[podcast flashvars=”titles: ‘wwjd'”]http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/wp-content/uploads/llvlcep85.mp3[/podcast]
Greetings and welcome to another fantastic episode of the Internet’s most provocative and insightful low-carb podcast, “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore!”
In today’s episode, our host Jimmy Moore looks at the role faith can play in overcoming the struggles involved in weight loss. Belief in God, like dieting, requires a leap of faith. And that faith can become a source of strength in overcoming the obstacles in your life.
Why not ask God to “hold your hand” while you walk the path of Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb?
LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE 85
– Call 888-NEED-HIM or go to 888NeedHim.com
– LivinLowCarbDiscussion.com forum
– LowCarbChristians.com forum
– Related blog post: “Does The Bible Consider The Atkins Diet A Sin?”
Did you miss anything Jimmy said? Don’t fret… just click the following link for a complete transcript of today’s episode!
Transcript of Episode 85:
This is Episode 85 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore” and I’m excited that you’ve come back again for more of the best in low-carb and weight loss podcasting. We strive for excellence by setting the standard high so you can benefit from the information and encouragement that is provided here week after week. THANK YOU so much for your devotion to the mission of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore” and I’m honored to have you in my listening audience.
Today I’d like to bring up an issue that in the world of diet, health and weight loss is something I haven’t really heard much about. And yet through the e-mail responses I receive at my LivinLaVidaLowCarb.com blog and various other places I talk about the low-carb lifestyle, I invariably receive comments from people asking me questions like, “Can God help me lose weight?” Or they’ll ask, “If I pray for weight loss, will it happen?” Some who are at their wit’s end about what to do about their obesity declare, “I have tried everything I can, so God just has to help me shed the pounds.” Do any of these statements sound familiar to you? I know I have said them myself many times in the past when I questioned whether a thin and healthy body would ever be in my reach again. It’s partially a sign of desperation, but is also a recognition of sorts for those of us who are Christians that we have someone Who is greater than ourselves that we can rely on and trust in to give us strength in this battle against the bulge.
As a committed believer in Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior since the age of seven, I know that the Bible makes it very clear that we should give God absolutely 100 percent control of our lives to lead us in the direction that He wills for us. That means EVERY area of our lives, including our weight loss efforts. Unfortunately, some of us Christians can be rather stubborn when it comes to this because we try to maintain control over all the supposedly “little” parts of our life such as our weight. But God said He wants EVERY area of our life so we really should obey Him and let Him help us with weight loss, too.
So, with that in mind, if we allow God to help us in our weight loss efforts, then what exactly can He do to help us? The answer to that question is PLENTY!
Since God offers comfort to those who are suffering, He will be there every step of the way offering encouragement and strength to help His children, those who believe in Him, get through the most difficult times in their lives. I know during my 180-pound weight loss in 2004 there were times when I felt like giving up because I thought the task of shedding the pounds was going be too difficult for me to overcome, but God provided me with an extra dose of strength and determination to help see me through to the end. The end result was amazing success! Additionally, whenever I felt that I was doing well on my diet and foolishly thought that I may not need God’s help anymore, He had a rather gentle way of humbling me and reminding me that He is still in control. I really don’t know why we try to fight God when we know He loves us and only wants what is best for us. Once you learn to trust God in all things, He will be that friend that sticks closer than a brother and will never leave you nor forsake you in weight loss and in every area of your life.
If you have read my book “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb,” then you know I give God all the praise and glory for giving me the strength, determination, and motivation in my weight loss because He was an ever-present help whenever I needed Him then and even now that I’m maintaining my weight three years later and counting. I am never discouraged by any setbacks in my weight loss efforts because I know God is there to help me get right back on track with His constant care and conviction. You can almost feel His loving arms wrapping around you like a father embracing a child who is needy and hurting. That right there is a MAJOR part of how God helps people through their weight loss.
But before you ask the all-important question that’s on your mind right now, let me do it for you–Do you have to believe in God to lose weight? The answer to that question is rather obvious–absolutely not. In fact, the physical aspect of losing weight is just that–PHYSICAL! If you strictly implement the principles of low-carb, low-fat, or whatever other nutritional approach you choose to help you shed the pounds and do it according to the specific plan you are following, then you will most likely lose weight. Belief in God has no bearing at all on this physical process of shedding the pounds.
However, I believe people of faith have an advantage from an emotional and spiritual standpoint because we acknowledge there is a higher power in our lives that goes way beyond our physical bodies. As anyone who is overweight or obese will tell you, being fat is quite a traumatic thing for many people because it brings on the intense ridicule and scorn of others who may or may not know just how hurtful they are being. The scars from these experiences over a lifetime can be very deep-rooted and cause real pain and anguish to linger on for many years quite often drawing these people into deep depression, feelings of loneliness, and even become suicidal. It just breaks my heart to see this happening in a society that is tolerant of virtually every group of people–EXCEPT THE OBESE! Thankfully, God can reach down through this sea of pain and into the souls of people like this to begin the healing process from within these beautiful people so they can finally deal with their weight problem in earnest and restore the temple of the Holy Spirit, their bodies, to their proper weight and get their life and health back again.
I honestly don’t know how people who do not believe in God deal with these kinds of struggles they face like being overweight and all that comes with that without the Lord! Jesus Christ is the anchor of my life and I would literally be lost in this dying world and very likely would still be quite obese today without having God in my life! I wholeheartedly believe that is true and wouldn’t want to wish any ill will on anyone. Having faith does not require you to be completely knowledgeable about everything about Jesus, God and the Bible. Nope! All you need is an open heart to the One who gave His life for your sins, including the sin of gluttony that so many of us have been guilty of for most of our lives. Handing your life over to Jesus and allowing Him to control your life forever is a simple step and can be the start of a long, happy, and healthy life knowing you will never have to worry about being alone in any struggle that comes your way ever again. He will always be with you and will never leave you nor forsake you when you believe and trust in Him. If you’d like to learn more about how God can become the cornerstone of your life, then simply call toll-free 888-NEED-HIM or go to 888NeedHim.com. You’ll find a friend who will introduce you to the best Friend you could ever know in your life—Jesus Christ! If you ever have any questions about God or how He can help you lose weight, then I am more than happy to talk with you about it. Drop me an e-mail at livinlowcarbman@charter.net and I’ll do my best to answer your questions. It is my sincere prayer that everyone who desires weight loss can see it happen just like it did for me.
If you visit my wildly popular new low-carb forum at LowCarbDiscussion.com, then you will notice there is a prayer request, praise report, and favorite Bible verse section of the forum for you to enjoy there. Sharing in the pain and triumphs of others who are striving to lose weight, get healthy, and stay that way forever is something I am confident God is very pleased about. Feel free to post your prayers, praises, and inspiring verses there so we can all be encouraged and uplifted as we go through this thing called life.
One of the advantages that the Internet has given people in today’s society is the ability to find like-minded communities of people who share many of their same beliefs and values on a wide variety of subjects. Livin’ la vida low-carb is no different. Although there are quite a few different low-carb sites available online today, many of those are broken down into subgroups and specialized categories to cater to the specific needs of that collective body. Yes, there’s even an entire forum devoted specifically for Christians who are on a low-carb diet called “Low-Carb Christians” located at LowCarbChristians.com. The stated purpose of this forum is to provide Christians a peaceful refuge for discussing their low-carb journey with fellow believers in God. Like my forum, they welcome anyone who wants to hang out there to be a part of the community. Go ahead and give ‘em a try!
With all the uncertainty about modern day life, isn’t it time to put your faith and trust in Someone who can give your life stability just when you need it the most? God will never let you down and will walk by your side even when nobody else will. If you are tired of trying to lose weight on your own, then let God take complete control of your life to transform you into the person you were always meant to be.
That’s it for Episode 85 of “The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore.” Have you found your relationship with God has helped you deal with losing weight better than if you didn’t know Him? Or if you do not believe in God, then how are you able to deal with the struggles that come from attempting weight loss? Let’s talk about it in the show notes section at TheLivinLowCarbShow.com. I’m very interested in hearing from both believers and non-believers who are in the midst of a weight loss journey. Come back again on Thursday as we discuss another engaging topic about diet, health, weight loss and low-carb living. So, until next time, keep on livin’ la vida low-carb!