

The Village

Just got back from The Village -- heard Matt Chandler preach on Luke 8 and the Parable of the Sower. I am not going to be very pleasant company for a while. I am feeling a call to preach expository for a while, so this summer we will probably just start running thru some book of the Bible and watch to see if people "have ears to hear." We know that some people will be changed just like we saw them changed at The Village right before our eyes because God's Word never returns void. People were visibly broken and built back up by God's Word and then His Grace.

The Grays Do Dallas

God has pretty well taken away my desires for the luxuries of the world. I thought at one time that I deserved exquisite things because I worked hard. I know that God prospers me only to prosper the Kingdom, but once in a while it is nice to be spoiled a little. MAC has paid for my family to come to Dallas for the weekend and we are staying in an executive suite at the Anatole Hotel (where President Bush stays when he comes to town); we are here for the national athletic director's conference. I am currently enjoying a fantastic cup of coffee in the executive lounge on the 25th floor overlooking downtown Dallas. All of the food and drink in this lounge is comped and the view and amenities are unbelievable. I am looking at the Belmont Stakes on the biggest tv I have ever seen while sitting on a plush leather couch. I would never take money away from feeding the less fortunate or from our building fund to do this, but if you don't mind, I am going to enjoy the moment -- as a matter of fact I will God praise for it. In just a few minutes, we are headed to the 5:00 service at The Village (Matt Chandler's church and I am really excited -- this 33 year old is changing the world with his hard-nosed presentation of the Gospel) and then off for some authentic Mexican food. I hope the hotel comps Tums or Rolaids as well.