Do you start and stop again? More times than you can count?

I have started and stopped so many "diet" plans it's unreal. 

weight watchers

Keto

Paleo

  Whole 30

  Atkins

 South beach

  The green bean diet (yep it's a thing)

Oh and you can't forget the grapefruit diet! 

Time after time, I would do great, have success, and then STOP!! Something in life would flip up side down and there went any healthy eating plan I was on right along with it. 

I needed to realize cycling through eating plans, starting and stopping, diving into comfort food was all something I was doing to cope with difficult situations. 

It's not a lack of willpower. It didn't define me as a failure. 

Freedom comes from understanding it wasn't about being on a diet, it was about learning to cope.

When we cycle through patterns, we have a coping mechanism that is our natural go to. You had a stressful day at work then come home to a messy house. Your way of coping turns into loading the kids up in the car for a trip to the local drive thru. Because heaven already knows you cleaned out all your cabinets from sugar last week. 

Food as comfort served you well at one point. That doesn’t mean it is still serving you well today. Don’t get me wrong Jesus used food in miracles, for enjoyment, and to nourish His body. Food is not the enemy here. Using food as a source of comfort is actually what you were created for. Hunger pains get soothed by eating.  

When our need for comfort has us turning to food rather than turning to the one our souls were created for is when we get tangled up in the schemes of the enemy. Being aware of our actions, reactions, and inactions is the first step to transformation. 

If you have been on a weight loss journey and tried multiple times, what happens the moment you decide to stop? 

If you have cycled through on again, off again what gets you back on again? 

How often do you use food to comfort a hunger pain vs an emotional pain? 

Remember, food is not the enemy. Each time you stop does not mean you have failed again. We are learning to be aware of what is tripping us up so we can walk the path to freedom.