1. God Loves; Food Doesn’t Mind-Body Connection for the Christian Soul Learn how to make food choices not from fear, anxiety or rebellion but from your true God given nature.
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Close with Prayer
Alexa Sparkman, MA, RD, LD (512)
Jeanne Sivertson, MSSW, ACC (805)

2. Ephesians 3:20
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Our guiding scripture

3. Why Diets Don’t Work Diet restrictions create a sense of deprivation
Forbidden foods become the object of obsessions and intense cravings
Focus turns from internal to external—trust in self is lost
Lack of trust weakens self-esteem and intensifies sense of failure
The deprivation, guilt, sense of failure, and fear that results from having dieted lost weight and gained it back over and over again generally ends in Cycle of Emotional Eating.

4. The Cycle of Emotional Eating
The cycle can start anywhere and will continue until we learn to look to God for comfort and support and give control of our lives to Him. How do we do this?

5. Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for evil, to give you a hope and a future.

6. Well Being Creates a solid foundation for your life
Increases your capacity to live life fully
Generates resources for when life happens
Is always going in and out
What gets in the way of Well Being?
Discussion:
Be intentional with increasing your Well Being, so your fears and defenses do not run your life and you have access to new possibilities.
Increase your awareness by tracking your Well Being activities: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Once in a While. *see handout
Then use your Tracking Lists as a resource to create new habits.

7. 1 Corinthians 6: 12 (NLT)
You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.

8. Being vs. Doing
Notice when you are Being (in the moment with your true self)
Notice what takes you away from Being (not present, defensive)
Being is when you are using the gifts God gave you (i.e. love, compassion, joy)
How does your “To-Do” list run your life?

9. Colossians 2:20-23
You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.
Segue into Intuitive Eating

10. Intuitive Eating Be aware of the physical sensations of hunger
Wait for hunger before eating
Make eating pleasurable
Feed the body what it needs
Be aware of the physical sensations of satisfaction and fullness
Stop eating when satisfied or full
What we don’t need is more rules. The goal with IE is more “being.” God planned for us to be able to eat without all the worry and fear. Nourishing our bodies is more about Being with food rather than the doing.

11. x

12. Romans 12: 2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

13. Choices We are hard wired to resist change
With awareness you have choices
You can keep doing what you have always done
You can be curious
You can experiment with something new
If you keep doing what you have always done, you will keep getting what you have always gotten.
As soon as you are aware (draw a fork on the white board), you can choose to be intentional with your choices whether it is with food or other areas of your life. We might feel stuck but we don’t have to be stuck.

14. The Cycle of Emotional Eating
Connect to God
Eat intuitively
Respond from your True-self
Make choices
Increase well-being

16. Living From Your True-Self
Discover your True-Self
What qualities do you bring into the room?
Others see your True-Self better than you
Only empowering descriptors
What would your life be like if lived 90-95% of the time from this place?

17. Insight + Action = Results
Use Handout