Some people have asked me how I started my weight loss. My first few months in the blog archive explain it all.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Amalickiah and The Evil Banana Chip


Amalickiah was a bad man. He came up with a plan to worm his way into the hearts of the powerful, destroy them and then take control of their positions.

Lehonti was a captain of a strong army and was wary of the man. Amalickiah tried three times to persuade him to come down and make a deal with him to join together, but Lehonti stayed strong, and followed his instinct. Not one to give up, the fourth time Amalickiah "found that he could not get Lehonti to come down off from the mount, he went up into the mount, nearly to Lehonti's camp" (Alma 47:12) Finally Lehonti consented. A deal was made that they would work together with Amalickiah as the second in command to Lehonti. To make the story brief, during their time together Amalickiah eventually poisoined Lehonti by degrees until he was dead and took over Lehontis army.

Here is where our stories merge, I have been done wrong by banana chips. I love dried fruit, it is easy to put in little bags and put in my purse, in my van, or in my kitchen. I buy dried peaches, mangos, apples, cherries, even pears, which are a sweet alternitive to candy but I always stayed away from the banana chips, I thought they were nasty. I "durst not" buy them, I ignored them all together. One day while at costco I found a large bag of combined fruit, which included banana chips. I hated those chips, but loved the others, so I invited the evil in with the good. After eating all the other fruits the yellow imposters and I were left alone. I ate a few. The next day I ate a few more, My chips promised me that they were health food, used by backpackers and granola heads. As days passed I started developing a taste for the things. Banana chips are cheap, and are found next to the fresh bananas in the produce section, in the bulk section and in the health food section of my grocery store - Such a reccomendation I thought.

Then it happened, my scale started to protest and give me higher numbers - in shock I analyzed my eating, the only thing that changed was the yellow cardboard chips. I wondered what was in those things, I looked up the nutritional information online. "Total Fat 34g - 51% of a daily diet, Saturated Fat 29g" They fry those things, In palm oil, and add banana flavoring. THIRTY FOUR GRAMS OF FAT????Stunned I realized I was basically eating a meal deal from McDonalds while not getting the benefit of taste.

Amalickiah wormed his way into the life of Lehonti until Lehonti felt safe and happy. Banana chips wormed their way into my daily diet, until I believed that I was doing something good, safe and healthy. I became so comfortable I let them become my favorite snack. Lehonti should have googled Amalickiah to find out just what kind of guy he was. Unfortunately for him he didn't - but I did. Googling what I eat, finding out the truth can save me. I am armed againgst banana chips, they no longer hold my heart. I can't even bear to look at the nasty creatures.

My lesson learned? Read labels, google information, read fast food menu information before you go out so you will not eat in ignorance. . . . Knowledge is the key to weight loss. A fat bottom side doesn't just appear, it gets put there by the evil things we invite inside. If our bodies are temples, then we must make sure that the foods we let in are reccomend worthy.

"And the truth shall set you free...."

15 comments:

Lucy said...

Oh my goodness! How much more I enjoyed the analogy as I actually totally remembered what you were talking about (the same will probably not be able to be said if you were to write this in a few months time).

You even included a "durst"! Now, I know you speak truth.

I have never been a fan of banana chips. I don't hate them, but I don't love them...or any dried fruit for that matter. But thanks for the warning. I'm still trying to wean myself off the peanut butter cups.

Denise said...

Brilliant, as usual. I don't like dried fruit, with the exception of raisins and craisins. So the banana chips will not be my downfall. I wish I could say the same for all the other fried, fat-laden stuff out there!

Davis' said...

i have never thought of food that way before. Now I will probably be asking myself all the time if the food I am about to eat is recommend worthy. I guess I should throw away the butterscotch candy I am eating right now. :)
Thanks, you are a wonderful example, as always. I do really miss your insight, are you sure you can only post once a week?

Camille said...

That is hilarious. Who knew banana chips were so evil... and fattening. Yikes!

Marc and Megan said...

Such a great analogy!! I hate banana chips... and I love that now I know I can hate them 'cause they're fattening. Who woulda thought?

Yvonne said...

That Amalickiah is one of my favorite stories to teach youth--don't come off your mount!!!

That was amazing. I don't read enough labels--thanks for the reminder that I need to do that. I love your statement "Knowledge is the key to weight loss"

Thanks again.

Anonymous said...

Wherefore, go to now and flee the land [of deep fried foods], lest your [calorie] enemies come upon you...and thus you shall take your journey into the regions [south and] westward unto the land of [Redmond]...And after you have done journeying, behold, I say unto you...I prepare a place [-mat and plate] for you...Even so. Amen.

No fried bananas here! (Fried mars bars, perhaps) See you soon!

Watermelanie said...

How is it that you always make the coolest comparisons between weight loss and the gospel? Who else could do it as well as you? Give yourself a big pat on the back! You are the best!

Heffalump said...

No wonder banana chips don't taste the same when you dehydrate them at home...Now we can all remember that banana CHIPS are like potato chips...

Robyn Jones said...

OMG...I would
never have guessed!
I will be staying away from those...

Carrot Jello said...

Banana chips AND Michael Chiarello are evil.
You should have my blog post about them before buying that bag.
I'm telling you, I look out for my readers.

Anonymous said...

This makes me really think about how often we think we are doing something good, but in reality it isn't. I remember for so long I gave my kids a certain yogurt, thinking, "that's a good healthy choice for them for a snack." Then one day I read the labels and realized the first ingredient was hig fructose corn syrup...yikes!!!

talitha said...

Hey, that's me as "anon" up there!!
Dont know why that happened.

Unknown said...

As a Dried Food Lover, I find Banana Chips all over the place, too. Even though I have known of their evil for some time, every now-and-again, I hear the voice inside my head say, "They're bananas, that's fruit, they must be good for me, too."

Their placement in the grocery store is sooooo tricky, just like some other evils I know...

I've been lurking on your blog for some time now, but this post hit the spot today. Thanks!

Rebecca Blevins said...

Hee hee, I never would have thought of Amalickiah in the same vein as banana chips! Excellent post!