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What is Christian weight loss? It’s losing weight with Christ at the center, leaning on God’s strength, His Word, and His grace instead of willpower alone. You still need a real eating plan. The difference is what drives you and what happens when you mess up. I’ve lost over 100 pounds and kept it off for 20 years, and these 7 truths made the difference for me.
Have you tried to lose weight only to find yourself gaining more weight in the process? Do you feel guilt over this area of your life? Do you wonder what your faith has to do with your weight loss efforts? Learn how to make God the center of your weight loss.
Christian weight loss is keeping Christ the center of your weight loss efforts. This is a distinct difference from other weight loss programs because when you rely on your own strength you quickly run short, become weary, and give up. Yet Christ fills you with His mighty power and strength to do what at first seems impossible.
Christian weight loss is striving to honor God with your body. In 1 Corinthians 6:19 it says, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” God cares about your body and what you do with it.
Is there a Biblical Diet Plan?
How does the Bible address weight loss?
Recently, I heard someone say in an online discussion group, “The Bible is not a weight loss manual so stop trying to make it one.” I was so shocked when I read that, I actually sat back in my chair a minute. She went on to write, “The Bible has a central message it is trying to convey. Stop trying to twist it into something that it’s not.”
While on the one hand I vehemently disagree with this person’s comment, on the other hand I do see her point. It’s important not to twist God’s Word for our own purposes. The central message of the Bible is salvation through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ.
Is the Bible a specific, detailed weight loss manual? No. The Bible does not give specific weight loss instructions like whether you should eat Paleo or low carb or vegetarian.
Can the Bible guide your weight loss? Yes. God cares about every aspect of your life, and the Bible does give specific guidance on how you are to live, move, and have your being – and that includes how you eat.
The Bible also teaches that gluttony is a sin. Overeating is wrong. Yet because of Jesus’ sacrifice for you, you are freely forgiven and given new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). This new life from the Holy Spirit living in you makes it possible for lasting change to happen.
Below are the 7 truths that changed everything for me and that matter most for losing weight for the long term while keeping Christ at the center of your efforts.
Christian Weight Loss: Losing Weight by the Power of God
Here are the 7 truths of Christian weight loss:
Believe God cares about your weight loss plans.
Use Bible verses for weight loss.
Pray for weight loss.
Trade guilt for grace.
Don’t quit.
Make one small change at a time.
Trust God to heal you.
As someone who is maintaining a 100 pound weight loss, I understand that the process can feel overwhelming, depressing, and incredibly frustrating. Do not lose heart and do not give up! Freedom in Christ is absolutely available to you.
1. Believe God cares about your weight loss plans.
At times you may wonder if God cares about your weight loss. What does God really have to do with those late night ice cream splurges or whether you put extra butter on your popcorn? Does God care all that much if your dinner side dish is salad instead of mashed potatoes?
As a Christian, you know that God cares about every aspect of your life, and certainly as the creator of your very being, God cares about your body and how you treat it.
God gave you food to enjoy but He also doesn’t desire for you to eat to the point of being miserable. God loves you and wants what is best for you – including in the area of healthy eating.
Does God care about your weight loss plans? Yes! He does.
2. Use Scripture for losing weight.
One of the most powerful tools you have for losing weight is God’s Word of truth. The world tells you all kinds of things that are not true. The enemy, Satan, whispers lies in your ear. You even tell yourself things that aren’t true all the time.
Yet God’s Word is always true. It’s the compass that continually points you back in the right direction once again.
These Bible verses for weight loss are a wonderful reference to come back to again and again when you need a reminder of God’s truth in your life. Here are a few of my favorites:
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10
For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Prayer is a vital part of the Christian weight loss process. Prayer is our regular communication with God. God tells us that we should come to him in prayer. James 4:2-3 says you do not have because you do not ask. So – ask!
Ask God for help to avoid temptation.
Ask God for help in making healthy choices.
Ask God for weight loss and body wellness.
Ask God for His guidance and support as you make these changes in your life.
Learning to accept grace was one of the most challenging and most pivotal parts of my 100+ pound weight loss. Some Biblical diet plans beat you over the head with guilt, but for me compassion was the answer that completely turned around my overeating patterns.
Overeating is a sin, but you have a Savior, Jesus, who has paid the price for your sins. You have freedom and new life in Christ no matter what the number on the scale says.
If you are stuck in the binge eating cycle, it might look something like this.
Restrict (diet heavily, deny foods) —> Overeat —> Guilt —> Restrict even more
On and on, this cycle can continue if you don’t receive help, but it is also amazing that the cycle can be broken by changing any part of it. Changing the guilt to grace had an immediate and lasting impact on my weight loss results.
Weight loss requires incredible tenacity, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose,like I did. The temptation is to give up when the going gets hard or when you fall back into old, unhealthy eating patterns.
Many people say, “I can lose weight for a while, but I fall off the wagon and gain it all back.” I relate to this problem because, for many years, I did the same thing. I would have a little bit of success, but then I would gradually slip back into old habits, and soon I felt like I was right back where I had started.
Our enemy, Satan, loves to trick you into thinking you will never find success with weight loss. This is where Bible verses for weight loss become so important. You must combat the lies of the enemy with God’s truth. Thinking that you will never find success is a lie the enemy whispers in your ear.
To put it simply, don’t quit. This sounds basic, but how often have you started and stopped a weight loss program?
Don’t quit this time. Keep going, no matter how often you feel you’ve messed up. Stick with it and try again at the very next meal.
Focus on the progress you have made and the steps you have taken toward success. Each time you try a weight loss program, whether for a week or a year, you learn new strategies you can use the next time. You are not stuck and not back to the beginning because you have learned important lessons.
6. Make one small change at a time.
At The Holy Weigh, our Christian weight loss program for women, we encourage our members to focus on one small change at a time.
Choose one realistic, helpful change to begin today. It might seem tiny and inconsequential now, but those small changes add up over time.
This week, trade soda for water. Just focus on that one small change. Once that is part of your regular habits, add a salad to your dinner. Once adding a salad to dinner feels normal, try trading one of your junk food snacks for a fruit or vegetable option.
If you make one small change each week, you’ll have made over 50 positive changes in a year, which adds up to major weight loss.
7. Trust God to heal you.
When you are stuck in unhealthy eating habits, you need God’s healing physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Physically, your body is worn out and hurting from carrying extra weight. Your taste buds may be used to eating fatty, salty junk food that is not healthy and nutritious.
Emotionally, healing needs to happen. You may be carrying around old hurts that continue to wound you. Overeating soothes the wounds briefly, but the soothing doesn’t last. Being overweight in this world brings new wounds, too, and so the cycle continues.
Overeating is often an addiction similar to drugs or alcohol. You become addicted to the feeling of numbing yourself with food and being overly full. For many years, I was stuck in a binge eating cycle, so I understand the strong pull of this eating pattern.
Spiritually, you may feel like withdrawing from God because of your unhealthy habits. Resist the urge and run to your Father for help instead.
My friend, be encouraged here today. Our God is a God of healing!
God has the power to heal you physically, emotionally, and spiritually. God can break every bond of addiction. Jeremiah 17:14 says, “Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.”
While healing can be immediate, for me, healing from my eating addictions was a slow, at times painful process. But it did happen! God does not desire you to stay stuck in this unhealthy way of life.
Trust and believe that God will heal you. Psalm 147:3 promises, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Before and After Weight Loss: My Story
For most of my life, I was overweight. For as long as I can remember, I struggled with compulsive overeating and binge eating. Twenty years ago, that changed when I started losing weight for the final time.
Today, I’m maintaining a 100-pound weight loss. If you are feeling hopeless and overwhelmed, I’m here to reassure you that Christian weight loss is possible.
You do not have to stay stuck in unhealthy eating patterns. Freedom through Christ is available to you.
Is exercise necessary for weight loss?
You’ve now read seven truths about losing weight with God’s guidance. You may be wondering, “Is exercise necessary for weight loss?”
Exercise is not necessary for weight loss. When I lost 100 pounds, I lost the first 40 pounds without doing any exercise at all.
Don’t get me wrong – I believe in exercise for wellness and maintaining a healthy weight. My story includes moving from a total couch potato to walking to running to eventually doing triathlons, distance cycling, and Tae Kwon Do. God has taken me a long way when it comes to fitness!
So while I’m a huge believer in the benefits of exercise, ultimately, diet is much more important for weight loss. There’s a great saying when it comes to weight loss and exercise,
You can’t outrun your fork.
The majority of your emphasis should be on a healthy, realistic diet that reduces calories while maintaining nutrition. Gradually increase your activity. Once you have lost some weight, regular exercise is helpful as part of your plan to maintain a healthy weight.
If you have to choose between focusing on diet or exercise for weight loss, diet must always come first.
Exercise has been a huge part of my 100+ pound weight loss, but it’s not necessary for weight loss.
Now you have learned the essential elements of Christian weight loss, the truth about a Biblical diet plan, and the best diet plan for weight loss. I shared my before-and-after weight loss story.
You have seven truths about losing weight with God’s guidance. These include knowing that God cares about your weight loss plans, using Bible verses for weight loss, praying for weight loss, trading guilt for grace, learning why “don’t quit” matters so much, focusing on one small change at a time, and recognizing that God heals.
A Christian Weight Loss Program for Women
Trying to lose weight alone is hard. I tried it for years. Support from other Christian women makes it easier to keep going on the days you want to quit.
The Holy Weigh is my Christian weight loss program for women. We work on the three root causes that keep you stuck: hunger, habits, and heart. You get a realistic plan, Scripture, and a community of Christian women doing it with you. Not ready to join? Start with our free 5 day challenge, Growing Faith, Losing Weight.
The truth is that there is no one right weight loss program for everyone. I like Weight Watchers and have had great success with it, but counting points might not be for everyone and that is okay. Lots of members of our online Christian women’s program use a food log or app such as My Fitness Pal.
The essential element of any weight loss program is eating fewer calories than you burn. There are several ways to do this; however, any weight loss plan you choose must, in addition to a calorie deficit, give you overall healthy nutrition, enough calories to sustain energy for your busy days, and help you feel your best.
Plus, the food needs to taste good because food is delicious!
Choose a realistic long-term plan. Juice cleanses, detoxes, and cabbage soup diets for weight loss might work for the short term, but they don’t lead to long-term success.
Steps to Christian Weight Loss by God’s Power
Believe that God cares.
Remember that God cares about every aspect of your life, including your health, weight, and food choices.
Use Bible verses for weight loss.
Cling to the truth of God’s Word as you lose weight.
Pray for your weight loss progress.
Ask for God’s help and guidance in making healthy choices, avoiding temptation, and honoring Him with your body.
Trade your guilt for grace.
Overeating is a sin, yet God has freed you from every sin. Victory is yours. Live in grace.
Don’t quit.
The Bible tells us to run the race with endurance. You can lose weight by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Make small changes.
Focus on one small change a time. Each healthy choice counts and they add up over time.
Trust God to heal you.
God is your great Healer and Provider. Trust in Him for healing.
Christian Weight Loss FAQs
What is Christian weight loss?
It’s losing weight with Christ at the center. You still follow a real eating plan, but you lean on God’s strength, His Word, and His grace instead of willpower alone.
Is there a biblical diet plan?
No. The Bible doesn’t prescribe a specific diet like low carb or Paleo. It does teach that God cares about your body and that gluttony is sin, and it points you to Christ for forgiveness and the power to change.
Is overeating a sin?
Gluttony is. The Bible calls gluttony a sin, and gluttony is repeated, patterned overeating, not eating a few extra bites one time. Jesus paid for that sin too, so you can trade guilt for grace and keep going instead of quitting.
Is exercise necessary for weight loss?
No. I lost my first 40 pounds without any exercise. Exercise helps your health and helps you keep weight off, but what you eat matters most for weight loss.
What’s the best Christian weight loss program?
The best program is one you can stick with that gives you a calorie deficit and good nutrition. The Holy Weigh is my program for Christian women. It pairs a realistic eating plan with Scripture and support from other Christian women.
Sara is a writer, 100+ pound weight loss success story, and a certified Binge Eating and Bulimia Recovery Coach. Her website, The Holy Mess, reaches millions of readers every year. She guides women to healthy weight loss, and an impressive 50,000+ people having completed her group weight loss challenges to date. Click here to read Sara's Before and After story. Message her at sara@theholymess.com.
Comments
Jeanette Bushsays
I have done WW for most of my life. Even made Lifetime, but fell off the wagon. The Holy Mess has helped me so much to begin looking at how to connect my faith to eating right for weight loss. I am going to be working on this 30-day Challenge to focus more on bringing the Lord into my eating life.
Well, looking at my schedule the next 30 days plus are not idea for me to try the 30-day challenge. So I will make a new plan. And will definitely keep the 7 Steps of Christian Weight Loss in front of me
My faith journey continues. Putting God first, even when losing weight, must be a priority. This article hits home for me. Thanks for your insight and advice.
I am so thankful for your articles and resources. You helped me face the shame that I felt which kept me from asking for Gods help on my journey. I’ve been on this journey since 2007. I lost 80 pounds but regained about 30. I’ve been working on those pounds ever since. I believe that I will be more successful adding Christian Faith to my daily focus. Thank you for your honest straightforward testimony.
I have done WW for most of my life. Even made Lifetime, but fell off the wagon. The Holy Mess has helped me so much to begin looking at how to connect my faith to eating right for weight loss. I am going to be working on this 30-day Challenge to focus more on bringing the Lord into my eating life.
Well, looking at my schedule the next 30 days plus are not idea for me to try the 30-day challenge. So I will make a new plan. And will definitely keep the 7 Steps of Christian Weight Loss in front of me
My faith journey continues. Putting God first, even when losing weight, must be a priority. This article hits home for me. Thanks for your insight and advice.
This is a well-thought out article and is very helpful. Thank you for your super website.
I am so thankful for your articles and resources. You helped me face the shame that I felt which kept me from asking for Gods help on my journey. I’ve been on this journey since 2007. I lost 80 pounds but regained about 30. I’ve been working on those pounds ever since. I believe that I will be more successful adding Christian Faith to my daily focus. Thank you for your honest straightforward testimony.