Healthy Weight, The Biblical Way

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healthy livingAs a pastor, I am often asked if there is a biblical way to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. This question is understandable as many Americans struggle with obesity. What is the secret? Did the Lord hide the answer in some code in the pages of scripture? Do we need to learn Greek and Hebrew to learn this hidden wisdom? Believe it or not, the answer is not hidden. It is not a mystery at all. We don’t need a new revelation from the Lord or start to follow the Daniel diet or eat Ezekiel bread to shed those unwanted pounds.

I believe that there are three biblical principles that will help us begin living a healthier lifestyle that will overcome diabetes, high cholesterol and even high blood pressure.

Life is More than Food

…man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.  Deuteronomy 8:3b

This is not the normal dietary advise, I know, but follow along with me a moment. If our bodies are what the bible identifies them, i.e. the temple of the Living God, would it not stand to reason that physical food is not the only way to sustain our lives?

The Lord spoke the world into existence.  Jesus, Himself, is the very Word (the Memra or Logos) of God. He described Himself as the Bread of Life. The Lord used Deuteronomy 8:3 to defend Himself when facing the adversary. We should understand that life is more than bread and meat. Did you ever wonder at the statement following Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness? You know, the statement “then He was hungry”. Jesus went 40 days without food! Of course, He was hungry. We should look a little deeper.

I believe that a full spirit leads to a healthy body. Read that again. If we are feeding on the Word of the Lord we are receiving Life. Do you ever wonder at the scripture in Ephesians 5:18 that says “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit”. We are not to over-indulge in food or wine but to balance these things with the Spirit and the Word of God. Which leads to the next biblical principle.

Don’t Eat So Much

When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you. Deuteronomy 8:10

The biblical term for eating too much is gluttony.  It sounds too simple to work, but when we slow down and recognize we don’t have to serve ourselves so much food, and we don’t have to eat everything we serve, we find that we are full and satisfied. You don’t have to deprive yourself of the good things in life, just don’t eat so much of them. A smaller slice of pie, not so many cookies. For me, cutting out a third slice of pizza. We can still enjoy good food we just need to stop when we have had enough.

The bottom line is that we shouldn’t eat more than we can use. You stomach is about the size of your fist, why would you serve four times that amount? This leads to the last biblical principle I want to share for maintaining a healthy weight.

We Should not Eat More Than We Can Use

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10

Again, this is a foundational principle. When work or exercise we burn calories.  I work at a desk. I drive my van to work. As a result, unlike the generations before me, I don’t burn as many calories doing what I do to earn a paycheck. I must supplement my work with work. This is as simple as taking a walk at lunch or doing a bit of resistance training in the morning. If I can’t do this little bit of work, I reduce what I eat though out the day.

These principles can have big results. When I started changing my lifestyle to align with the Word of God, I lost 60lbs over the course of a year. I didn’t have to go extremes either. I stopped allowing food to be so central to my life and focused on the Lord. I stopped eating so much. The acid reflux vanished when I pushed away from the table instead of finishing the whole double cheeseburger. Finally, I brought light exercise into my daily routine by walking a short distance and doing light resistance training.

Maintaining a healthy weight does not need to be difficult or burdensome. Walking in the way of the Lord can lead to a healthy body, but more importantly a healthy life. Give it a try and see if biblical principles can work for you.

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