Diets, Health, and the Catholic

Diets aren't generally covered in Catholicism, at least in the circles I've spent my entire life. In fact, even though there is a patron saint for probably everything in the entire world, I can't find a patron saint for dieting or dieters, just for various illnesses. I have been on a diet of various sorts on and off since I was 12, when my weight really started to get to me (although I "blossomed" as my mother calls it when I was about 9). And for all my talk about living a Catholic life, and having everything directed by the Catholic Church, I've never until a few weeks ago thought of placing my diet and health under the Catholic Church's guidance. I'm not sure why I'd thought that diets were exclusively secular, even though I've confessed the sin of gluttony far too many times, and other capital sins in relation to food and drink.

I don't know why this isn't taught more in America. We are the obesity capital of the world, after all. Shouldn't our priests be preaching one sermon a year about health? Or maybe they are and I'm just not hearing them. Or maybe I'm just a terrible Catholic and very few of us need to hear a sermon like this.

This time is different. For one, I've decided to be done with poor looks. My family took a group photo for the first time in years (more than 5, closer to 8), we were all dressed up for my sister's Confirmation. I look terrible in the pictures. Simple vanity makes me want to look much better in the future. I don't want to always be hiding from photographs, or be the one missing in my children's pictures, so I'm taking steps to fix that.

For another, I'm tired of poor health. Poor health is expensive, whether I'm seeing a doctor for it or not, and I can't justify that expense anymore. I used to think that if you struggled to provide for your family, smoking and other addictions were irresponsible, and I'm starting to apply that to my life. Growing healthy food, eating healthy, cooking healthy are all much cheaper than buying another frozen pizza or going out to Olive Garden, never-ending pasta bowl season or not.

For the last, I don't want to give my daughter the example "do as I say, not as I do". I have to be an example to her of Our Lady, and I've done a pretty terrible job of it.

Since making the resolution and placing my weak will into the hands of God, I've lost 12 pounds in 1 month. Tomorrow, I'm going to write about kinds of diets, and how they can and need to fit into everyday Catholic life.