Weight Loss Bible Study Day 13: Good Food Eating

I really should have called this category “yummy food eating.” It’s the type of eating we do when we see a pan of lemon bars sitting on the counter as we pass through the kitchen.

We’re not hungry. We’re not upset. We’re just eating because it tastes good.

Good Food Eating is similar to indulgent eating with a little twist. Indulgent eating says, If it’s good and available, I should eat it because eating makes me happy and life is all about being happy.

Good food eating isn’t a philosophy of life. It’s just an attitude toward great food: If it looks good, I should eat it. 

The key to overcoming good food eating is to recognize two truths: 1) We don’t have to eat every good thing that crosses our path.  2) More is not necessarily better. At a certain point, the taste of food deteriorates.

Just think of eating a large cinnamon roll from your local bakery.

The first bite is almost always a 10 on a scale of a 1 to 10, but at some point the taste will dwindle. Depending on how big your cinnamon roll is, you could easily be at a 3 by the time you get to the last bite.

The trick is to find just the right amount of food for maximum enjoyment with minimum consequences. As an experiment, you might want to try rating every bite you eat for awhile to see where that point falls for you.

The taste of food isn’t the only thing that deteriorates with too much food, though. Eating too much can also affect your walk with God.

The “More is Better” Bible Study

1. What do we have to be careful of when we really love or want something (like food)?
   1. 1 Corinthians 6:12
   2. Jeremiah 2:11-13
   3. Philippians 3:18-20
2. What will you need to do if you want to prevent the things mentioned in the previous verses from happening?
3. What do you think God wants to teach or tell you through the following Bible verses?
   1. Philippians 4:11-13
   2. Romans 13:14
   3. 1 Timothy 4:7-8
   4. Psalm 139:13-15
   5. Psalm 147:2-3
   6. Jeremiah 31:3-4
   7. Philippians 1:6
4. Do you need to set any secondary boundaries to protect yourself from good food eating? If so, what boundaries could you make? 

If you struggle with good food eating, here are some questions you can use to renew your mind from I Deserve a Donut (And Other Lies That Make You Eat) or the I Deserve a Donut app.

Good Food Eating 

1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how great do you think this food would taste? *
2. How much would you need to eat to be satisfied? **
3. Can you eat this food without breaking your boundaries?
4. How often will you follow your boundaries if you only follow them on the days you feel like following them? (Be honest.)
5. Do you think God wants you to follow your boundaries? Why or why not?
6. Are boundaries easy to follow or do you usually have to give up something to follow them?
7. What will you have to give up to follow your boundaries this time?
8. What will your life and body look like a couple of months down the road if you develop the habit of consistently following your boundaries?
9. When you think of all you’ll gain, is it worth the sacrifice?
   1. No: If not, which boundary will you break? Is that a good boundary? Why?
   2. Yes: If so, will you be more likely to break your boundaries later if you eat this now? Why or why not?

* Be sure to take into consideration the quality of the food and your level of hunger before you answer this question. Then consider: is it worth eating anything less than a 9 if it’s not good for you and you don’t need it?

** If your answer is No amount will satisfy me, turn to the emotional eating questions.