Today is Day Zero

Today is “Day Zero.”  That is what the doctor said.  From this day forward, our lives our different – in a good way.  A healthy way.  As Kristi slept off some anesthesia in the recovery area, I had some thoughts about our life.

We are wrapped up in a culture of food.  Community festivals and events are all about the fried, portable foods that are found there.  When we have thought of showing Chicago to visiting friends and family, we have always thought in terms of where we would take them to eat: Chicago hot dogs, Chicago-style pizza, Italian beef, Chi Tung (our favorite Chinese restaurant,) etc. Family gatherings and holidays are surrounded by our grandmas’ recipes, and overeating all the appetizers, entrees, and fattening desserts that define Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and more.  Even church events are filled with dinners and sweets with coffee or tea.

Now comes a shift in thinking.  The culture of our own family is transforming, so that the food no longer controls or determines the enjoyment of the day.  That is not to say that food will be absent.  It simply cannot – will not – be the focus.

My wife will no longer be physically able to eat the sweet temptations, filled with added sugar.  The reality is, Ben and I need to join her, at least more often than not.  Proteins and vegetables/fruits need to be the vast majority of our diet.  Period.  Is this an easy culture-change?  No.  But it is the change for the better.

A few thoughts can guide our nutrition from “Day Zero,” forward.

Hydration.  Few people really drink the amount of water their bodies need.  Adults should be drinking 64 oz. – TWO QUARTS – every day.  Some trainers such as Ryan Masters actually teach that you should be drinking an entire gallon daily!  First of all, your body needs water to be in its prime condition.  In addition, sometimes people eat when their bodies really are simply thirsty.

Slowing down.  We eat way to fast.  In the car, on the road.  Scarfing down in front of the TV.  At the kitchen table, but rushing to get to ball practice, band, karate, meetings, or whatever we are cramming into our schedules.  In preparing for bariatric surgery, people are taught that we need to be chewing our food about 30 times per bite-full.  The fork or spoon should be set down each time.  S L O W down.

Balance.  Everyone has told you already: we eat way too many fats, and way too many of the wrong carbs.  Basically, the South Beach Diet has good advice: if you have carbs, they should be the right kind.  Not sugary, white flour-filled things.  Not a heap of potatoes or rice.  Not even your typical “wheat” breads.  Truly whole grain items, fresh fruit, etc.  And the fats you eat should be the ones that will contain the “good” cholesterol.  Plenty of protein and plenty of fruits and veggies for the typical person.  For the bariatric patient, it will mean just focusing on the protein at first.  I am sure that Kristi’s blog will go into all the details on that.

Activity.  Here is where we have been lacking.  In general, we don’t eat poorly.  Maybe we haven’t always made the best choices, but we haven’t overeaten either.  Still, we don’t move enough.  Too much of a pastor’s time is spent sedentary.  Writing at a computer.  Sitting in on meetings.  Sitting in hospital waiting rooms with families, or bringing the Sacrament to a shut-in.  Teaching a catechism class or Bible class.

I am one of the rare people that actually enjoys walking on a treadmill.  We have one in our basement, which I enjoy using while listening to podcasts on Disney,  youth ministry, theology, or wet shaving.  The problem is I rarely justify the time.  “I don’t have time to do this,” I convince myself.  And so there I stay, sedentary.  Well, guess what?  Today is “Day Zero.”  There is much more walking in my future, and some weight training down the road.

Our family events are going to be transformed.  What can we DO together, rather than what can we EAT together.  Bottom line is the slogan that has been around for a while and has much wisdom: Eat Less and Move More.  That’s a good family motto.

Today is “Day Zero” not just for Kristi, but for the entire Heinz family.  Want to join us?

Wordless Wednesday: Mmmmemories of Chicago

Jesus: The Biggest Loser

A few seasons ago, before watching, I thought it was a mean, voyeuristic concept of a show. Put a bunch of overweight people on a ranch, make them work hard, and vote them off if they did not work hard enough.

Yet when I actually watched the program, I came to see it as much more. Even when the trainers are hard on their contestants, they are pushing them to excel and teaching them to cope with food, exercise, and life in general. When competitors are voted off, many others cry, as they actually become friends and support each other.

Of course, as I sit on the couch, eating a brownie and sipping Starbucks, I don’t think I’m complying with the choices that the show encourages – at least not all the time. On the other hand, the previous week my wife and I went outside and ran the hill of our driveway a couple times when the show was over.

As Pastor Borghardt and the entire HT staff would say, “Ah! The freedom of the Gospel!” Both the brownie and Starbucks, and the exercise are gifts from the Lord; and there is a time and a place for each.

On Biggest Loser, we see people taught good nutrition choices, great exercise in and out of the gym, and simply living a healthier lifestyle. The show is not about mocking large people. It is not about pitying them either. Biggest Loser is about teaching and encouraging viewers to live healthier lives, becoming Big Losers themselves.

When you think about it, Jesus is the Biggest Loser. Saint Paul directs us to “Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5b-8 ESV) Jesus humbled Himself to lose it all for you.

On the show, the one who ends up losing the most weight (unless unfairly voted off) becomes the “Biggest Loser.” Yet in Jesus’ case, He made a major adjustment to this concept.

First, Christ released you from the weight of your sin. As He was baptized in the Jordan, He soaked up the oppressive load of your trespasses. You became “lighter,” as His “weight” increased. It would seem that He was actually being defeated in this contest!

Then Jesus, under the burden of the whole world’s sin, suffered and died. But wait! At the moment of His death, the weight was removed. The pounds of punishment – the tons of trespasses – all gone for good. Jesus indeed became the Biggest Loser!

But in a bizarre twist, Jesus decided not to remain simply the “Biggest Loser,” but to be the Biggest Loser FOR YOU! The Winner, the Champion hands out His delivery through His Holy Gifts, one of which (irony of ironies) is through eating!

Yes, the creators of the show Biggest Loser might be perplexed, but the Lord shares His victory and new life with you as He feeds you! And kneeling at the Lord’s Table, longing for the Holy Food and Drink He gives there, is one food addiction that is to be praised and encouraged!

Jesus became the Biggest Loser that you too might be Big Losers – losing the control that sin, death, and the devil have in your lives. You lose the burden of constantly being accused by the devil. You lose the hopelessness and despair that come from our failures in this world. You lose the weight of Old Adam, as Christ, the Biggest Loser, feeds you His victorious Body and Blood! Congratulations! Jesus has made you a bunch of Losers!

You Know You're Pushing 40 When...

...too much deep fried food stays with you all night long.

We fried zucchini last evening. Kristi uses a hint from Rachael Ray to slice them in long strips, with one side of each piece keeping the skin. They look like steak fries. Then you dip them in flour, and then in a beer batter (which is simply beer and flour, mixed to pancake-batter-consistency.) Deep fry them at about 350 degrees until golden and crispy.

(With the bleached flour and the beer, it doesn't fit in all that well with Pastor Weedon's Atkins Diet, does it!)

Still, we love them. I ate way too many, and after the better part of the evening, took a Pepcid. I remained uncomfortable all night!

Food Network Got It Wrong

Well, we watched the latest episode of The Next Food Network Star tonight, on TiVo. I was SO disappointed. Kelsey Nixon had been my pick for some time. She is young and inexperienced compared to some of the others, but is very cheery, knows her food, and works well on camera. I was so upset that Adam stayed and she left. She remained cheerful and gracious, saying he deserved to stay. But she remains far superior to him. I am now sure it will come down to one of the OTHER two remaining contestants!

Going to Bender's

Glenda at I Shouldn't Be Doin' This has brought it up a few times. Kristi has talked about it too. I'm getting excited myself.

Next Wednesday evening begins the Catechesis Symposium of the Concordia Catechetical Academy. We call it "Going to Bender's" for short. LOL

Pastor Peter Bender has been a personal hero for some time. He is pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Sussex (suburban Milwaukee), Wisconsin, and the CCA is an auxiliary of that parish, which promotes Luther's Small Catechism, and the formation in the faith that we call "catechesis." While this is not required, it is by far the one that has the most direct applications to my daily parish ministry.

The sessions are stimulating and informing, yet accessible to laity as well. It is a very "family friendly" conference. And the two Divine Services alone make the 1000 mile round-trip worth it!

Of course, the food is another highlight. Peace provides a beautiful and tasty spread on Wednesday night. We also go to Kopp's, a local frozen custard place, on Thursday nights. Thursday lunch is always Weissgerber's, an amazing German restaurant. Mmmm....what a great trip!

GREAT Chinese Food

Mmmmmm! You just cannot top it!

Kristi and I diverted our path on our way home from the bead show by stopping in Evergreen Park at "our" restaurant: Chi Tung. Chi Tung is the best asian restaurant we have ever experienced. We frequented it when we lived less than a mile from it. Now, every time we pass through Chicagoland, we have to stop!

As we were seated this past Saturday (the first visit we have EVER had no wait), we were greeted with hot, steamy hand towels. Very refreshing! We ordered lunch-sized specials (which were still more than enough.) Cashew Chicken is our all time favorite. Even the egg rolls are far superior to anyone else's. The wraps are flaky and crispy, the filling quite tasty, and the sweet and sour magnificent!

Have I mentioned that we adore and miss this place?