The Christian Consideration for Weight Loss

One of the reasons we love talking about weight loss is because it’s incredibly nuanced, with so many individualized factors to consider. It’s also incredibly difficult, with the opportunity to explore behavior change in the ways we think, speak, and act to set ourselves up for success. 

As Christian women, we may have a different lens we view the world in, but that doesn’t exclude us from wanting, or even sometimes needing, to better our health and lose weight. But with something as difficult and frustrating as weight loss, what is the foundation that will help us continue forward even in the face of setbacks and frustrations? What is the Christian consideration for weight loss and how can we change our relationship with ourselves and the scale for better long-term success? 

As we go through each of the questions to consider when thinking about your weight loss journey, take a few moments to pause at the end of each section and journal your thoughts when it comes to each question. How do you currently think about your weight loss journey and how would you like to think about your weight loss journey?

In this article:

• Does My Self Image Line Up With How God Views Me?

• Where Are My Motives for Weight Loss Rooted: Vanity or Health?

• Do I Trust God With My Health and Weight?

• What Does a Healthy View of Weight Loss Look Like?

1. Does My Self Image Line Up With How God Views Me?

As Christian women living in the 2020’s, having a firm foundation in our self image is as important as ever. From the widespread influence of ever-changing beauty standards constantly communicated through our feeds and communities at large, it can feel like the chase to perfection is never ending. Unfortunately, when we don’t have a solid understanding of our self-image, we are at risk of worshiping culture instead of our Maker.

One of the first questions you should ask yourself as a Christian woman in the pursuit of weight loss is if your current self image lines up with how God views you. Without this, you will always be chasing an image of superficial perfection, racing to fulfill a need that God has already provided.

This can be a complex and emotional topic, one that you could spend an entire season understanding and even believing, but one that is worth exploring and committing to. The inclusivity and simplicity of God’s Word has already provided the answers we need in order to have a biblical understanding of self image. 

Foundation 1: Genesis 1:27 – "So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them."

This is our foundation for our self-image. Our self image comes from His image, meaning all of us, as humans, are walking around as image bearers of God. In all other Ancient Near Eastern cultures (when the Bible was written), other gods “commanded” their people to create images in their name based on their attributes, while the Israelite people were the only culture instructed not to create or worship false images. This is because the God of the Bible created His image in us - meaning you are the symbol representing God.

Imagine the person you idolize or admire the most - your biggest influence, the person who inspires you to act, talk, dress, or even look differently. Then imagine someone said you reminded them of that person. You would be beaming with pride! Now remember that ‘person’ is God - that your image is a reminder of God’s own image. It is that foundation that you must use as a lens to observe our culture, beauty standards, and ideals when preparing yourself to embark on a weight loss journey. 

Foundation 2: Psalm 139:13 – “For you formed my inward parts, you knitted me together in my mother's womb.”

For many, a poor self-image is one of the factors leading to the desire for change through weight loss, and trust us - we get it! We tend to observe ourselves with a critical eye, pointing out all of the imperfections and flaws we’d like to remove on photoshop. But the Bible provides reassurance - we were created, knit together, in our mother’s womb. Each strand with a purpose.

If you’ve ever created anything before, you can remember the excitement when the finished product was almost complete; proud of the time, creativity, and precision you used to create your final product, ready to be shared with the world. We imagine this is similar to how God feels after using a level of care, attention, and love that is unimaginable in our own creation. 

Prior to beginning a weight loss phase, ensure your desires for weight loss are not coming from a place of attempting to “fix” a poor self-image. Ensure the way you view yourself lines up with how God views you. If you are not used to this, or if this is a new concept that you’ve never spent much time learning about, then it might feel foreign or difficult to comprehend, let alone implement.

The good news? It can be as easy and accessible as prayer and repetition. Pray for guidance and understanding, while constantly reminding yourself, “I am made in the image of God.” Remember, our brains like the path of least resistance (even if it’s detrimental to our overall well being), so if this feels hard at the beginning, it’s because your brain is forming new neural pathways to acceptance and belief. 

2. Where Are My Motives for Weight Loss Rooted: Vanity or Health?

This is a big question to consider, and one whose answer falls more in the gray than anything. Wanting to look and feel good is not inherently wrong, but when vanity and our outward appearance is all we fixate on, we’re at risk of creating an idol that takes our focus away from God.

• Foundation 3: 1 Samuel 16:7 – "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

If you’ve ever heard the old saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover,” then our third foundation won’t surprise you in the slightest, but hopefully remind you that the package we’re wrapped in is not nearly as important as the moral and Spiritual characteristics we bring to the table.

This can be taken in many different directions - both for the “perfection” we see on Instagram and the person we see in the mirror. For now, understand that motives for weight loss that are purely aesthetic won’t get you very far.

If you are always chasing perfection in the form of weight loss, you run the risk of resorting to harsh dieting tactics and creating an anxiety-ridden experience that is not centered on what truly matters: gratitude for the body and ability God has given you and a holistic view of health that encompasses both your physical and Spiritual natures.

• Foundation 4: 1 Corinthians 10:31 – "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

We love this scripture because it reminds us of the freedom we find in Christ that serves as a blueprint for how we interact with the world. When it comes to dieting, it’s so important as a Christian to be Spiritually rooted in Christ to ensure that our motives are aligned properly.

Again, weight loss and the desire to improve both how we look and our physical health is perfectly okay! But without a healthy placement of our values, we open ourselves to multiple risks such as idolatry of vanity, disordered eating tendencies in the pursuit of beauty, short term results that might lead to yo-yo dieting and weight fluctuations, and not to mention the impact on other people who might see us chasing a certain standard. 

When we take this Scripture and implement it into our dieting and weight loss efforts, we are able to have a different lens for decision making. Does this choice help me bring glory to God? Will others watching me be able to tell that I am a Christian? Is my Spiritual health aligned with my physical health right now? 

3. Do I Trust God With My Health and Weight?

When it comes to weight loss, it can feel easy to go down a spiral of meticulous control in an attempt to achieve your goal, however the ability to truly trust God with your weight and health journey will be the difference maker between an overall positive weight loss experience and a negative one.

• Foundation 5: Proverbs 3:5-6 – "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."

Lean not on your own understanding. Six words that remind us how little we truly understand about the plans God has for us. It can be easy to feel frustrated, upset, and even hopeless when it comes to our health and weight loss goals, but remembering our source is a great place to start. Trust is the antidote to control, and when it comes to something as difficult as weight loss, we must remember to surrender our need for control and truly trust God.

We’re not talking about the kind of trust that only exists as long as we see divine results (on and off the scale) - we mean the type of trust that despite the setbacks and curveballs life throws at you, you persevere and continue forward knowing who your God is.

Why is this important? Because successful weight loss requires consistency. Successful weight loss is slow and requires a ton of changes before any results are seen. This can be frustrating and requires a type of patience and peace that will help you to continue on even when it looks like progress is regressing! Ask yourself, do I trust God with my weight journey? How can my current struggle and journey give glory to God? Then do more of that. 

4. What Does a Healthy View of Weight Loss Look Like?

Although we went through a few questions that every Christian should consider prior to beginning a weight loss journey, we know that there may be many more for each individualized experience. So what does a healthy view of weight loss look like?

• Slow and sustainable – healthy weight loss is about half a pound per week. While this might vary person by person, typically the slower the weight loss, the more sustainable the results. This is important because many times quick results can lead you in a cycle of yo-yo dieting and weight fluctuations that can be harmful to your mind and body.

• Balanced –  if you need it, let us be your reminder that it is possible to diet while keeping a balanced diet. This is important for so many evidenced-backed reasons, so ensure you are consuming a mix of proteins, carbohydrates, fat, and lots of fiber to keep yourself satiated! Ensure all meals include a protein source to prioritize fat loss instead of muscle loss and lots of fiber from whole grains, fruits, and veggies to help you feel fuller as you strategically reduce your calories. 

• Enjoyable – if the changes you have made are not ones you can see yourself keeping for the rest of your life, then ditch them and recalibrate. Eating and movement, two very important factors in our weight maintenance, loss, or gain, should be enjoyable! Your goal is to love the way you eat, not have to muster every ounce of discipline and willpower you can muster. 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is for informational purposes only. Any changes to your nutrition & health should be supervised by a registered dietitian or physician.