Christian Diets
When it comes to Christian diets, they have a great deal in common with other diets. That is, some succeed and some don’t. Statistically, most people who try to lose weight will do so more than once before they ultimately succeed in keeping the weight off. With Christian diets, this is also generally true. However, there are some Christian diets that seem to work better than others. Here are some of the common elements of successful Christian diets.
First of all, many Christian diets start with the question of, “what would Jesus eat?” Obviously, the answer is not soda, ice cream, and candy bars. Christian focus on eating natural foods as close to their natural state as possible. Instead of eating processed or premade foods, learn to cook from scratch. Focus on eating more fruits and vegetables, and try to drink at least eight glasses of water each day. This will get you closer to eating “like Jesus would eat,” and consequently eating a healthier diet that will help you to lose weight and feel better.
Once you have settled the question of what to eat, the next important element to Christian diets is the question of accountability. Accountability is the practice of partnering with someone who is going through a similar challenge, and promising to motivate and “check in” with each other frequently. This partnering helps people who are trying to lose weight because it is more difficult to cheat on your diet if you know you will have to tell someone about it later. Many people who successfully follow Christian diets report that this accountability is one of the reasons that they stuck with their diet long enough to lose significant amounts of weight.
Prayer and reflection are also important elements of Christian diets. These may sound odd to people who are not accustomed to it, but many Christians who successfully lose weight believe that the prayer and reflection was as important as the diet and exercise. There are many books and online resources available to help with this area. They include devotionals, in which you read one short passage each day. These passages generally include a Bible verse and short commentary ending with a “takeaway” to think about for the rest of the day. Of course, there are devotionals available to help with weight loss and exercise. If you are interested in finding one, check out the internet or a local Christian bookstore.
As an important element of Christian diets, many books and teachings include discussion of gluttony. Gluttony, or eating to excess, is considered to be one of the seven deadly sins, and it is the one that leads to obesity. Christians teach that this gluttony, or overeating, is bad, and that it needs to be replaced by “spiritual food”. In terms of Christian diets, spiritual foods are the prayer and devotionals that were mentioned previously. Many Christians find that recognizing the issue of gluttony gives them power over their excessive eating and enables them to lose weight and live a healthier life.