If you are unhappy with your weight, you probably have negative beliefs that are keeping you stuck there.
Your beliefs determine how you see situations and how you respond to them.
Did you know that up to 95% of your daily responses are automatic?
In other words, you act without thinking consciously.
You just repeat what you’ve always done!
Your automatic response is like a train track running through your brain.
Imagine – up to 95% of your life runs on this track! By the end of each day, that track has led you to a specific place.
A good question to ask yourself at the end of the day is, “Am I closer to being the size I want to be or am I further away?”
If your automatic actions are taking you further away, then you need to change that track!
So your first step to change is to examine your track, those beliefs that are keeping you overweight.
How do you do that?
I’ll give you my own weight loss journey as an example.
The Beliefs that Kept Me Overweight
Here were my beliefs:
- “I’ll always be a big girl.”
- “Big portions make me feel special.”
- “Eating healthy means being deprived of food I really want.”
- “Fast food is good.”
- “Sweets are a treat.”
- “Eating what they eat makes me belong.”
- “Exercise is a pain.”
- “Fat protects me from hurt.”
I had to stay alert for lies like these and replace them with the truth. Only through diligent effort did I create new tracks in my mind for my life to run on! Whenever I spotted the lie, I replaced it then and there and acted according to the truth.
Think about how you view the habits you will need to reach your ideal weight. Are you thinking about these habits positively or negatively?
If negative, write them down. Then write down a new, positive story to tell yourself about them, one that will create a new track in your brain that leads to the destination you want to go.
Replacing Lies with the Truth
Here are some examples:
1. Lie: “I will always be a big girl.”
Truth: “The truth is that I am not a big girl. I am curvy and petite. Lying to myself that I am naturally big tricks me into eating more than I need to live.”
2. Lie: “Big portions make me feel special.”
Truth: “The truth is that my worth does not come from food. Eating portion sizes appropriate to my size makes me feel special because I am taking time to take care of myself every day.”
3. Lie: “Eating healthy means being deprived of the food I really want.”
Truth: The truth is that eating healthy means healing, energizing, and nourishing my body with the food God made.
I can still have not-so-healthy food on occasion for the taste, but I don’t want to fill up on them because I know that will hurt my body in the long run.
My goal is to finish my life well on Earth so that I can do my part to expand my Savior’s kingdom.
4. Lie: “Fast food is good.”
Truth: Eating fast food regularly led me to gain almost 100 pounds after high school. That was not good!
I want to eat to benefit my whole body, not just my tongue. I will find my “sweet spot” – foods that taste good to me while being good for me.
5. Lie: “Sweets are my treat.”
Truth: The truth is that overindulging in sweets made me obese. That was not a treat!
It is okay for me to have a sweet once in a while for the taste, but I won’t try to live off of them.
6. Lie: “Eating what they eat makes me belong.”
Truth: The truth is that what makes me connect with people is my love for them, not eating what they eat.
I am free to make choices that are good for me, even if they are different from what others choose to eat. I choose to take care of myself and if others are uncomfortable with that, so be it.
God has given me the responsibility to manage this body that I have, just as He has given others responsibility to manage the body they have.
I choose to take that responsibility seriously and eat to keep my body strong and healthy for kingdom work.
7. Lie: “Exercise is a pain.”
Truth: I choose to find exercises that I like. I can walk, dance, do Zumba, weight training, kickboxing, jog on a trampoline, hula hoop, and jump rope.
All of those ways of moving are enjoyable for me and help keep my body strong, healthy, fit, and flexible. This is especially important to help me age well. So I will keep on doing it because I want those results.
The results won’t happen by wishing; they will happen by working!
Every little extra movement counts.
8. Lie: “Fat protects me from hurt.”
Truth: The truth is that God is my Protector, not fat! I am no longer that 17-year-old girl fearful of sexual assault. I don’t have to use fat as emotional insulation to protect myself from hurt.
I believe God’s word that says:
For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings (Psalm 61:3-4).”
I choose to dwell under the shelter of God’s wings even at my ideal weight.
Take some time today to examine your own belief systems.
The Bible tells you in Proverbs 23:7:
…For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”
Are your belief systems serving you on your weight loss journey?
If not, then your track may be leading you to a destination you don’t want to go!
Be Blessed with Health, Healing, and Wholeness,
Kimberly Taylor
Author/Christian Life Coach of the Take Back Your Temple Weight Loss Community
P.S. Do you struggle with overeating sugar? If so, you are not alone!
Overcoming sugar addiction was a key factor on my weight loss journey; I lost 85 pounds and dropped from a size 22 to an 8.
In our 14-day Sugar Detox Challenge online course (inside the Take Back Your Temple Community), you’ll get the same success strategies and support to gain peace in your eating habits and achieve lasting weight loss.
Click here to learn more about the Take Back Your Temple Christian Weight Loss Community.
Great article, thanks for sharing!
You are welcome, Debra!
These are not my thoughts , l have a partner who speaks negativity over me over and over
Hi Eila – I appreciate your feedback! The Spiritual battle is the same, whether you are speaking negative thoughts over yourself or someone else is speaking them over you; to overcome this issue requires replacing lies with the truth and walking in the truth in your daily practice. I pray that the Lord strengthen you on this journey as you take those negative thoughts captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ.
Thank you so much for all your advice and resources. I read this article after watching the TBYTTV video on renewing your mind. I thought I had gotten rid of most of my negative thoughts, but realize now there are more to go. Thoughts I didn’t even realize I had. I have also been reading your book “The Weight Loss Scriptures” It has helped me stay motivated. I am almost halfway through a journey to lose 130 lbs, and I plan on reading your book several times lol
Hi Rene – that is awesome that you have succeeded with losing half of 130 pounds! Yes, there can be a whole tangle of negative thoughts that keep us overweight. But with the Lord’s help, we can overcome them all. May the Lord continue to bless you on this journey – it is a good one!
Hi
Have you thought of having Taking my Temple Back Retreats? I feel the need to get away and BE STILL…
Hi Rose – Although we don’t have a TBYT retreat yet, you may want to check out https://www.luminariesretreat.com/. They offer Christian health retreats. God bless you! Kim
1 Big hips run in my family.
2 Dad said I’m built like grandma. (Grandma was large when i was young.)
*My problem about not losing is more about failure when trying.
*I throw a guild trip on me and stop trying.
3 Other fat girls have husbands and boyfriends, skinny doesn’t make them want you more.
4 i am a failure, no point trying just to be disappointed
*I started eating at night when i didn’t used to.
**Acid Reflux reared its ugly head after i quit smoking. The doc told me it was best to eat 6 small meals a day. (I really wish doctors didn’t say stuff like that to me. They more or less gave me the okay to eat after 7 pm and i ran with it.)
*My Doc told me after I quit smoking that it’s better to be fat than smoke. (He was afraid i was going to start smoking again…I told him and everyone God delivered me from Nicotine and that wasn’t going to happen, no one believes me then or now, 5 years later. And I still Praise God that I am a nonsmoker! That was the easiest thing to do after I asked God to help me.) I know what you are thinking, I should incorporate that with this eating and exercising problem…I’ve started actually. It is a process.
*I don’t live near fast food joints. Small town Missouri I have to drive at least 10 miles to the nearest McDonald’s and even then, I don’t want to drive over there. However: there is a new ff-joint coming in soon….may be a problem once that puppy opens. I love their hamburgers and shakes! and it will be about 3 blocks away from where i am living.
Hi Tracy, I hope examining these beliefs is showing you clearly why you remain stuck. The first thing to work on is your why – why is it important that you change and why is it important that you change right now? If you aren’t clear about that, then you won’t be motivated to change your beliefs to support your goal to reach your ideal weight. I’ve often said – the mental work to change is a lot harder than any physical work you do!
The lie is that eating always makes me feel satisfied and comfortable.
The truth is that even though my stomach is full and my taste buds are satisfied, I feel miserable after eating because my life is controlled by food and I dont feel empowered or have the energy to be actively engaged in life and in ministry. I dont want to be this person and I know God has called me to be so much more.
My challenge is that I hate feeling empty; it’s uncomfortable, so I turn to food because it fills and satiates me so quickly. It’s an addictive behavior that I need help to change.
Cheryl – God knows you from the very number of hairs on your head. Seek His wisdom as to what is behind the lie and what truth you can use to replace it. Check out my article as well on the “Supernatural Danger of Overeating” for more insight.
Thank you. I will read the article you suggested. I appreciate your ministry which is a huge help in gaining understanding of the power of God that is available to me. I intercede for your ministry because it is evident that you love Jesus and He is truly your Lord and the Holy Spirit is at work empowering your ministry to set captives free.
I enjoy reading every article.. I give thanks to the Good Lord for you.
This is a lie that I’m struggling with.
I had a hysterectomy 3 years ago and I’ve heard for so long that you can’t lose weight after having this surgery.
When I get on the scales and see very little results… That’s the first thing that come to the forefront of my mind.
I refuse to give up.
Blessings
pat
I am so glad you are not giving up, Pat. God’s word outranks man’s word. Check out how Jesus healed blind men, cleansed lepers, and walked on water. Each day, strive to live STRONG, doing the best you can. Pay attention to how your clothes fit and measurements beyond the scale. I believe with time and diligence, you will prosper and be in health as your soul prospers!
Satan’s lie is that I cannot exercise. God’s truth is that I just can’t right now because of cancer. Also my back, knees, and hip. I was enjoying the exercises you were suggesting till it hurt my knees again. Then the cancer. I just have to lighten up my exercise program in two weeks when I can exercise again even though I like to do high intensity vs low intensity. I loved it so much it hurt me. The truth is there may be some things I cannot do, but many I can. Thank you for your encouragement through your e mails. I am a bit behind, but will catch up soom.
I think one of the lies I have told myself is, “This bite of extra food won’t matter.” The problem is that it does matter. The bites add up and it all begins with the first lie that what I eat doesn’t matter all that much because I won’t ever be able to conquer this weight issue. Wow.. Just writing it out is freeing. I see what a lie that is. If other people can lose weight through eating less and moving more then why can’t I? I choose to believe that I can and I WILL through Christ.
I am agreeing with you in prayer about that, Dawn. I once did the math once and found that it only takes an average of 50 calories overeaten/unburned consistently per day over a 20-year period to add up to 100-pound weight gain! That shows you how powerful time is. The good news is that you can use time to your advantage even when you make small changes for the better.
Dawn,
I have believed the same lie, I will always be fat no matter what I do, but I know through Christ we can do anything! Thank the Lord for you Kim! Please pray for me too!
Thank you for encouraging Dawn, Tina – we can overcome with Christ!
This has been a thought provoking article. I have seem to realize one of the lies is that fat protects me from harm. I have lived this lie for a very long time. One that I need to meditate on and allow the HOLY SPIRIT to minister to me on. Thank you Kim!
Whoops! That Was Satan’s Lies,not stan’s lol!
Just a thought, when nighttime eating “appears” to gain a victory over us.Renewing our mind with bible scriptures is an effective “weapon of our warfare” but so is” stealing away” by that I mean at night,before you Veg-out in frontof theTV……go find a quiet place to pray for a few minutes .just this change of habit may break your cycle of mindless night time eating and the LIES that accompany that bad habit. Pray the word and you exchange stan’sLies for God’s Truth.
Yeah, nights are really hard for me. I deal with the stress of the day by coming home and overeating and treating myself. I am doing a lot of things right, but this thing keeps me right where I am at…..FAT. I have just stuck my head in the sand this year and I have gained 20 lbs. How’s that working for me?
One major problem I am dealing with right now is the ” sweets are a treat.” I just had major surgery, and i do fine all day, but at night time I feel like I want to treat myself. Can you recommend a scripture for this problem and maybe something I can tell myself instead? Thank you for all you do to help us, Kimberly!
I love this advice – I’ve figured out that my whole block to losing weight is in my head. I know how to eat and what activity I need but I overeat to compensate for other things, justifying to myself, telling myself I can start again tomorrow, etc. I love how you determined your negative thoughts and found “true” answers to override those damaging thoughts. This morning I wrote out my true identity and what to say to myself to combat those discouraging, damaging and negative lies. It’s more like a prayer that relies on His Infinite Power rather than my sad willpower and tells me I’m made for more – made to be accepted, confident, loved, victorious!!
Just wanted to share. I have lost 7 lbs. I took the article you wrote about gaining wisdom from your fat and made it real. I really have conversations with the I eternal “fat” me who now is leading and guiding the internal “skinny” me. The results – I am making better decisions and if I don’t, I encourage the skinny me as the fat me warns ” let’s not do this again.”
Thanks my sister; what a great way to start the new year. L’ shanah tobah