Men and women of the cloth, your cloth does not need to be size 4XL. Ministers and seminarians, come share your steps toward physically healthy living. We are role models. We are spiritual leaders. And we are hungry.
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Lizard, I lost your e-mail address and wanted to see if you wanted to post this on WoftheW. It was sent to me by one of our sexy middle-aged veterans out West and she gave me permission to give it to you to post on the blog:
"Some random thoughts on the subject, starting with the fact that I'm overweight by health standards on the BMI chart by ten pounds at least and thought I'd lose it, but haven't. I've got the same issues as the rest of the nation, but some clergy angles include:
Pressure & stress. I eat the most every week on Saturday, as I gear up for Sunday and work on my sermon. I invariably lose in the summer when I have more free time, less pressure, more play.
Lots of sedentary work in the job, and fewer of us live in the village and walk from manse to church...or farm on the side, etc. TV, constant ads for food!
Feeling overly essential and thus not taking a break and getting exercize. Not taking care of ourselves to bring good food to church for lunches and dinners. Feeling bad about buying costlier but better food to nurture ourselves (could give more to good causes if I don't spend $100 today at Whole Foods).... Being underpaid and eating the food of the not affluent, i.e. fast food, cheap and not very perishable foods, quick fixes like commercial pizza, etc. The Costco fallacy, more for less equals value.
Whatever happened to the body is the temple of the spirit idea? Some groups (LDS) retain that specific idea, and claim that the body will be continued in heaven. Many theologies treat the body as sinful, fallen, shameful, etc. and portray the earthen vessel as something that will be transfigured.
Clergy seem to be culturally like the teacher culture. People bring offerings of cheap "treat" foods and they are always sitting around the church when one realizes that there isn't time to go out to grab something before that 7 pm meeting.
Pressure to eat when we visit people, when people pass something at meetings, at potlucks, at dessert receptions.
Whatever happened to the idea of sacrifice? fasting a meal? Shared meals?
Portions are out of whack. Venti, Grande, etc. I bought some dishes for home last year and had a hard time finding a set I liked that didn't have plates the size of platters.
Aging. Clergy are getting older and unless people are consistently thin, there is a tendency to gain with years. But now even young people are tubby.
Robes and clericals. They cover up.
Food rewards. I was given a box of chocolates last week as a thank you for participating in an ordination. I passed them off at a church meeting and other people ate them, who didn't need candy any more than I do.
Oh, a biggie -- lack of sexiness. If I had a prospect of a sex life I'd probably lose the extra pounds fast, but I'm either hiding behind it as an excuse, or more likely, realistic about the unliklihood of sex with anybody.
And for many clergy, who don't drink, a lot of food gives a sensation like having a glass of wine...since wine hits the bloodstream as a sugar. For clergy who drink a lot, it's an awful lot of empty calories.
Spiritual Hunger. Unsatiated longing."
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