exerciseWorksheets are needed for this portion of The Hallelujah Diet. You can find these worksheets in the Appendices in the back of this book. Or you can visit our Web site at www.hallelujahdietboook.com to download the work- sheets in PDF format. If you don’t have access to the Internet, you can call Hallelujah Acres at 800-915-9355 and we’ll be happy to send you the worksheets at no charge.
Life is a series of choices. I believe most of us can look back f our own lives and think of choices, we’ve made that were good and that produced positive results. Choosing a loving mate is a big decision. Choosing a good career path is another. Choosing the right house, car—all big ones. Choices can affect how we feel about life and can determine how life affects us. Why, we can even choose how we’ll feel about the situations we’re thrown into and how we will react. Many people have made positive choices to abstain from unhealthy habits—or if acquired, have chosen to give them up—like smoking, drinking, or taking drugs. It’s a good feeling to look back and ‘know we’ve improved our quality of life; and in some cases, we’ve increased our days by making these positive moves.
At the same time, we can probably think back on some bad choices we’ve made that produced negative results. Today, we regret having ever made those bad choices. Many people are choosing to adopt patterns of negativity always expecting the worst to happen. They often bring upon themselves the very things they fear. Some choose lives of inactivity—spending too much time in front of the TV or computer, rather than getting regular physical exercise. And they are now paying for those poor choices with bad health and expanding waistlines.
My friends, in this chapter, I want you to consider one kind of choice that will affect the rest of your lives—your choke of what you are going to eat and drink. The choices you make here can determine whether you live long, healthy lives or short, painful ones. And when I say “you,” I really mean “you and those around you,” because in social habits like eating and drinking, the chokes you make always have a ripple effect on those around you. It’s the very reason why Americans have fallen Mt such disastrous eating habits in the first place—everyone else is doing it!
Most people in today’s world give very little thought to what they eat or drink, never realizing how much their food and drink choices affect their physical and mental well-being. Yet what a person eats and drinks can determine whether he or she is overweight and sickly or at an ideal weight and healthy. Here’ an example we’ve all seen: Someone who was extremely over weight has worked hard to become very fit. Isn’t it amazing ho that person’s attractiveness and vibrancy changed so dramatically, simply by a change in eating and lifestyle habits? Just imagine what a change in eating habits can do for a sick malnourished person. All of a sudden, that person chooses to put into his mouth the kinds of fuel that will rebuild, clean out and put a healthy glow into his or her face and physique. Talk about an extreme makeover!
Our choice of food and drink will determine whether we am full of energy or just dragging around, feeling tired, and wanting to lie down. Our food and drink chokes can even contribute whether we have a positive or negative mental attitude and out look on life. There are many tremendous contrasts between the person who nourishes his or her body properly, and the person who mal-nourishes his or her body with junk.
But hopefully, by the time you’ve arrived at this point in the book, you understand the difference between being nourished and malnourished, you’ll have a desire to eat right so that you, too, can experience the abundant health God wants for you—a health that so many before you have achieved because they those to follow The Hallelujah Diet.
So if your desire is to be truly healthy, let’s take a few minutes and examine the steps you can take to help you obtain that goal.
SETTING THE GOAL
The very first choice to make if you are going to be successful at almost anything in life is to set some goals! When you go on a trip, your goal is your destination; then you take a map and set your course. To reach your destination successfully, you chart mini-goals, traveling to point A. Upon reaching point A, you set a goal of reaching point B, and so on, until you reach your final destination goal.
If you want to experience the optimal health God desires for you, you must also set mini-goals that will help you reach that final destination goal. These goals should be set out in writing and reviewed often. You’ll find that keeping these goals constantly before you will help immeasurably with your success.
Along with the setting of a goal, you need to also have a clear reason for wanting to reach that goal.
For instance, if you are 50 pounds overweight, your goal might be to “lose 50 pounds.” And your reason for setting that goal could be “for appearance’s sake, for health reasons,” or even for “improved self-image.” If you are experiencing cancer, heart disease, or some other affliction, your goal would no doubt be “the elimination of that affliction.” And the reason for setting that goal:
“That I might live and be there for my children, spouse, etc.”
If you are healthy and experiencing no physical problems, your goal might be “continued good health!” And your reason for setting that goal might simply be “so that I don’t get sick!” or your reason might be “so that I won’t have to spend my life’s savings on future medical bills.” Maybe your reason might be “to stay in top physical condition so that I can better serve the Lord.” That’s a great reason!
Make the setting of these goals and the reasons for setting them high priorities. The Hallelujah Health Goals Worksheet has been provided for you in Appendix A of this book. Write down your goals and the reasons why you are setting these goals. Examine yourself, pray about it, and then start writing. As you write out your goals, try to see yourself clearly in your mind’s eye, enjoying all the wonderful health and energy or whatever you are putting on paper. Remember, there is real power in writing down your plans! It’s no different than making a blueprint before building something, or writing a shopping list before going to the store. Once you’ve committed to the physical realm in the form of the written word, you’ve begun a process that will reach into the depths of your mind and spirit. This will give you a great positive driving force to achieve your goal. Once you’ve made up your mind, you’re more than halfway there!
Once you have written down your goals and reasons, make a point to go back every week to read them—maybe on Sunday or before a regular devotional time. This will reinforce your commitment, and it will also be a wonderful way to look back and see how your goals have become a reality.

I. Obstacles
Clearly spell out the obstacle(s) you want to address under each category. For example, under “Physical” you might write, “I am 30 lbs. overweight and suffer from hypertension” or “I have bad acne and skin rashes” or “I am frequently tired and need a nap in the afternoon” or “I drink 4 cups of coffee to stay alert while driving.”

11. Consequences
What happens if you don’t deal with the obstacle(s)?
For example, under ‘Physical” you might write, “My husband probably doesn’t appreciate the extra weight I‘ve put on since we were married, and! I don’t want him to find me less attractive,” or “According to my doctor, I am risking a heart attack, and the only alternative is going on medication which I DON’T WANT to do,” or “Although my acne gives me a ‘youthful ‘appearance. I’m ready to face the fact that it a sign of a poor diet.”
III. Goals
Now that you’ve stated the obstacles and the consequences, clearly write out your goals regarding what you want to achieve. This should be the opposite of the obstacle(s) you listed. Try going beyond the obstacle to create a perfectly healthy new you!
For example, under “Physical” you might write,
“I. Jane Doe, am going to lose 30 lbs. of excess fat and become even more attractive to my husband than when we first met!” or “Next time I go to the doctor I going to have a normal blood-pressure reading, and I won’t need any drugs,” or “My pimples are going to go away, because toxins will be gone from my body.”

IV. Reasons
Although “Reasons” may look similar to “Consequences,” they are actually the positive flipside.
For example, under “Physical” you might write, “I want to be at an ideal weight because I want to glorify God with the ideal body He gave me, overflowing with health and vitality. I also want my heart to be in top condition so that I’m around for my children, and they can look at Mom and say, I want to be healthy like her too!’”