Weight Loss
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God and Weight Loss
I started losing weight in September of 2006, right after I became a Christian. I believe that God inspired me to become more healthy and gave me the strength to do so.
In January of this year, my mom also started losing weight. We both believe that it was a command from God for her to do so, and she's in the process of losing 115 pounds. She's already lost over fifty, and I believe that it's been because of the Lord's help that she's come as far as she has.
So I just wanted to know: How has God helped you in your weight loss goal?
Reason: Thread went off topic and became disruptive. Please feel free to re-post if you wish!
Original Post by kristicro:
And personally, I have a similar reaction when someone tells me they are atheist, that you had with that post. I can understand when someone says they are not sure if there is a god (agnostic), because I was there once, but to say with 100% certainty there is no god, makes no sense to me. Just as for me to say I know there is a God (and I know who He is) makes no sense to you.
I believe that science could explain everything we don't yet understand. We just don't understand science well enough ourselves at this point to have all the answers.
Why is it hard to believe that someone might feel this way? I honestly do not, in any way, believe there is a God. I never have. I don't, however, have any problem with those who do. And in fact, I can imagine why others might believe—though my reasons I'm sure are very different from your own. They are based more on what people seek internally than on anything that necessarily exists in the world.
And similarly I think it is that internal pondering—that "soul searching," if you will, though I do not myself believe in the soul—that leads some people to choose to finally lose the weight. I do not see God in that. But if belief in God is sustaining for some as they seek to master their weight, then I see nothing wrong with that at all.
Original Post by purpleorchid89:
I think it's difficult for non-Christians to understand how deeply God affects every single part of the Christian life-- yes, it can deeply affect dieting as well. I can understand what you are asking, and I would say yes. I feel like a lot of times I binge eat and get fat out of GREED and FEAR. Greed because I am not respecting my body, and I eat until I make myself sick. Fear out of being hungry before my next meal. Or fear/stress when I'm trying not to deal with problems in my life. Using food as an escape is no answer, and I try to remember to turn to God first before I stuff everything in sight into my mouth.
Not to be rude, but I disagree with this statement. It honestly has nothing to do with being "non-Christian"... It doesn't matter what religion you are... I'm Wiccan and the Gods and Goddesses I feel are closest to my heart affect my life as a practicing Wiccan. Nature deeply affects my life. My religion is a part of my life to the fullest extent... and although there is a small part religion plays in my physical shape if I choose it to be so... Religion doesn't choose what I put in my mouth every day. I can't honestly sit there and say, "I'm eating this apple, or this banana, or this whatever because of fear, greed, or feeling like a glutton."
The only thing I can say religion does do for me as far as my weight loss goals are concerned is that it helps keep me motivated. And that's what religion should do for anyone, not matter what religion they are... It should keep them happy, keep them motivated, and help them feel closer to their own nirvana or "peaceful place."
Everything you do in life is because either consciously, or subconsciously, you made a choice to do so. You may feel spiritually compelled to do something, and that is fine, but ultimately, that choice came from somewhere, whether through God or whoever, but it starts with you. You choose to wake up every day and function about your daily duties. You choose to do things that are specific to religion to make you feel closer to your deity of choosing. And so, you choose to make the decision to eat the foods you do and continue on with your weight loss goals. May it be faith inspired, I believe, is totally your own personal decision.
Good luck to you in your weight loss journey!
Original Post by petite_powerhouse:
I believe that science could explain everything we don't yet understand. We just don't understand science well enough ourselves at this point to have all the answers.
Why is it hard to believe that someone might feel this way? I honestly do not, in any way, believe there is a God. I never have. I don't, however, have any problem with those who do. And in fact, I can imagine why others might believe—though my reasons I'm sure are very different from your own. They are based more on what people seek internally than on anything that necessarily exists in the world.
I absolutely agree with you. I, too, have no problem understanding, why some people would believe in God and again, for the same reasons you stated. I couldn't have said it any better.
Original Post by kristicro:
aasil, be nice. You may not believe a certain way, but be respectful of others.
As an overweight (fat) person myself, I know I have used eating to comfort myself. I had a lot of issues growing up. Some people have serious medical problems which make it more difficult for them to lose weight, and some people are so depressed, they can't get the motivation they need to eat right or exercise. So yes, Sometimes I pray for overweight people (actually I will pray for underweight people and normal sized people as well). I will pray that God's peace will rest on them, that God will heal their broken hearts (if they seem depressed), that He will give them the strength to make it through the day, and that they will come to know that He is a good, loving God, and to rely on Him for comfort and acceptance. I will also pray to physical healing. I know that in the Bible, Jesus healed many people of their infirmities (sickness), and that those are not just stories, they happen even today.
but praying for someone who isn't "close to god" isn't being respectful of their beliefs either.
my own personal "religious" beliefs are that i don't believe in a god, gods, or higher beings. i recognize that i could be wrong, and i recognize that many people disagree with me. i do respect their opinions. i don't like it when people don't respect mine, and that includes praying for me to be closer to their god.
In response to other posts...Science is just meant to explain some of the what's and hows in this world. For instance, "What is that?", and "How does that work?". Science has put itself into a realm of religion and philosophy where it does not belong. It can't explain "How was the universe made?" because we don't have a time machine to go back and see. It can't explain "why are we here?", "do I have a purpose?" "what is my purpose?". Science would say for procreation...but that only explains how we pass on genetic material, not the primary concerns of existence as all humans ask at some point or another. I majored in Biology in College, and I loved it. But science can't explain how something (the universe) came from nothing (before the universe ), and that nothing created the most complex, beautiful, machines I could imagine (life).
I remember learning in High school biology the biological laws. One of them was that life only comes from life. we see that everwhere. I don't see rocks coming to life. I see plants and animals pass on their genetic material to produce a new generation of life. If we put that in so-called "religious" terms. If God is alive, then He could create life, and if He were dead, then everything would be dead. Dead people don't procreate, only the living make life, and I serve a living God. I am more alive and free now than I ever was before I knew Him...and I won't aplologize for that.
Original Post by kristicro:
In response to other posts...Science is just meant to explain some of the what's and hows in this world. For instance, "What is that?", and "How does that work?". Science has put itself into a realm of religion and philosophy where it does not belong. It can't explain "How was the universe made?" because we don't have a time machine to go back and see. It can't explain "why are we here?", "do I have a purpose?" "what is my purpose?". Science would say for procreation...but that only explains how we pass on genetic material, not the primary concerns of existence as all humans ask at some point or another. I majored in Biology in College, and I loved it. But science can't explain how something (the universe) came from nothing (before the universe ), and that nothing created the most complex, beautiful, machines I could imagine (life).
Yes, actually science can explain that. I believe it can, at any rate.
Science can explain how we got here, and thus why we are here—at a certain level, the basic level: we are here because of whatever scientific whatnot went on way back when to put us here.
It can also explain how we evolved into the complicated, beautiful, and sometimes fearsome creatures we are. Science includes not only biology, but also anthropology, sociology, psychology, etc. We are what we are through a combination of evolution, nature and nurture.
Beyond that—what our purpose is—is for us all to decide individually. Because I do not believe in God or the afterlife, I am here to make the very best of this life that I can. I am here to live out my dreams and inspire others to do the same. That is how I find meaning in my life. Others seek meaning through God. So be it. But I am an atheist, no bones about it.
Original Post by aasil:but praying for someone who isn't "close to god" isn't being respectful of their beliefs either.
If the praying is done within earshot of the atheist person, than I can see how it can be disrespectful of the atheist person's beliefs - er, lack of beliefs I guess you meant.
But how on earth can it be disrespectful to pray for someone silently? Are we as "tolerant" as to be critical about and irritated by the mental activities, thoughts, and quiet prayers of others?? I call that very narrow minded and aggressive, far more aggressive than a prayer uttered quietly and with good intentions for a fellow human being.
Original Post by kristicro:
but petite, what is the purpose of those dreams, if we are just here to procreate and die? Don't you ever wonder that? Have you ever in the past wondered that? Why is it bad to murder? Or steal? Or hurt other people? Why do we have emotions? Why do we we cry? Why do we feel joy and sadness? Is it really just a hormonal, chemical response to our environment, or is there more to it? Why do we bother counting calories and losing weight....If it's all just nothing anyways? It seems like a big waste of time from that perspective. I have studied science, and religion, and I put my faith in God. You put yours in science. The God of the Bible is my God, your God is science.
Yes, I believe that we are here to procreate for evolution's sake and then die—at least until we learn via science how to go on living interminably, 
should that day come. It is that basic. That is why we all must find meaning in life beyond the very base. And, personally, I believe that is one of the reasons that people believe in God. Belief in God eliminates fear of death while also giving us a comforting reason for being here in the first place. If there is a God, then we are more than the sum of our parts, and we are not toiling in obscurity: one's life is not nothing more than a scientific, and ultimately purposeless (beyond the bounds of continuing our genetic material, at any rate), "gift" that one day will come to an end. And when a loved one's life is cut short, is is comforting to believe that God has a plan.
We are also never alone if we walk with God.
But I do not feel empty because there is nothing beyond this life for me. I do not feel lost or wonder why when loved ones pass on sooner than I feel they should have. It is sad, but it happens. I'm just going to live the life I have to its fullest, exploring my abilities and desires and reveling in the time I have here on Earth. I hope those whom I have lost did so as well.
Perhaps I will have children who evolve beyond my capabilities. Perhaps I will inspire others through my art. In these ways, maybe, I will help man evolve into something even more beautiful. But if I don't? I will still have made the best of my life that I could. And that is ultimately what we are about.
Oh, I stay trim to better enjoy life while I'm on this planet. 
As for the not-so-glorious things that people do? One does not need God in one's life to be moral and magnanimous, just as one does not require the absence of God in one's life to kill, rape or steal. Whether it be through nature or nurture, catastrophic accident or the expediencies of the moment, everything we do has an explanation, in my opinion, that does not include God. We aren't perfect: we're too complicated to be perfect. Our minds are fine-tuned enough to give us da Vinci, and fragile enough due to that extreme complexity to deliver unto us Jeffrey Dahmer as well. And as I say, there's no ruling out the power of environment to mold us into unsavory characters over time.
I don't know whether my weight loss and subsequent gain had anything to do with my belief in God or not. I just know that I felt very alone and isolated at my lowest point, and that when I pray or think about God, I feel less so. Did that directly influence my eating habits? Probably not. But the feeling that was beneath my physical response (ie. not eating, overeating, whatever)? Yes, God definitely had a huge part there. It was simple for me: if I talk to God, I'm not alone and I don't "have" to eat or not eat to feel "full." But if I ignore Him and think that I'm this isolated little island, alone with my own pain and suffering, I (personally) turned to my eating habits to make myself feel "worthy." I think it's really a personal thing, and all a matter of perspective. As far as the concept of praying for people on the street and such, I don't do it myself, but I wouldn't be offended if someone did it for me. As far as I'm concerned, a prayer is just a formal sense of well-wishing. Would you be offended if someone told you they wanted you to have a good, happy, healthy, fulfilling life? Of course not. To my way of thinking, that's just what prayer is: well-wishes for the world. Maybe you believe your well-being is affected by a higher power, maybe not. But the way I see it, having someone pray for you certainly can't hurt you. And if it makes the pray-er happy, then let 'em pray. As long as they're not smacking you over the head with it, let each of us walk with our own beliefs, and no one's any the worse off for it.
Original Post by kristicro:
But science can't explain how something (the universe) came from nothing (before the universe)...
At the risk of getting further off topic, I'll point that religion, or a belief in a deity, can't explain that either. People, or religions, can say what they believe as a matter of faith, but they too lack access to a time machine.
As for other people praying, I'm one of those that doesn't care one way or the other if the other person is keeping to themselves. I'm also one of those that see it more as an expression of their concern (assuming they are being respectful).
Original Post by santonacci:Original Post by gibblerfan83:We're in the weight loss forum that's the only reason I was specifically addressing praying to God about weight loss. I care and pray about physically healthy people's relationship with God as well.
Do you say a little prayer only for the overweight people you pass by? Do you worry about a stranger's relationship with "Him" if they are physically healthy?
Okay - thanks gibblerfan83!
I only asked because I interpreted your post as you were singling out overweight people for prayer. However, your response still leaves me curious: Are you saying little prayers for everyone you pass by?
Well, from the Christian perspective, we have the Bible. From our perspective, it is truth. And although the author of Genesis was not there at creation, we believe that this person was inspired by God to write what God did at creation. So yes, from our perspective, we know how the universe came into existence...God spoke. The rest of the bible is an accurate historical record. The Jewish people were excellent historians, who passed down verbal history until it was written down. If you study history, you will find what great historians they really were. And yes, certain things we do take as a matter of faith. But from my perspective, it takes more faith to believe that something came from nothing and that nothing produced life (evolutionary science and the Big Bang Theory).
But, the difference between me and many atheists I have met, is that I can honestly say that there are certain things that I accept about God on faith, but they could not be honest to say that their scientific beliefs were based on faith as well, just faith in a different direction.
Original Post by kristicro:
But from my perspective, it takes more faith to believe that something came from nothing and that nothing produced life (evolutionary science and the Big Bang Theory).
Evolutionary science and the Big Bang Theory don't suggest that something came from nothing. Evolutionary science explains how variation developed after life was already here, and BBT starts with the existence of a singularity.
Original Post by kristicro:
Well, from the Christian perspective, we have the Bible. From our perspective, it is truth. And although the author of Genesis was not there at creation, we believe that this person was inspired by God to write what God did at creation. So yes, from our perspective, we know how the universe came into existence...God spoke This may explain to you how the universe came into existanec, but it still doesn't explain how "something (the universe) came from nothing" unless you consider God to be nothing. The rest of the bible is an accurate historical record It's believed to be an accurate record, but it hasn't been proven to be totally accurate, it's also definitley an imcomplete record. The Jewish people were excellent historians, who passed down verbal history until it was written down Ever played the game telephone?. If you study history, you will find what great historians they really were How do we know that they were good historians? have we gone back in time and double-checked what they recorded?. And yes, certain things we do take as a matter of faith. But from my perspective, it takes more faith to believe that something came from nothing and that nothing produced life (evolutionary science and the Big Bang Theory) Evolutionary science DOES NOT say that anything came from nothing, and I can't say for sure but I don't think the big bang theory does either.
Original Post by santonacci:Not everyone I pass evokes that action from me. I trust the promptings from the Holy Spirit.Okay - thanks gibblerfan83!
Are you saying little prayers for everyone you pass by?
Original Post by gibblerfan83:
Not everyone I pass evokes that action from me. I trust the promptings from the Holy Spirit.
I see - interesting. Thanks for indulging my curiosity! 
Original Post by kristicro:
But, aasil, my belief in Christ is such that I love Him so much I want to share Him with the world. If you choose to believe awesome, and if not, I respect that. Praying does respect you because God respects you. I pray blessings on people, I pray God will help them get through difficult times, I pray health and wellbeing for strangers I never even meet, I pray that you would know God, the creator of the universe, that you would know why you are here, why you are on this earth, and that you would walk in your life with purpose. I pray good things on people. So, yes, my prayers respect who you are as a person. But I can't contain my faith. I love God. That may seem crazy to you, but I have never known anything that made more sense than God.
i'll respectfully agree to disagree and leave it with if you tell me that you are praying to your god for me so that i may be closer to him, i am offended. and trust me, there's no uncertainty in my faith.
you may not understand this, and that's okay, but you'll have to take my word that it i find it offensive.
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