Americans are overweight, and the obesity epidemic is getting worse. With fast-food restaurants on every corner, it’s challenging to skip the drive-thru and cook a healthy meal. It becomes even more of a challenge when your life is chaotic.
Cooking healthy meals for your family takes time and effort, and many people just don’t have anything extra to give. Like most people, you’re happy just to get everyone fed, whether chicken nuggets or a burger.
Have you ever considered what God says about weight issues and being unhealthy?
Perhaps the battle of the bulge that you fight is the one thing in your life you didn’t consult your Heavenly Father about. You know that He can lead and guide you in all things, so why not your health and dieting habits?
God’s Roadmap for Health
You may be confused when you read the words of Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:8. He states that exercise will profit you little, but you need to set your sights on things above. However, he didn’t say it benefited nothing, as you must take care of yourself to live a full and healthy life.
You must live like He’s coming any minute, but work like He’s never coming again, which includes eating right. Here are some motivational things to consider as you take the next 365 days to become a healthier version of yourself.
1. Ask God to Help You
In John 15:7, the Bible says that anything you ask of your Heavenly Father will be granted. He’s probably not going to grant your requests to be a movie star or to be rich beyond your wildest dreams, but He will listen to your plea for help with your weight. He knows how much you struggle with these issues, whether you need to lose 20-200 lbs. He will be there for you if you only turn to Him.
2. Remember Gluttony is a Sin
Most Christians are familiar with the seven deadly sins, and one of those sins is gluttony. Why did Jesus put overeating in there with murder and sexual immorality in Galatians 5:16-26? It may seem farfetched, but God sees this as a sin because it’s an unhealthy indulgence.
People are quick to call out those who smoke, drink, or are having affairs, but they often miss don’t stop to consider that overeating is wrong. Being mindful of the food you eat is important, as your life should be focused on more than food.
3. God Showed You the Right Eating Plan
The people in the Bible were all from the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions. Their diet was simple, as they ate off the land. Jesus wasn’t necessarily a vegan, but the Bible shows that His eating preferences were things like figs, bread, fish, lamb, wine, and olive oil.
You never hear of people being overweight in the Bible because it wasn’t prevalent in their day. They walked everywhere they went or rode a camel. Additionally, they ate off the land.
Today, the Mediterranean diet is the closest thing you have to Christ’s life on the earth. Isn’t it uncanny that this diet is known to reduce risk factors for heart disease and many other ailments, all while helping the dieter lose weight?
Oh, and before you get on these diet kicks that say you can’t have bread, why would Jesus call himself the bread of life if it wasn’t good for you? You just need to make sure you get a wheat-based variety full of whole grains and not processed white bread.
4. Your Weight Can Hold You Back in Life
You already know that being overweight comes with a high cost, and it can hold you back from doing the things you desire in life.
However, have you thought about how excess weight holds you back in God’s kingdom? What more could you do to win other souls to the Savior if you weren’t tired all the time from unhealthy eating habits?
5. Power Yourself with Superfoods
You’ve probably heard the term superfood a time or two. Did you know even the Bible mentions superfoods too? Almonds, for instance, are mentioned numerous times in the Word. In Jeremiah 1:11, the prophet Jeremiah saw a vision and in it was an almond tree.
Another instance occurred in Genesis 30:37, Jacob cut down an almond tree to harvest the bark. Superfoods can help fuel your body and keep it healthy. So, make sure to fuel yourself with things that will sustain you and not wear you down, like sweets and other junk foods.
6. Get up and Move
You need to make yourself move. While an evening of being a couch potato sounds excellent after a long day of work, you need to get some exercise. Sure, it’s okay to have downtime on occasion, but you need to remember what the profits said in Amos 6:4-7.
This minor prophet addressed people living their lives lying on couches, eating all day long, and wanting riches. He stated that these individuals would stretch themselves out and die early. Amos told them that they couldn’t sit idle all day as it wasn’t good for them. It’s not good for your mind or body, as you need to get up and do something.
7. Your Heavenly Father Gave You Power Over Addictions
Did you know that you can do anything you set your mind to do, especially since God has given you the ability to have self-control? Sure, it’s hard to pass up those donuts and brownies and soft drinks, but in 2 Timothy 1:7, you’re told that you don’t have to fear changes in your life, as God has given you self-control and power of these things.
Food can be just as much of an addiction as drugs or alcohol, but some experts believe it’s more dangerous. Food is easily accessible, and you must have it to live. What makes it more difficult is that it’s always in your face, unlike drugs or alcohol.
Food can be just as much of a security blanket as the one you sleep with at night, and you can destroy your body with this addiction like any other dependency.
8. Food Shouldn’t be Your Everyday Focus
Many people use food as a coping mechanism for their pain. Food can provide comfort, and eating can be something to do when you’re bored. Does your whole life revolve around food? It’s easy to lose your focus or place it on the wrong things.
In Luke 12:23, your life is about more than what you eat or the clothes you wear. Sure, you need to eat to fuel your body and live, but your focus every day should be on God, your family, and becoming a better you. Food is just something you need to fill your tank to keep going.
9. Even Good Foods Require Portion Control
Controlling your portions is part of getting healthy. In a world where everything is supersized, you need to learn proper eating sizes. While honey is a great all-natural product that can be used instead of sugar, even the Bible says in Proverbs 25:27 that getting too much of it isn’t good for you.
Honey has excellent health benefits, but it also has sugars and fat. It helps to get a small 8” salad plate to serve your food to you instead of a 10-12” dinner plate, as the saucer is about the portion size you need.
10. Intermittent Fasting Can Help
These days, the latest craze is intermittent fasting, but God’s Word talked about fasting to get your flesh under subjection 2,000 years ago. Isaiah 58:6 talks about fasting and breaking the yoke of bondage. What better way to gain control over your eating habits than to fast? So, it seems the dieting community is onto something here.
A Dieter’s Prayer
Lord, help me eat healthily and fuel my body rather than to consume things with little nutritional value. I want to feel better, lose my excess weight, and be able to work freely to better Your kingdom. I’ve battled this weight for too long.
Your Word says that if I call on you in times of trouble, you’ll help me, and I need your help. Take away my temptations and let me crave nutritious foods that will enhance my health and make me stronger. Amen