PWLP: Week One - Lesson Two

TODAY IS A NEW DAY... IT IS A CLEAN SLATE WITH NO MISTAKES ON IT!
"So don't be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time." (Matthew 6:34, TLB)

Personal Evaluation

1. What are some of the things that may have caused you to give up on other diets?    Discouragement and frustration, mostly. The last time, the business and unpredictability of my University finals schedule sent me to the fridge and cupboards on an emotional eating binge. It was hard to turn back after that. Not seeing the scale go down the way I wanted it to. Taking too many "cheat days" or "reward days," and overindulging so much that I actually took steps backward in my progress. Not being mentally or emotionally 'ready enough' to start and complete the transformation.

2. What are some safeguards of this program that will help you in the above areas?   No wiggle room for 'cheat days' or using food as a reward for a job well done. No room for straying from the guidelines of the program for situations which you could easily avoid or plan for. The constant reminder that today is a new day, and that the mistakes of yesterday do not have to carry with me into the way I live today.

3. How does that encourage you for today?    So long as I follow the guidelines and restrict my diet and habits to those outlined by the program, there is no room for me to go wrong. I can't overdo it on veggies and fruits, and I can't eat my weight in cheese or brown rice. Ultimately, so long as I stick by the guidelines and stay away from the 'forbidden foods,' I can't mess this up. Sure I can eat more calories than I allotted for the day, or not exercise, but I won't consume ridiculous amounts of bread or sugar, and those were always my weak spots. This way, if I need a treat, I can only spoil myself with the allowed foods and if those don't wet my whistle, then I won't eat anything at all.

4. In what ways can you let your past pass away, just for today?   Making the most of each day, but namely today. In what ways can I live today the best way possible? By remembering that, just as in my baptism, God cleanses me each day in His forgiveness and righteousness. I have not done anything to deserve this rebirth each and every day, but He freely gives it to me if I'm willing to follow. Similarly, I must remember that waking up each day is an opportunity for a fresh start, for a better try. I don't need to focus on the failures of yesterday, because I have the opportunity of today to try again and make it count for more than I did yesterday. Yesterday does not need to hold me back from reaching the potential that today holds for me.