When it comes to achieving your weight loss goals, one word is going to make the difference in whether you succeed or not: persistence. Persistence is simply promising yourself that you will never give up.
When I made up my mind that last time that I was going to lose weight no matter what, it seemed that everything fell into place. I'm not saying that it was always easy, but I had confidence that I was not going to give up on myself no matter how many times I stumbled.
As long as I gave myself an "out" and treated my health casually, then my mind became pre-occupied with going back to my old habits. I'd tell myself that it was too hard, that I didn't like vegetables, I didn't like to exercise, etc. Pretty soon, I was headed towards "quitsville."
But once I made my mind up that I wasn't going to quit, then I felt relief. I knew even if I felt like quitting, I wasn't going to. Then, my mind became pre-occupied with finding ways to ensure that I wouldn't quit. It was all a matter of focus. I started looking for healthy foods that I enjoyed, activities that were fun, and pleasurable ways to reward myself. I created a cycle of joy. Once I committed to enjoying the process, then sticking with it became easy.
Today, make up your mind that you will never surrender on your way to better health. Don't be double-minded. Once you decide that you want to live life in a body that is a blessing to you, not a burden then start looking for ways to make your desire real. Make it fun. If you do that, then you will achieve that desire sooner than you think.
Kimberly Taylor is the founder of Take Back Your Temple, a Christ-centered teaching ministry that helps Christian women understand what emotional eating is communicating and respond with wisdom, steadiness, and peace.
After years of struggling with emotional eating and reaching 240 pounds, Kimberly experienced lasting change through Scripture-guided renewal, practical stewardship, and learning to recognize the signals her body had been carrying.
Today, she helps women move from pressure and shame into clarity and steady formation, teaching that emotional eating is often a signal of inner strain rather than a failure of discipline.
Kimberly is the author of The Weight Loss Scriptures, The Anxiety Relief Scriptures, The Weight Loss Prayers, and other faith-based resources that support whole-person restoration.
Her work has been featured in Prevention Magazine, Charisma Magazine, and on CBN’s The 700 Club.