I Am Buffalo Chicken: Thoughts on Eating Healthy

1 Corinthians 6:19-20, New International Version (NIV)

19 "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

Is the saying "you are what you eat" really true?

If that's the case, then I guess that would make me ice cream, brownies, buffalo chicken, cookies, and macaroni and cheese!

 (Yum!)

My husband and I are what you would call "foodies". We love food and the cooking and consumption of it. But recently, I've been feeling a bit convicted about just what I put in my body. 

Eating pizza, fried food, and fast food occasionally won't kill you. However, if you make those food types the foundation of what you constantly put in your body, you put yourself at a high risk to develop health problems. 

The bible says that after we are born again by our faith in Jesus and what he did on the cross, that our bodies become a temple of God's spirit. God's spirit actually lives inside of us!

It also says that we are not our own and that we were bought at a price! God went through a lot of pain and suffering to reach us and we are to honor him with our bodies in response to his love and sacrifice. 

In my opinion that includes the way we take care of our bodies. God planned for us to be here before we were born. He gave us these earthly bodies to steward and take care of while we are here on this earth.

Our bodies are probably the most complex system known to man and they require the right types of foods for fuel. If we are constantly inputting things that aren't good, we can't exactly expect awesome results. In order for us to live a more productive life, and honor God with our bodies, we need to start paying closer attention to what we eat.

We all grew up learning the food pyramid in school, but are we using it today? Especially if you live on your own and are on a budget, it can be easier to just grab some Ramen noodles and some hot pockets! 

However, easier, isn't always healthy. Besides, there are lots of foods that are good for you that don't cost much at all! 

• Dried Beans come in large bags and range from $1-2.
• 2% Milk is lower in fat then whole milk and costs around $4 at Wal-Mart. You can also now buy many varieties of Greek yogurt in many stores. They usually cost around $1-$1.50 EACH, but are a delicious snack. With all of the berry and honey toppings that come with them, they would be a great replacement for your dessert, and the extra protein they have will help keep you full!
• Bananas usually cost around $0.50 a lb. Bagged apples can range from $3-5 and usually include about 10-12 apples. Save money and buy a head of uncut Romaine lettuce for around $1.80. You'll have to cut it yourself, but it will save you about $0.50.
• Carrots are super cheap too, costing about $1 for a bag. If you have a juicer, they make a delicious morning drink especially when juiced with apples!
• Oatmeal is about $1.50 for a large carton of grains. You can add your own flavors to make it just the way you like. My favorite way to eat oatmeal is with low-fat vanilla yogurt, strawberries, almonds and honey drizzled over the top. It keeps me super full until lunch! 

Eating healthy requires having a balanced diet. It's best to make sure you are eating from all five of the food groups listed above. When you are making your eating selections, keep the food groups in mind and try to make sure you can say at the end of the day, that you ate from all of them! Eating right is a big part of healthy living and a great practice to start!

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

Jessie