I used to feel like being overweight was the biggest problem in my life–and I was only 25 pounds overweight! I didn’t have the discipline to exercise like crazy or starve myself or go on constant diets, so I didn’t suffer from those aspects of chasing the skinny idol.
But the idea that I had to be skinny–had to live up to the expectations of a culture that (in my eyes) demanded it–made me more depressed than I needed to be.
The solution to my depression wasn’t to work up the non-existent discipline to suddenly get skinny. The solution was to take off the lies that made me think I had to be thin to be acceptable. Because here’s the truth: God cares more about our insides than our outsides (1 Samuel 16:7)! And He doesn’t want me to cater to anyone who says I have to be skinny to be acceptable.
On today’s episode of the Taste for Truth Podcast (scroll down for links), we’ll debunk 10 lies that perpetuate this skinny idol.
I also want to say that there is nothing wrong with losing weight. I love being at a healthy weight for the last 16 years, and I follow eating boundaries to maintain that weight. But I do it from a position of being acceptable no matter what my weight! Here’s a bit of what we discussed on the podcast:
What We Discussed on the Podcast
- How our “Good Christian” list can adversely affect our self-worth
- Different things we turn to to find our identity in rather than God
- “I need to be skinny to be accepted.”
- “When I’m skinny, I’ll be happier.”
- “People think I’m a loser because I’m overweight.”
- A passage in Philippians that reminds us what we cannot have confidence in
- Some tips for truth journaling
Resources Mentioned on the Podcast
- Philippians – Closer to God Bible Study
- Taste for Truth
- Freedom from Emotional Eating
- Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating
How I Diagrammed Philippians 3:1-9 (which I go through at the end of the podcast)
Lesson 11 in my new Philippians Bible study
Listen to the Podcast
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Hi! I love your studies! Is there a video that shows how to diagram scripture ? Thank you for your time! Also, would love for you guys to come to Georgia on one of your travel assignments!!
Hi Brandy, I’d love to come to Georgia as well! I don’t think I’ve ever been there! Here’s a link to two resources for how to diagram scripture: https://barbraveling.com/how-to-diagram-scripture/ – hope they help!