Lose Weight Without Counting Calories
Are you tired of counting calories obsessively and not losing weight?
You aren’t alone in this seemingly endless battle.
Decades have brought a consistent stream of diet fads that teach counting calories, measuring food, reading food labels, and living and breathing by trackers and apps are the only ways to slim down and love the body you are in.
These methods may work for some for a short period of time; however, usually lead to creating a pattern of yo-yo dieting and an unhealthy fixation with food being either your source of joy or your source of anxiety.
You can lose weight and keep it off without all of the tracking, measuring, and calorie counting when you learn to fully function within the amazing body God created for you.
Stop Counting Calories, Start Embracing the Awesomeness of Your Body
Your body is an amazing creation.
Yes, your body!
God formed you in His image and breathed life into you. You carry the DNA of the mighty, living God. The body you are in right now is the temple of the Spirit and a genuine masterpiece.
The first step in losing weight is to believe that God designed your body with everything it needs to become healthy and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
God didn’t design you to expend the energy you have each day on obsessing over your weight. He never intended you to carry extra guilt and shame around because of food and diet.
He created you to have life … an abundant life.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27 (ESV)
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:13-14 (ESV)
Trust Your Body’s Ability to Know What it Needs
Once you embrace the understanding that God created your body and He created it with a divine design to help you live and thrive, you can begin to trust He also created your body with everything it needs to function in optimal health.
Your body is capable of great things. Your body is ready and has the tools necessary to support you on your weight loss journey.
Your body consumes food as fuel so it can carry you around and help you fully live an abundant life, as God created you to have.
Learning to listen to and trust your body is key to losing and maintaining weight loss.
Your body sends signals for both hunger and fullness. You can learn to fuel your body with exactly what it needs by listening to these signals.
How do you know exactly what these signals are and how to listen to them?
One excellent example is the Hunger-Fullness scale.
On a scale of 0 to negative three, you are able to calculate your hunger.
A 0 is your place of contentment. You aren’t really thinking about food at this point.
Once your hunger rises to a -1 you might begin to feel a little grumble, but it’s slight and the idea of fruits and vegetables don’t sound too desirable at this point. You aren’t truly hungry enough to dig into a meal just yet when your hunger is at a -1.
The perfect place to consume a meal is once your hunger reaches level -2. You have that familiar empty feeling in your belly and fruits and vegetables sound appealing.
You’ve allowed your body to get too hungry once your body reaches a -3. At this stage you will eat anything and typically will find yourself overconsuming food.
Your internal fullness scale works in a similar way.
When you find yourself feeling content while eating and the food tastes great, you are at a 1 on the fullness scale.
Once you reach a 2 on the fullness scale, you are at the perfect place to push the plate back. Your body feels content and the food begins to taste a little less delicious as it did when you first started eating.
You’ve allowed your body to get too full once you have reached 3 on the fullness scale. At this point you feel as though your pants are too tight and food doesn’t look appealing any longer.
Learning to listen to and trust your body will lead to optimal weight loss.
Learn to Partner with Your Body
Once you understand God gave you an amazing body and learn to trust your body’s ability to gauge what it needs to thrive, partnering with your body is the next step to optimal weight loss.
It’s easy to know something on a cognitive level; however, follow through is usually the place most find the struggle.
Learning to allow a partnership between your mind and your body at this stage is key.
You can partner with your body on your weight loss journey by taking time throughout each day and during each mealtime to listen to what your body is saying to you.
Pause, check in, and connect with your body.
Ask your body how it’s feeling. Ask it what it needs to feel better. Ask your body what it needs to help you have the energy to serve and live out your purpose for God.
This partnership will help you lose weight without anxiety and obsessive calorie counting.
You can learn more about losing weight and reclaiming control over food by joining the Empowered Challenge.
The Empowered Challenge is a FREE, 5-day coaching session designed to help you help your body shed unwanted pounds and find the confidence and joy God designed you to walk in.
It kicks off in just a couple of days (May 16th,) so sign up now to reserve your spot and receive your free workbook.
