Last week I shared my latest battle (and arsenal) with body image issues. If you heard it and wondered “well, why don’t you just lose the weight?” I understand the questions.

But I’m not.

As I’ve immersed myself in the latest research and findings, I’m changing my attitude about weight loss. In today’s episode, I’m sharing six research-backed and six mindset-based reasons why I’m not choosing to chase the scale.

Here’s a summary of my reasons, complete with sourcing for the first six research-backed reasons.

The Research-Backed Reasons

1. Diets often lead to restrictive and obsessive behaviors, like skipping meals and ignoring hunger cues. These patterns can promote an unhealthy relationship with food rather than nourishing our bodies.
2. Our bodies are designed to maintain homeostasis at a genetically predetermined “set point” size. When we lose weight, our metabolism actually slows down to try to get us back to that set point.
3. Restricting food can impact hunger and satiety hormones like ghrelin and leptin, making it harder to listen to our bodies’ natural cues of hunger and fullness.
4. Completely restricting entire food groups often leads to binge eating later on when those cravings become overwhelming. Moderation tends to be more sustainable.
5. The “calories in, calories out” model oversimplifies weight regulation, which is influenced by complex factors like genetics, environment, and social factors. Food labels can also be off by up to 20% according to FDA guidelines.
6. Shockingly around 80% of people who lose weight through dieting regain it within 2-5 years, often ending up heavier than when they started. This shows how unsustainable dieting frequently is long-term. You can read more articles about that here and here.

The Mindset Reasons

1. Restricting food makes me feel unwell, both physically and mentally. I don’t want to intentionally make choices that negatively impact how I feel.
2. I don’t want to lose the joy I find in cooking, exploring flavors, and sharing meals with family. Food is meant to be enjoyed, not just consumed for fuel.
3. I’m consciously avoiding spending more time thinking about food/exercise than about God, as I did in the past when I had an unhealthy obsession.
4. I don’t want to create an idol out of a particular body size, especially as I have in the past. That’s a form of bondage I don’t want to return to.
5. I feel called by God to “walk the walk” and live out the principle that health is not defined by size. This is part of my purpose and ministry.
6. Although my body has changed, I have not “let myself go” – I’m still prioritizing my holistic health through movement, nutrition, mental health, etc.

The Path Forward

As I mentioned in the episode, if I woke up tomorrow and I was back to my previous self, I wouldn’t complain. I’ll let you know if that happens. In the meantime, I’ll continue trusting God with my body while honoring it through joyful movement and nourishing foods. God is greater than the enemy attacks and He can change my heart and mind to get my focus off my body size.