Taste For Truth - Weight Loss Encouragement

On this episode of the Taste for Truth podcast, I am doing something different and kind of fun! I decided to do a mish-mash of sorts of a few different episodes. I'll be doing a meditation from my book Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating ("It would be crazy not to eat this!"), and then also a series of "Ask Barb" questions that I've received from listeners. There a variety of topics covered, but all of them are centered around eating habits for ourselves or others. I hope you find something that is helpful and encouraging! Announcements I also wanted to mention that I will be tapering off and ultimately ending the Taste for Truth podcast sometime in the near future. Don't worry -  I will still be doing my Christian Habits Podcast, and all of the past Taste for Truth episodes will still be available! I am just at a place in my life where I am needing to find a work-life balance that is sustainable, and going down to one podcast seems like a very helpful way to do that. I am also planning to give online course crea

It's so easy in our culture today to get caught up in trying to find our self-worth in material things, money, our jobs, or the way we look. The idea of being skinny can be something that we begin to obsess over because we somehow think our identity is wrapped up in our appearance. This isn't what God wants for us and, consequently, also makes us very unhappy.  On today's episode of the Taste for Truth Podcast, we'll debunk 10 lies that perpetuate this skinny idol. I also wanted to mention that I will be leading an online Bible study through my new Philippians Bible study in the month of May. If you're interested in finding out more and signing up, get the info here. I do think it is so helpful to go through regular Bible studies - even when you're trying to lose weight or be healthier - because we are getting more of the truth of God's word in our system (which helps us combat all the lies we believe that fuel our eating problems).  This particular book deals with many different topics in the book of Philipp

If you feel like you will never get over your food struggles, today's episode of the Taste for Truth podcast will be a great encouragement (links below). I'm doing something different on this episode: I'm interviewing three people at one time! It's a mom and her two adult daughters, and we talk through many of the struggles they have had with food over the years, and how they are all finding their way to freedom in this area of their lives. What We Discussed on the Podcast Free-for-all holiday eating Perfectionism eating Strategies for avoiding a binge and a 3-month hiatus from boundaries These lies and their corresponding truths: "It's a holiday, I can eat as much as I want." "If there are sweets in the house, you should eat them." "I'm bored, food would be a great way to deal with it." The key part that submission to God plays in breaking free from an eating stronghold Different renewing of the mind strategies Food as a coping mechanism Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Taste for Truth Freedom from E

A few weeks ago, I had an interesting conversation with a reader. She talked about how hard it was to get her kids to eat healthy things. Many parents these days can relate to the challenges of picky eaters, meal-time meltdowns, and general food struggles. On today's episode of the Taste for Truth Podcast (links below), I answer some reader questions revolving around helping our kids to avoid negative eating habits. What We Discussed on the Podcast How my husband and I raised our four children to eat My take on whether or not kids should eat the same meal as the parents How I inadvertently taught my kids some emotional eating tendencies Practical ways to help our kids to not be entitled regarding food or otherwise The two unhealthy routes we can take with regard to obsessive eating My thoughts on how to train our children regarding food that has the best chance for a healthy result Resources Mentioned on the Podcast I Deserve a Donut - Weight Loss App The Renewing of the Mind Project The Homeschool Sanity

Many of us turn to food when we are bored, or when we want to avoid a project we know we should be doing! Unfortunately, this can easily become an unhealthy pattern that leads to weight-gain and out-of-control eating. If you're all too familiar with this struggle and want to stop the cycle of boredom eating, my episode today on the Taste for Truth Podcast should be helpful (links below)! Share an Update! I also wanted to mention that I'm excited to try something a little different for a few episodes of the Taste for Truth Podcast. I would love to have updates and "victory moments" from people that I've interviewed over the years! If you would be willing, go to this website and record a brief message letting us know how you're doing! This is not an interview at all, it would just be you recording whatever you'd like to say in a short message - I think the limit is 4 minutes. Anyway, I think it'd be so fun and encouraging to hear how everyone is doing! Give it a try! What We Discussed on the Podcast How often

I would love to know how many pounds I've gained and lost in my life. In the old days it was all about "Go on a diet, lose weight, live it up, then gain the weight back." Over and over and over again. Every once in awhile I could muster up the self control to lose the weight, but I always gained it back. I had little self control, I loved food, and I was an emotional eater. And because of that I gained the weight back every single time. I actually knew how to lose the weight, but I didn't know how to keep it off. So today I'd like to look at why we gain our weight back and how to stop the old merry-go-round. Let's begin by looking at why we gain it back. 7 Reasons We Gain Our Weight Back We let go of boundaries once we lose our weight. Think of it. Have you ever lost weight without setting some sort of boundaries? Maybe you did intuitive eating and ate only when you were hungry and stopped when you were full. Or you joined Weight Watchers or you did intermittent fasting. But in some way you set limits for yo

Do you feel discouraged by your weight-loss journey? Are you starting to believe that you will never overcome your struggles with food? If so, you will be greatly encouraged by my enthusiastic guest, Shelly, on today's episode of the Taste for Truth Podcast (links below). Shelly shares with us many practical tips - and lots of joy - on how she finally broke free from the control of food. What We Discussed on the Podcast How turning to food during a very difficult trial in Shelly's life caused her to gain a significant amount of weight How the turning point in her struggle came when she realized what was at the root of the issue Tips on finding pockets of time to make mind-renewal a priority Why the enemy is opposed to us breaking free from our food struggles The difference between knowing truth intellectually-only vs. at the "gut level" Lots of encouragement and practical tips to persevere! Resources Discussed on the Podcast Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating Freedom from Emotional Eating Taste for Truth I De

What does it really mean to renew your mind? Though I have spoken about this for years, I find that many people are still a little fuzzy when it comes to understanding the purpose or the how-to of renewing for weight loss. In today's episode of the Taste for Truth Podcast (links below), I will answer some of the most common questions about renewing and go through some practical examples. What We Discussed on the Podcast The two different types of renewing How often you should renew What does renewing really look like? An example of truth journaling from Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating (p. 133) If/when you should repeat renewing exercises What it means to hold food and eating with "open hands" An example of a scripture mediation from Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating (p. 99) Resources Discussed on the Podcast Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating Freedom from Emotional Eating Taste for Truth I Deserve a Donut App (The updated Android version is nearly complete!) Breaking Free from Anxiety Eating (YouTube) How to Re

Shouldn't food be simple? In our minds, we believe it should be, and yet - in daily life - so many of us find food and sugar addiction to be very complicated to overcome. Today on the Taste for Truth Podcast (links below), Tammy and I discuss different factors that contribute to our struggles with problem foods and overeating, and how renewing our minds helps us to break free once and for all. What We Discussed on the Podcast How past trauma and currents stressors push us to cope with the pain through addictions How our identity and body image contribute to the binge cycle How we can reframe our thinking in regards to foods that we've given up, either for a time or for good Why any one way of eating alone is not the real answer to our food struggles How to apply the skills we've learned in overcoming other trials in our lives to our problem with food How to dismantle lifelong food strongholds   Resources Discussed on the Podcast tammydove.com - Connect with Tammy and learn more about her life-coaching. Whe

Most of us would agree that in order to have a change in our eating habits, we must first have a change in our minds! Yet, even knowing this, many of us still struggle to make the commitment to renewing our minds on a regular basis. On today's episode of the Taste for Truth Podcast (links below), I coach Tonya through identifying many of the lies that keep us from renewing.  What We Discussed on the Podcast Identifying possible stressors in our lives that would cause us to emotionally eat How sometimes it's better to renew about emotions (or problems) we face in the day quickly to keep them from becoming really big emotions How to be proactive in truth journaling Why truth journaling is such a powerful tool for realignment The idea that making a goal that makes your life easier (like truth journaling) is a strategic way to approach change Some tips for having a really effective truth-journaling session (also found in Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating) 7 Lies That Keep Us from Renewing It's not going to w

Do you ever find yourself reaching for some exciting food because you're bored? Eating is quick-fix way to conquer boredom, but often leads to regret. In this post I want to talk about ten strategies to help you stop boredom eating. Let's begin by asking the question, "Why am I eating when bored?" Why am I eating when bored? For those of us who crave excitement, we want anything that will take us out of our mundane life and into a little bit of fun and excitement. And of course the most easily available option is the refrigerator. So of course we'll eat when we're bored if we enjoy food! It gives us that quick fix of fun and excitement to ease just a tad bit of our boredom. A better question to ask may be, "Why am I bored to begin with?" Let's take a look at that because if we can stop being bored, we can stop boredom eating. Why am I bored? Have you ever heard a friend say, "I'm never bored" or "Boredom is a choice"? I have. And each time I hear it, I think to myself (or more likely out loud), "I'm often bor

Do you feel hopeless that you will never be able to get over your food addiction? Have you had success with weight loss in the past only to find yourself back at the same (or higher) weight again? If either of these describe you, you will be greatly encouraged by my interview with Debbie on today's Taste for Truth Podcast (links below). Debbie went from a size 28 to a size 12 and has been living in victory for over six years! In this interview, Debbie and I go through many of the lies that she has had to overcome in her journey. I've listed these below along with their corresponding truths. Debbie's List of Lies & Truths 1. You'll never be good enough. Truth: You don't have to be good enough, Jesus is. 2. You'll never be accepted. Truth: Jesus accepts you as you are, and honestly, most other people also accept you as you are! 3. Food has to taste good. Truth: Food has to be good for me and nourish my body. 4. It's not fair. Truth: It's an opportunity to grow closer to God. Truth: Everyone has somet

Perhaps you've heard me talk about truth journaling over and over, yet you still wonder: is it really that important? Well today on the Taste for Truth Podcast (links below), I speak with Tami who has discovered the profound impact of consistent renewing and truth journaling. Talking with Tami was so personally inspiring, I have made a fresh commitment to more consistent renewing myself! What We Discussed on the Podcast Why Tami nearly gave up on truth journaling when she first tried it Tami's particular boundaries which are the keto diet (no sugar) How sometimes it is okay to modify boundaries once a goal is reached How different seasons of life may bring us back to difficulties with eating That the real end goal is a closer relationship with Jesus, not a different number on the scale Tami's success with renewing three times a day Why it's important to consider the lies we learned growing up (even if they're not food-related) The added difficulty of living in an age of instant gratification Making renewing

Do you find it difficult to make yourself exercise consistently? Or do you find yourself avoiding renewing your mind? If you struggle with either of these two things, you will be greatly encouraged by my interview with Anna today on the Taste for Truth Podcast (links below). What We Discussed on the Podcast How different formats of exercise can work with some and not others Anna's great experience with peer-led workouts How for some people challenges or check-boxes are highly motivating The difference between starting a habit (exercise) and stopping a habit (overeating), and how stopping a habit is like breaking a stronghold Consistency is the key Strategies for how to renew before the actual time of temptation occurs How for some people, the desire to have a lengthy renewing session will make them want to avoid it Strategies for shortening renewing sessions Remembering that God doesn't tell us that we have to renew our minds in a certain way or for a certain length of time to be set free Resources Mentione

Do you feel like you are addicted to food? Do you find yourself eating to manage the stress in your life? If so, you will be encouraged by this victory interview on the Taste for Truth Podcast (links below). I speak with Karen Seager about using the renewing of the mind to finally let go of her emotional eating. What We Discussed on the Podcast Family sin patterns and how they affect our lives How food can be an addiction just like other substances How emotional "habiting" keeps us from gaining spiritual maturity The importance of overcoming condemnation on our journey to food freedom How lies we believe fuel our negative emotions Overcoming lies with truth journaling and the renewing of the mind Identifying the messages that loop through our minds frequently How overcoming the struggle with food is a new way of thinking Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Barb's newest book: Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating Leader's Guide to Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating Soul Care by Rob Reimer Praying God's Word by Beth

When life gets stressful, do you find yourself running to food to cope? Do you find that any emotion causes you to want to eat, and to eat too much? If so, you're not alone. On today's episode of the Taste for Truth podcast (links below), I speak with Kristy McCammon, the creator of LifeUnbinged, about her struggle to break free from a life controlled by food. What We Discussed on the Podcast How sugar and white flour abstinence helped Kristy tear down the idol of food How "none is so much easier than one" Learning to sit with uncomfortable emotions How different personalities approach weight loss Victory over emotional eating always boils down to renewing our mind using a variety of tools How reaching out in times of failure can circumvent an unhealthy spiral What a life of food freedom truly looks like How viewing boundaries as "life-giving" rather than "restricting" can help us stick to them Kristy's mantra: Stop - Pray - Walk Away Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Barb's newest book: Say Goodbye to Em

Do you feel like you'll never break free from the struggle with emotional eating? I felt that way for many, many years. In this episode of the Taste for Truth Podcast (links below), I talk with Trish of the Happy, Holy, Healthy Life channel about how I finally broke free from emotional eating and also about my new book, Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating, which launches TODAY! What We Talked About on this Episode Definition of emotional eating My own journey with emotional eating The difference between emotional eaters and non-emotional eaters Common lies we believe that contribute to overeating What a truth journal session looks like Why willpower doesn’t work to overcome emotional eating How to let go of negative emotions and emotional eating Why boundaries are important Can food be an idol? Does it ever get easier to maintain your weight? Watch the interview with Trish from the Happy, Holy, Healthy Life here.  Download the Leader's Guide here.  How to Listen to the Podcast Google: Click here to subscribe

Do you ever find yourself saying, "I can't believe I'm still struggling with my weight! I should be over this by now!"? If you do, you're not the only one. That's one of the most frequent comments I hear from women about their weight. We think we should have it all together, but it's not surprising that we don't! After all, we love food. We eat for emotional reasons. And this isn't a goal we can check off our list and say, "There! That's done!" Instead, we need to keep following our boundaries day after day, month after month, and year after year. No wonder we feel like a weight loss failure at times! Here's the thing though: We're not weight loss failures. Let me say that again. We're. Not. Weight. Loss. Failures. Instead, we're people who broke our boundaries today. It's important that we make that distinction in how we talk to ourselves. Because if we're defined by failure, there's no use going on. We might as well give up right now and start eating what we want. But if we're just a person who failed at fo

Have you lost weight only to find it creeping back up again? Do you feel like if you could just get to your goal weight, you could go back to eating whatever you want again? I used to feel this way until I realized that losing the weight was really only the beginning! Today on the Taste for Truth Podcast (links down below), I share eight tips for being successful in maintaining your weight loss. Discussed on the Podcast tips that I have personally used in my life to maintain my weight (for over 15 years!) how we should see ourselves as mountain climbers when losing weight getting realistic with how much food our bodies really do need in maintenance how being "rigid" with boundaries is a good thing recognizing that sacrifice will always be a part of our journey the new lies that crop up when we reach the maintenance phase of weight loss how trials always affect those of us prone to emotional eating Resources Mentioned on the Podcast Freedom from Emotional Eating  Recent videos and renewing challenges on my

In this short bonus episode of the Taste for Truth Podcast (links down below), I talk about the backstory behind my new book, Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating, and how it's different than all of the other books that I have written about eating! If you'd like to download the first chapter for free and find out about some great pre-order bonuses, go to saygoodbyetoemotionaleating.com. How to Listen to the Podcast Google: Click here to subscribe or listen on Google Podcasts.  Stitcher: Click here to subscribe or listen on Stitcher.  Apple Podcasts: Click here to subscribe or listen on Apple Podcasts. (If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast on Apple, this can sometimes take a few hours to update.)  Android: Click here to subscribe or listen on Android.  Spotify: Click here to subscribe or listen on Spotify.  Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Taste for Truth Podcast.”