Very often, those who are overweight or entangled with eating disorders develop medical conditions as a result of their unhealthy lifestyles. Aside from being too fat or dangerously skinny, there is usually a system in the body that is being gravely abused and in danger of failing.  Christians and unbelievers alike often ask why bad things happen to people, especially when the bad things are happening in their own lives. Those who are overweight, suffering from obesity related diseases, or eating disorders like bulimia are among those who sometimes wonder, "Why is this happening to me?"
​
Many will tell you that it is a part of the curse on mankind which occurred due to Adam and Eve's disobedience. Others argue exercising free will gives us the freedom to make poor choices which result in unintended, negative consequences. Another school of thought maintains that it is just the way life goes. Eventually, something bad happens to everyone even if the only bad thing that ever happens is your inevitable death.
 
There is truth in all of the explanations, but none of them fits every scenario.  Yes, Adam and Eve's fall from grace negatively affected every human being born since that day, but it is still hard to reconcile with why babies are born with life threatening birth defects or innocent bystanders are killed during a fight that had nothing to do with them. Although we know people make poor choices, such as using drugs or alcohol during pregnancy, our hearts still go out to the children who suffer from developmental disabilities due to circumstances beyond their control.
 
In regard to the third point, it is a fact as well as a biblical principle that man's days are short and full of trouble (Job 14:1), but you cannot help but notice that some seem to have more trouble than others. As with everything, the answer to the question is found in Christ. In John 9, Jesus was asked whether a man who had been blind since birth was blind due to the man's sins or due to the sin of his parents. Jesus replied, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him" (John 9:3). Glory! Hallelujah!
 
Even if you have never known a skinny day in all of your life, it is not because you have bad genes. It is not because you were meant to be fat, and it is not because it was bound to happen to somebody and that somebody just happened to be you.  Jesus said it happened so that God will be glorified in you and through you! It is true that unlike the blind man's illness, obesity is usually the direct result of entanglement with the sin of gluttony, and the enemy often ensnares those prone to it as children. Nevertheless, every human being who ever walked this earth except for Jesus has sinned, and it is no less a miracle to be set free from a sin that has plagued you your entire life, particularly when you saw no hope of being free of it. In other words, whether you have been fat all of your days, a few decades, or a few months, the Lord will set you free from the bondage of sin so that you will be a walking, talking, breathing testament that He is still the God who heals you (Exodus 15:26).
 
If you are ready for God to heal you and be glorified by setting you free of your health and fitness problem, purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com. In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God. Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ. Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips.  Tune in to our syndicated radio show on iTunes, Spotify, the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends.  Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org!

​The Bible teaches us that, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  However, not everyone responds well to the discipline provided in God's Word.  Instead of allowing the truth of His Word to convict them of their sins and produce godly wisdom which leads to salvation, they take offense and rebel.  Unfortunately, this also occurs when you tell unbelievers and Christians alike that God's Word is the solution to their health and fitness problem.
 
Nevertheless, we are still commissioned to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world, including those entangled with the sins of gluttony, making idols of their stomachs and food, and failing to otherwise take care of the temple of the Holy Spirit by eating and drinking for the glory of God because those sins result in a person spending eternity in hell just as any other unrepented sin does. That means you will, at some point, share your belief, or at least attempt to, that Christ is the only way to salvation and the only way to permanently lose weight and be free of eating disorders with a person who does not want to hear it.  This happens not only to evangelism teams who knock on doors early in the morning and missionaries in foreign countries, but also to the church member who shares his faith with a neighbor or a colleague at work.
 
Nonetheless, you must remember that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of men (1 Corinthians 1:25).  When your act of Christian love is met with hostility and contempt, it is difficult not to take it personally.  However, when Jesus met Saul on the road to Damascus, He asked Saul, "Why are you persecuting Me" (Acts 9:4)?  Although we are the ones the hateful words and actions are hurled at, it is Christ who is actually being persecuted because they are rebelling against Him not us. Consequently, you should not argue with or retaliate against them.  Remember the Bible states, “Do not correct a fool, for he will hate you.  Correct a wise man, for he will appreciate you” (Proverbs 9:8).  On the contrary, understand that you have completed your assignment and peaceably move on.  The conviction work in their lives is the Holy Spirit's job not yours.
 
If you are ready to stop acting foolishly and accept that Christ is the answer to your health and fitness problem,​purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com. In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God. Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ. Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips.  Tune in to our syndicated radio show on iTunes, Spotify, the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends.  Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org!

We all know intellectually what it takes to lose weight and be free of eating disorders. We should. We have been taught how to eat right and exercise since grade school. Nevertheless, a very high percentage of adults in the United States are overweight, obese, or suffering from eating disorders. Since the status quo obviously isn’t working, it is time for us all to learn the Lord’s health and fitness ways.

​Changing your perspective about health and fitness requires you to see the problem from God's point of view in every respect. That includes how you go about resolving your issues with weight and eating disorders. For example, what have you done in the past to get the weight off? Have you had lap band surgery?  Did you take Fen-phen diet pills? Have you taken diet supplements which promised to help you lose weight? Did you join a weight loss program and buy their expensive meal replacements? In terms of overcoming your eating disorders, have you followed the treatment plan that you have been given?
 
I will be honest. I was desperate to lose the weight, so I tried a lot of crazy things. For instance, I went to a hypnotist to be hypnotized into making healthy decisions regarding food. It did not work. On the contrary, I gained even more weight. I also visited a chiropractor to have my ears punctured. That dulled my appetite for about two (2) weeks, then it returned with a vengeance, and those are just a couple of examples of the extremes I took to get the weight off.
 
It was often expensive and time consuming, but most importantly, it always proved to be a wasted effort. The world's way of doing things always is. Why is that? The answer is that the world's system is designed to keep you ensnared in bondage not set you free from it. The enemy's strategy is to keep you running around in circles from one diet gimmick to the next until you finally give up in defeat and die in the Wilderness of Obesity and Eating Disorders as the Israelites died during their wilderness wanderings because they did not trust God to help them possess the land He promised them.
 
God promises not only to guide you to the Promised Land of Healthy and Fit for Life, but also to make you more than able to defeat the enemies you must face there. However, the battle must be fought and won His way. For example, when Israel took the City of Jericho, they did not use battle strategies normally employed during that time. Instead, they marched around the city for seven (7) days as God commanded. On the seventh (7th) day, the walls of the city tumbled down at the sound of the trumpet after the people made seven (7) circuits around the city walls (Joshua 6:1-27). Then the people rushed in and defeated the inhabitants.
 
The point I am making is that God's way of losing weight and setting you free of eating disorders directly contradicts the world's advice. While the world arms you with ineffective carnal weapons of its making, God will arm you with His Spirit in Whom there is no failure. If you want to finally be victorious and win the health and fitness war, seek the Lord's will and then obey His commands to eat and drink for His glory. And pray as the psalmist did in Psalm 25:4-5 that God will, “Make me know Your ways, O Lord. Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation.  For you, I wait all the day.”
 
If you want to know the ways of the Lord in regard to of your health and fitness, purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com.  In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God.  Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ.  Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips.  Tune in to our syndicated radio show on Spotify, the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends. Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org!

Most of the time, when we gain weight, we know in our hearts that it is due to our unhealthy eating, drinking, and exercise habits. However, there are times when we do everything exactly right, but we either find our progress inhibited or altogether ceased despite our best efforts.  I know from experience that it is hard to make yourself go to the gym on Monday after a nice rest from working out on Sunday. It is even harder to make yourself eat right and exercise again when you have had a scheduled break from dieting, or even worse, you cheated for a few days. Neither your body, your mind, nor your emotions wants to cooperate with your spirit's desire to be obedient to the Lord's commands to take care of the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is your body. How do you get your body to cooperate when it is in mutiny mode?
 
First, remember what the Word of God teaches, and use it as your sword to take back the ship before it sinks in the sea of gluttony and eating disorders. God's Word is clear that we become entangled with sin due to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). For example, your eyes work against you by initially coveting the cheesecake your co-worker brought for lunch. Once you start to salivate and your stomach growls, your flesh craves a cheeseburger with fries to go along with the cheesecake. Finally, the enemy will use your mind against you by getting pride to seal the deal. Satan usually does this by making you logically conclude that you deserve another day off or that you can always stop your cycle of cheating on your health and fitness plan the following day.
 
We should respond to every form of temptation with the truth of God's Word just as Jesus demonstrated in the wilderness when He was tempted during His forty (40) day fast. When your eyes covet food that is not on your daily health and fitness plan, remember that the Bible says to cut off the body parts that lead you into temptation. Specifically, Matthew 5:29 says, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away." When you are confronted with food and beverage temptations, tear your eyes away from the sinful sight and replace the images with the Word of God and food you enjoy that is on your diet plan.
 
When your flesh insists that you eat what is prohibited, remind yourself just as Jesus did when He was tempted in that exact same manner, that "Man doesn't live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). When pride attempts to use reason to convince you that it is alright to disobey God's command to eat and drink for His glory, remind yourself that the Bible says, "The heart is deceitful above all things" (Jeremiah 17:9). Finally, after using the Word as your sword, act on it in faith by obeying it, and constantly praying that the Lord will lead you to make health and fitness choices that bring Him glory and give you the abundant, healthy life that the Lord always intended for you to have.
 
If you are ready to regain control of your health and fitness ship and quell your body’s mutinous uprising, purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com.  In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God.  Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ.  Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips.  Tune in to our syndicated radio show on iTunes, Spotify, the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends.  Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org!

You may have heard it said that people, especially women try to attain impossible standards of beauty, especially as it relates to health and fitness. While there is truth in the statement, it is, paradoxically, also false. Attaining a healthy and fit body is possible, but the question is: are you willing to fight for it?   When you start to see your health and fitness issues from God's perspective, like Adam and Eve your eyes are opened to the enemy's deception, and you realize that something precious has been stolen from you (Genesis 3:7).  Suddenly, God's light illuminates the truth of the matter as if you had been standing in a darkened room. You can see that the enemy has not only stolen your body's flattering physique, but he has also stolen your self-confidence, your self-esteem, and your positive self-image. In many cases, he has cost you friends, romantic attachments, and taken your loved ones prematurely due to an obesity related illness or eating disorder.  In the worst cases, he has also stolen your health, and you are dependent upon drugs to extend your life, therapy to learn how to walk or talk again, or other people to help you perform even minor daily activities.
 
Unlike Adam and Eve, this revelation is not necessarily a fatal one for us.  In their case, disobedience meant immediate spiritual death and physical death later. It is actually the opposite for us. In terms of health and fitness and every other sin, the revelation brings about spiritual life when we repent through Christ and an extended physical life as we turn from our sin and obediently eat and drink for His glory! That is, it will if we do not wait until it is too late. Best of all, we get another benefit that was denied Adam and Eve in the natural. They could never return to the Garden of Eden, but God says to you the same thing He said to David after the enemy stole from him.
 
In 1 Samuel, Chapter 30, Both of David's wives and the family members of his men had been kidnapped during a raid while David was away from home. Ziklag was set on fire and burned. However, David wisely asked God whether or not he should pursue the enemy before he took up his weapons to fight. God’s answer was yes! I exhort you today in the Name of Jesus that victory is yours just as it was granted to David! You will lose the weight and keep it off for the rest of your days! You will finally be free of your eating disorder, but you must first be willing to put your war clothes on, show up on the battlefield, and fight for what is rightfully yours! Through Christ, take up your spiritual weapons and, "Pursue!  For thou shalt surely overtake them and without fail recover all" (1 Samuel 30:8)!
 
If you are ready to pursue the enemy, overtake him, and recover your health and fitness through Christ, purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com.  In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God.  Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ.  Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips.  Tune in to our syndicated radio show on iTunes, Spotify, the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends.  Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org!

Often we run from battles when we should stand and fight. That’s especially true in terms of our health and fitness. Instead of believing losing weight or being free of an eating disorder is doable, we cower in fear because victory seems impossible.  I thank God for the privilege and blessing of moving mountains out of my way, but I also thank Him for carrying me over, taking me around, and even digging a tunnel through the ones He wanted me to conquer! Losing weight was a mountain God ordained I had to conquer.  My desire to eat what I wanted whenever I wanted did not vanish overnight as I would have preferred. As the weight came off, the temptation to eat junk food on a daily basis was not taken away in an instant, and I certainly did not lose 134 pounds in one night.
 
On the contrary, the Lord showed me the path which would take me over the mountain, through the valley, and into the Promised Land of Healthy and Fit for Life. No, it was not always an easy climb. In fact, the path was rather steep in places, but the journey was a scenic one because I walked it with Jesus. He pointed out one revelation after another as I held His hand and hiked with Him. Sometimes I was out of breath. Other days I was too tired to move my feet. At times, it seemed no progress was being made. Nevertheless, I made it to the top, and the view was and still is quite spectacular and worth the trip. I encourage you to come and see it for yourself. I know taking in the full view of the mountain from its base can make you feel overwhelmed, but take heart. You will get to the top the same way you get to the bathroom, to the mall, to work, and everywhere else you go, one step at a time.
 
I am not suggesting that you never ask God to move the mountains in your life, but I am encouraging you to have faith that if it is not His will to remove it, He has ordained that you will conquer it another way. The mountain that is removed is taken away for your protection. The mountain that remains is there for your growth, development, and prosperity. Glory to God for knowing the difference between what would break me and what would make me!
 
If you refuse to become or remain broken and you are ready to conquer the mountains of obesity and eating disorders, purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com.  In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God. Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ. Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips. Tune in to our syndicated radio show on iTunes, Spotify, the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends.  Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org!

We are twenty-eight (28) days into 2023. ​While I hope you enjoyed the holiday break, hopefully, you have realized that the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s celebrations are over and gone back to eating in accordance with your diet plan.  If you were not on a health and fitness plan before the holidays, please do not wait to start eating healthier.  Your body and family need for you to make a permanent change today, and your God commands you to eat and drink for His glory right now not tomorrow (1 Corinthians 10:31).
 
I know not eating holiday leftovers and permanently changing your unhealthy habits is hard. One year, my oldest son was literally in tears when he was no longer allowed to eat the food permitted during Thanksgiving dinner, but he has to learn now that although food is part of the holiday celebration, the unhealthy foods should not be eaten when the celebration ends. Unfortunately, most people do not learn this when they are young, and they use the fact that Christmas is right around the corner to continue to indulge in unhealthy foods and beverages throughout the entire holiday season. Some people do not stop until the new year begins, and even then it is really only a brief pause made as a result of a half-hearted resolution they already know they do not intend to fully commit to.
 
It is time to stop making Thanksgiving last until the new year begins only to resume unhealthy eating habits a week after making a New Year’s Resolution. In the Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries Health and Fitness Course, we not only teach you the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body, but we also provide practical advice and a biblically based plan of action to lead you out of the Wilderness of Obesity and Eating Disorders in order to usher you into the Promised Land of Healthy and Fit for Life.
 
If you are ready to finally leave the food party to regain control of your health, fitness, and weight, then purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com. In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God.  Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ. Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips. Tune in to our syndicated radio show on iTunes, Spotify, the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends.  Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org!

​Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you had a blessed holiday season. As you know, the beginning of the year is traditionally the time when people resolve to make big, and often, long overdue changes in their lives. However, most resolutions are scrapped within days of the new year. So what is the secret to making a New Year’s Resolution and sticking with it? Romans 12:2 says, “Be ye changed by the renewing of your mind," and then you will know the perfect will of God.  In other words, change always starts within us.  That means we have to first choose to do something different.  Unfortunately, human beings often change their minds again and revert to their old habits.  This is probably the way it has been for you in terms of weight loss and eating disorders up to this point.  You make up your mind, or rather resolve, to start a new diet and exercise regimen or refrain from disordered eating, but your resolution falters shortly after you begin, if you ever truly get started at all.
 
God's Word says, "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways" (James 1:8).  If you are honest with yourself, you can admit this is true in terms of your weight loss efforts and entanglement with eating disorders.  Not only do you constantly change your mind about starting a new diet or going to inpatient treatment for an eating disorder, but you also vacillate between sticking with the plan, following the advice of your therapist, giving in to your cravings to eat unhealthy foods, and making excuses not to exercise.  The instability is further evident by the excess weight you carry, changes in how you view yourself, how you relate to others, and how your health is, or eventually will be, affected.  Nevertheless, God can and will provide the stability you need in this area of your life when you change your mind and adopt His perspective of your issue with weight and eating disorders.
 
The choice is yours as to whether or not you trust God and obey His Will.  Jesus said, "He who loves Me obeys My commands" (John 14:21).  When you read and obey His Word as it pertains to the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body, you discover His good and pleasing will for your life in regard to food and beverages.  Then you have the right to ask for the Holy Spirit's empowerment to succeed where you previously and repeatedly failed in the past.  That is a request God can honor because seeking Him and His righteousness first (Matthew 6:33) in all things proves you now have the correct motivation for losing weight and being free of eating disorders.  In other words, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
 
If you’re ready to finally win the weight loss and eating disorder war through Christ, then purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com.  In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God.  Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ.  Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips.  Tune in to our syndicated radio show on iTunes, Spotify, the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends.  Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org!
 
Ann Wooten-Taylor, C.E.O.
EAW Ministries

​Have you ever looked back over your life and realized that many of the problems that once seemed insurmountable actually turned out to be no big deal?  Afterwards, did you wonder why you were so worried about it at the time?  I have. The enemy is a lot like a wild animal who puffs himself and your circumstances up like a balloon in order to make them appear larger and scarier than they truly are. Just like prey in the wild, we react to the inflated scene playing out in our lives, often with worry, doubt, fear, and hopelessness. After the storm is over, you realize the wind howled, the thunder roared, and the huge rain drops sounded like hail while hitting the windows, but it was only just a rainstorm with only minor damage, if any.
 
You probably do not believe this right now, but the truth is it is the same thing in terms of health and fitness. I know in your mind you think it cannot be done.  From your perspective, losing weight is an impossible dream because you could not start, let alone stick with, a diet and exercise plan for the remainder of your life even if your life depended on it. A lot of people have believed that inflated lie from the enemy and lost their lives when they had the power through Christ to be spared from a painful, unnecessary death.
 
From your perspective, your problem with your weight or eating disorder cannot be conquered. From God's point of view, it is already done! Yes, it is a big problem, but it has a very workable solution when taken in small increments.  Contrary to the enemy's messages of defeat, God says you will be victorious. All you have to do is believe the truth and act on it in faith. Instead of magnifying your weight loss problem or the eating disorder, remember how big your God is.  He is the God of all creation, and there is nothing greater than Him! When you feel tempted to look at the size of the problem before you, remember all the times God has delivered you from the other huge problems of life. Then follow Mary's example and declare, "My soul doth magnify the Lord" (Luke 1:46)!
 
If you are ready to stop inflating your health and fitness problem and magnify the Lord instead, purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com. In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God. Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ. Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips.  Tune in to our syndicated radio show on the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends.  Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org!

​Have you hit a plateau? Were you losing lots of weight and inches in the beginning, but now the scale is unmovable, and the measuring tape is stuck on the same number every time you take your measurements? Are you getting frustrated by the lack of progress you are making in regard to your eating disorder?  Do you feel like giving up? You are not alone. Regardless of your eating dysfunction, such as being overweight or eating disorders, everyone must deal with a period of little to no progress along their health and fitness journey.  Since plateaus happen to everyone at some point, you should not take it as a sign of failure. On the contrary, plateaus are actually indirect messages to you which occur for two (2) reasons. You are either on a physical plateau or a spiritual plateau.
 
1) Physical Plateaus
 
In regard to physical plateaus, your body is sending a message to you. People tend to get stuck in their comfort zones because we do not really like change. It is true in health and fitness and every other area of life. For instance, you finally find an exercise routine you do not mind doing, and you refuse to alter it. You jog, go to aerobics, or weight train daily, but your body stops responding after a while because it is telling you that it is time to dig deeper. It is letting you know that you are ready to lower the grams of fat or carbohydrates you have allotted yourself, it is time to increase your treadmill pace to 3.5 because you have been at 3.0 for too long, or you need to add weight training to your regimen. 
 
Similarly, it can also be an indication that you are slacking. Be honest with yourself. Are you really adhering to your health and fitness plan, or are you taking shortcuts which result in more calories and less exercise? Are you taking every weekend off because you think you earned a break? Have you slowly reintroduced foods and beverages that you had abstained from? Did you decrease the number of days you work out? Although these may seem like small things, they make a big difference in regard to your health and fitness outcomes.
 
2) Spiritual Plateaus
 
Conversely, spiritual plateaus occur because God is sending you a message!  When you eat for His glory, it is all about Him not you. If the weight loss stops even though you are obeying Him and digging deeper and does not get you off the plateau, then it is time to inquire of the Lord. We tend to have spiritual as well as physical comfort zones, but God rewards obedience by entrusting you with more spiritual responsibility. For example, I was on a plateau for one (1) whole year after losing 99 pounds. God got my attention and told me to start writing a book about what He taught me in regard to losing weight. When I obeyed, the weight fell off effortlessly again. The same thing happened when He told me to start teaching the EAW Health and Fitness classes.  
 
If your answer to His spiritual call to elevation is yes, then He will allow you to attain more of the Promised Land of Healthy and Fit for Life through Him! If it is not, you will remain stagnant at best or get frustrated and revert to your old eating and drinking habits at worst. The question is, are you satisfied with possessing part of the land, or are you willing to compromise and struggle with the enemies inhabiting the land for the rest of your days the same way the Israelites are to this very day? God leaves the choice to you. 
 
However, He makes it clear that He seeks mature Christian soldiers who are ready and willing to do battle in order to destroy all of the evil inhabitants of the land and possess the Lord’s gift of the Promised Land of Healthy and Fit for Life.  There are more than enough immature, cowardly babes in Christ. As you continue to prove to be "faithful over a few things" by obeying His commands to eat and drink for His glory, He will "put you in charge of many things" (Matthew 25:21), and empower you to conquer the weight loss and eating disorder giants trying to block your path to abundant, healthy living for life.
 
If you are ready to finally get off your plateau, obey the voice of the Lord and purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com. In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God.  Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ.  Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips.  Tune in to our syndicated radio show on the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends.  Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries at www.eatingasanactofworshipministries.org!