Latest / Daughters of Armor / Episode 10: The Belt of Truth: Breaking Free from Diet Culture (Eph 6:14)
Transcript
- Episode 10: Belt of Truth: All right, we are back. We are, I guess this is yeah, this is the third piece of armor in. So for all the listeners out there, we have been going through our mini-series, the six pieces of spiritual armor, and digging deep onto each piece of armor and actually how it can protect us, especially when it comes to the spiritual war, because it is of losing weight, getting healthy. it really is a battle of it is a spiritual battle. And we've been sharing how each piece of armor helps us not only in our faith walk but in our fitness walk. And we covered the helmet of salvation, we've covered the breastplate of righteousness, and now we're moving on to the belt of truth, which literally secures everything together and keeps us grounded in God's word, which is Ephesians 6:14. And I've titled this podcast, The Belt of Truth Breaking Free from Diet Culture. Okay, well I'm gonna start us off. Crystal. Mm-hmm. What does Paul mean when he says or tells us to fasten on the belt of truth in Ephesians 6.14? And how can God's truth help us recognize the lies we've believed about our bodies, food, and our worth? man. So the belt of truth, I was just want to say a side thought as you were asking me that question. the enemy. And marketing loves to mess with the truth. And marketing literally, especially when it comes to fitness and health, uses all the lies that we believe about ourselves to sell. So that's a side note. But as a Christian woman, the belt of truth, it it represents being firmly grounded in God's word. So that we can recognize what is true and exposing what is a lie. And so if you envision the the Roman soldier, that belt is literally holding his armor securely, right? If he didn't have that belt, I don't think they wore pants. I think they wore like dresses, but their dress was not wear pants. No, they didn't wear pants. So literally that belt secured their, I don't know, look like a dress, right? But in the same way, it like the truth becomes it's it is literally our foundation and it keeps us steady, right? It holds everything to place. Culture says, you'll finally be worthy. When you lose the weight, when you look a certain way, you need to look younger, which is when we talk and that's another whole other marketing where they they they they lie to you and say, well, you have to in order to look younger, you need to buy this, this, this, this, and this, you need to do this and Botox and all the things, right? and when you f look this way, that's going to determine your value. And and we can we can literally measure what Culture says against what God actually says, right? And so God's truth for all my Christian gym girlies out there, okay? God's truth will change the way you see your body, the way your relationship with food, and the way that you look at yourself in the mirror. I I hear so many times, you know, with with clients. I hate the way that I look in the mirror. I'm n I don't like how I feel in my skin. And so You have to remember that your body is something that God entrusted to you to steward. And He's not asking you to be perfect. Like I know in our minds we want to look perfect. And food as well. Can we can we look at receiving food? I know I know this is such a common thing: food is fuel, but it really is. It it We need to receive food with gratitude rather than feeling guilty or or feeling fearful. and we've talked about this before. Our worth isn't earned through being disciplined. We've talked about that extensively actually. It's not your worth is not being a certain body fat percentage or, you know, being a size zero, right? You don't your identity, I think it's first Corinthians ten thirty-one, your identity is secure in Christ. And yes, we're called to care for our body, but it's for the glory of God. Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. So the that belt of truth, especially when it comes to who we see when we look in the mirror, remembering the truth and who you are, that your identity is in him, that just that should set the foundation when whether it's whether it's fitness, whether it's, you know, your your workplace or that really should be and what Does secure you is staying grounded in God's word. Yeah. So speaking of diet culture, what are some of the common messages from diet culture? We talked a little bit about it already. What are some of the common messages from diet culture that women, especially women over 40, may have accepted as truth because They've probably been struggling to get healthy or lose weight for decades. So for example, smaller is always better. Carbs are bad. That one's so funny. I have to earn my food or I'll finally be happy when I lose the weight. How do we begin challenging those beliefs? Yeah. I've I've been I've fallen prey to those beliefs as well. Same. I just this is one thing I love about the armor of God is like they all connect. A hundred percent. So like the belt of truth, it connects so amazingly to the breastplate of righteousness and helmet of salvation. Literally. Yeah. Yeah. I think like sometimes the battle isn't exactly what we are eating or doing, but the beliefs underneath it. Yeah. I think that's what it always comes down to. like diet culture can take a perfectly reasonable desire to care for your body and quietly turn it into I must change my body to be worthy. So there's like smaller is always better. smaller is simply smaller. That's just what it is. Yeah. it's health, strength, energy, function, quality of life, like these things matter too. Yeah. carbs are bad. So I've fallen for that. Now it's fat is bad. Yeah, which is even funnier. We are our brains need fat. Yes, exactly. Like carbo car carbohydrates are a normal source of energy and can absolutely be a part of a nutritious diet. They're not evil. I have to earn my food. this one is that. This one, this one hits hard because I've used it. I've used it many, many, many times. food isn't a reward for exercising. It your body needs nourishment, whether you train today or you rested. I'm I'm gonna be tough love a little bit here. Food. Food should not be a reward a reward. You're not a dog. Yeah. Right? You're not a dog. You're not a dog. No. I've like I need to burn what I ate. Like that's another one that I've totally guilty. Totally guilty of. you know, exercise can be for strength, fitness, enjoyment, stress relief, health. It's it's not a punishment for eating. Yep. You know, or I ate four slices of pizza last night, I have to do X amount of cardio today. That's why women hate exercise, because they it's punishment. I have to burn off the twelve hundred calories that I over ate yesterday. Yes. It's like you're just gonna burn yourself out by doing that. And I'm super guilty of doing that. 100%. you know, I think a biggest one too, like and I'm guilty of all of these if I lose X amount of weight, I will finally be happy. Let me be very clear, that will never happen because we will always find something else wrong with ourselves. So true. We are our worst critics. Body dysmorphia is running rampant in the fitness industry, even outside of the fitness industry. you know. the the 40 plus question. Like I'm 39, but since I was thirty-five, I have actually been in perimenopause. Mm-hmm. And so like my body at 40 plus should look like my body at 25. Girl, no. That's no. But you're still doing the things you did at 25. So You can even look that way. But even the way that I train now at 39 is different. It is completely different. like bodies change across decades. Like aging isn't a personal failure. It's inevitable. But the the the biggest thing that like I I hear so often is in this industry is Once you hit 40, your body is becoming harder to control. So you need to become more restrictive. Mm-hmm. No, that midlife can involve changes in muscle mass, activity, hormones, appetite, sleep, recovery, where your body fat is distributed. That doesn't mean a woman needs to declare war on her body. We should work with our physiology, not against our physiology. Such a good point. you know, and and that just means we are seeing and understanding our bodies differently during this transition. Yes. so th it's not it shouldn't be how can I punish my body into becoming smaller? It should be how can I care for this body well in the season I'm actually in. And I think the second question is actually much more productive. And it will have, it will actually leave us looking at ourselves differently and seeing ourselves differently. Like I'm not, I'm not a project. So Yeah. It's I'm guilty of all of those things. Same. I'm like even when I like from from my university years of being the leanest I've ever been to COVID hitting. And that was around the period where I was actually told by doctors and such just from getting like blood work and and lab like lab tests done and that I'm actually in perimenopause because I was like, you know, why is my why am I shedding more? Like w I I used to be able to be in a deficit and actually lose fat. Now I'm in a deficit and I lose a pound in four months, like or I gain weight. Like I'm not I'm not a newbie in this industry. Yes. we know what to do. I know what to do. I know how to eat in a deficit. I know how to do these things. What is going on? Like from the period where I met my husband to where I was five months ago. That I went from like a hundred and forty five pounds to a hundred and ninety-six pounds. Wow. I know what it's like to look in the mirror and not be happy with what I look like. I know the struggle. Okay, first of all, congratulations because you you broke that barrier. You you dropped 30. Yeah. So curious minds want to know, what did you do? Like how did you get unstuck? Or like what what ha what changed? Well, I I actually sought medical help for this. just because my hormones were so out of whack. Yeah. Like, full disclosure. Getting your period twice a month for years is not fun. No. And when they're like twelve days apart, not fun. Yep. Something is wrong in there. Something is very, very wrong. That's not normal. Despite what we're told, you know, that's not normal. Yes. when you have severe pain where you can't go to work for three or four days. That's not normal. There's an underlying issue. So I have I have medical help with this. but also just I'll be honest with you. I just stopped chasing a number. Yes. And I took a step back and I prayed and I asked for God's strength and wisdom in this because I'm I'm my worst critic. I get discouraged very, very easily. And there was just a shift in mindset where I just started to focus vertically. And I still I still do focus horizontally. I mean, I don't think that will ever go away on this side of eternity. but I it's not that I stopped caring. I just stopped, I guess, performing for the world standards. That's good. And I started to have fun again in the gym. Yep. And I think for me that's that's the big one because I started to resent it. And this is a cycle. Like I go through seasons where I where I love going to the gym and then I hate going to the gym, but I'll force myself to go to the gym and I'm miserable. Yep. but my my mindset has has shifted. but I I will I will say like I am on hormone replacement therapy. Which is perfectly normal. Yeah. Yeah. And I have a nurse practitioner and we do my blood work every three or four months because I also have a thyroid condition as well. Right. so yeah, I I I I have medical help for this. So I just want to pause and say But it took like three years. Yes. Yes. It took a while for for everything to kind of balance out. But the first thing that I think that I wanna Point out, especially to the ladies that are listening, if you haven't yet, and and I that is on my agenda actually is getting my bloods done because I want to understand what my hormone levels are happening, what's what's happening right now. And similar to you, hair falling, joint achy joints, my strength is changed. It's different now. yeah, body composition, similar to you. Will be on a deficit. I know how to do that, but nothing changes. And so I know my hormones and the irregular sporadic. I'm like, well, my friend like decided to visit when I wasn't ready again when I just had it. Like, okay. Yeah. And it's ridiculously heavy where I feel like, do I have any blood left? Because I'm what is happening? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And Yeah, it it's it's I've I similar to you, I need to get my hormones check. I need to get my blood work done. And that's okay. It we need to know these things. Cause then, especially if you have that practitioner or nurse like helping you through, there's there is a method now. Whereas you could be floundering and doing all the things. I know for a fact there are a lot of women. Who are going through perimetopause and they're like, but I am doing all the right things, this, this, this, and this, but nothing's working. Yeah. Well, maybe we need to get your bloods done. but I just want to say, praise God, that you also left it to the Lord. Like I think that's a piece there that is missing for a lot of Christian women where they're struggling and they're not also looking vertically. To get through this. Cause that that mindset shift, I think, aside from getting your bloods done, I think made a world of a difference. Cause you're not punishing yourself anymore. No, no. And I'm I'm someone I found out just in this recent season in the summer. I have this need to control everything around me. Hello. And I get very impatient and frustrated when I'm unable to. Of course. When something is outside of my own strength. And I tend to Yeah, I I tend to get discouraged and then I distract myself with worldly things rather than surrendering and submitting to God and just actually allowing him to lead and guide me. I love fitness so much, but it doesn't encapsulate my entire life anymore. And I think that's what's been so freeing about it for me and why I'm having fun again with it. Yes. like even with this this fat loss, yeah, I I'm not actually stronger. Like my strength is just being maintained right now. mean it's a thirty pound weight loss in five months. That's a that's a lot. That's a lot. Like your strength is a lot. Your strength is gonna go down a bit. But the way that I see it now is like, you know, my strength it's always gonna be there. But the fact that you're able to maintain it still, that's really good. I've been able to maintain it. And I'm st like I might my my deadlift has probably gone down like twenty, thirty pounds, but that for me that's okay. Yeah. I know that once because I'm still currently in a fat loss phase, like I still do want to lose a few more. I'm not obsessing about it. Yeah, that that's important. so I know that once I do start consuming like maintenance calories, like my strength will come back. 100%. So I'm not that you know what I'm not obsessing about it anymore, and I'm actually enjoying it. That's the detachment. Like I think of women who are trying to get pregnant, the moment they start detaching, you know what I mean? That's when they get pregnant. Isn't it? So it's like similarly, now that you've detached to that yourself from that number, now the scale is moving. Yeah. You know what I mean? And it's interesting that you say that because my best friend, she she loves running. but running can also be an escape. So she was and like she really wanted This was before her first child came into existence. but she was running so much and she wasn't getting pregnant. And then she got shin splints. So she kinda had to like she had to stop for like six to eight weeks. And it was actually during that time That she got pregnant. Of course she did. And so she actually sees, well, she she does make a joke. She's like, God had to break my legs in order to get me pregnant. That's what he does. That's what he does. Yep. I'm not surprised. And like even congratulations to her. And like even her outlook, like she's also really into fitness. That's how we met. We met in the gym. Right. And you know, she did, she did powerlifting and bodybuilding, and like very, very fit woman also loves the Lord. but it was just funny how it was funny how that happened and now her outlook on fitness has completely changed as well. Like instead of being in the gym six hours or six days a week, two to three hours like I was, it's like two times, three times. Like she's got two kids, but she she still finds time, even if she doesn't have You know, if she only has forty-five minutes, like she still puts in the work. Yep. But she also doesn't obsess about it. Yep. Because it doesn't encapsulate her entire identity now. I think that's I think that's the biggest lesson in here is that you, your friend, and all of us really Christian women should shift from obsession to submitting and Yeah, changing that attachment to the number to, you know, actually enjoying. Yeah. And stop punishing yourself. Yeah. Yeah. And I think that's a good connecting point to a question that I have for you is how can we pursue fat loss strength or changes in our body without allowing those goals to become our identity or an idol, like is it possible to want to change your body while still appreciating and stewarding the body God has given you today? this. Well you know we it's so important. I I've all I've always said, you know, we need to hear things at least seven times in seven different ways before it sinks in. So lovingly, my sister in Christ. Right? Like you, yes, you can pursue change without making change. Let me let me reword this. Okay. So your identity first and foremost is in Christ. So you want to lose body fat, you want to become stronger, you wanna improve your health, you wanna change your ph your physique. Now that's not wrong. Those are good things. Those are good goals. But we've always talked about the heart. And the heart question is, you know, what am I what am I asking if I achieve this goal, what is it gonna give me? Am I, do I really think I'm gonna be happier if I'm a size zero? If I can, you know, what is is that is that the underlying heart question, right? If if I reach that weight, is that going to reveal, am I finally gonna understand that I'm worthy? Is that where I'm gonna find peace? Am I gonna be feel accepted? Am I gonna you know, is that going to determine my my significance? Or Is it remembering okay, it's healthy to have these goals? Of you know, there's nothing wrong with having these goals, but it should not replace your your identity in Christ, right? It should not, that's not where, and we've talked about this before, that's not where your your happiness, true happy happiness should lie, right? And I and I even shared in a past podcast where I had helped one of my past clients release like 50 pounds. She looked awful. amazing god fearing woman but when she looked in the mirror she still saw that bigger version of herself and she wasn't good enough still even after releasing 50 pounds right and so i think we really really need to cling on to and like what you've done is is is pray detach yourself from the that number on the scale remembering we keep saying our identity is in Christ because that's where the true mindset shift has to happen for all of our, you know, Christian, you know, gym girlies out there is that that has to that has to be, you know, why you do this. I think thanking God for this body, remembering we've talked about this before, that it's a vessel that houses the Holy Spirit. That's how you will change your body while still appreciating and stewarding this body that God has given you. Right? It's it's we talked about again how do I approach my health goal from a place of stewardship and not punishment? That's a big shift, right? I want to change my body because I hate it, is different from I want to care for my body because. I value what God has entrusted to me. That's different. And so the goal isn't isn't to worship your body or neglect it. It's it's continuing to steward it while keeping Christ in the center. That's so different from where we were before. Yeah. You know, when I every single time I'm in my home gym. I just think, what a gift that I I am able to do this. And I think about my parents love them, but they neglected their bodies. And their bodies are the way they are and perform the way they do because they neglected their bodies. And so I'm down there, one, thanking God for giving me this body that can move, that can lift, that can bend, that can do all these things. And at the same time, it, you know, it reminds me like I've got work to do. So as long as there's breath in my lungs, it means that there is work to be done. And so the only way I could do this work is ensure that it's healthy because I I can't I mean, albeit Paul still did his work in a prison, like but I'm not Paul. Like he can he can share the gospel, you know. Half dead, you know, and in different prisons and all the things. But the way I look at it is the work that I need to do requires health and energy. Mm-hmm. And I and I and I so as long as God permits me to have breath in my lungs, I want to be able to be out there sharing the gospel. Mm-hmm. And I can't do that if I feel trapped in my own body. Yeah. So that shift is has helped me look at fitness differently. I don't and I wanna enjoy God's creation. Like we are so blessed to live right near the Rockies. We're so blessed to have access to these amazing like hikes and bike trails and all the things. I want to be able to do that. Yeah. Like I feel and it's I love snowboarding. I'm an avid snowboarder. I want to be able to do that long into my 80s and 90s. Mm-hmm. And the only way that I can enjoy God's creation is if I take care of this body. Yeah. Right? So you can a hundred percent pursue fat loss strength, you know, without allowing these goals to be your idol. Because you put Christ in the center, you remember that this body doesn't belong to you, that it is a gift from God. And whatever you eat or drink and whatever you do, do it for his glory. That's how you can change your body while still stewarding it well. Right? So I want to kind of close off our pod by asking, how do we distinguish between healthy discipline? And I know we've been talking about this, but I I really want to nail it on the head with this last question. How do we distinguish being between healthy discipline and unhealthy restriction or obsession? What are some warning signs that our nutrition or our fitness goals have moved us? From stewardship into fear, control, guilt, or self-punishment. Cause there might be some listeners right now who are like, wait a minute, there a lot of these things are resonating with them. But let's flat out giving give them some red flags for them to look at. Yeah. I think the distinction is I'm choosing this because it's Serve something I value versus I have to do this because I'm afraid of what will happen if I don't do it. So the outside behavior can look identical. You can have two women who are both tracking their food, lifting weights, declining dessert, although I I never decline dessert. the difference is often like what is happening underneath the behavior. so warning signs to pay attention to, Let's just let's just use food as the first example, because it's the easiest one. Yeah. feeling guilty or ashamed of eating something. categorizing foods as morally good or bad. And I say good in quotations and bad in quotations. avoiding social situations because you can't control the food. Yeah. Or sad. Or and I've hey, I've been there. So or not going and celebrating a friend's birthday or going to a wedding because there's gonna be food there that you can't eat. Sad. frequently skipping meals despite being hungry because you've already hit a calorie target. Feeling anxious about eating something you haven't planned, compensating by or compensating for eating. By restricting later or exercising more, which we've spoken about previously. fitness wise, exercising despite significant fatigue, illness, injury, or inadequate recovery because you can't miss a workout. Do you remember it was years ago? This was years ago. There was like the It was like the mindset that if you didn't train seven days a week, what was it? It was like no days off. No days off. No days off. Hashtag no days off. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I'll take my day off. Thanks. you know, feeling compelled to exercise rather than choosing to exercise. increasing exercise primarily because of fear of gaining weight. Yeah. Becoming distressed or angry when a workout is missed. Yep. Guilty. Exercising specifically to burn off food. Yes. Like this is this been there done that. In my like That's no different than I mean, there is a difference. I d I don't want people to be like, wait a second, now you're comparing the two. But exercising specifically to burn off food Look at eating disorders. Mm-hmm. Or like, for example, professional bodybuilders. Yep. This is just a glorified eating disorder. and then there's body image, like checking your body repeatedly in mirrors or or photos. I was one when like what I shared or like before, when I went from like a hundred and forty pounds to a hundred and ninety-six pounds during that time, like I didn't want any photos taken of me. Like I missed out on my husband l like we don't take a lot of photos, but w if if he ever wanted to take a photo, I would kind of grumble to myself, like, I don't want this, I don't want this photo of me. I look terrible. I'm bloated and puffy and I just look terrible. And of course my husband is like, no, you don't. Like I want to take a picture of us. And I just I wasn't happy. Yeah. And it would bring his mood down. So and then like weighing yourself so frequently that your mood actually fluctuates with the scale. and then constantly comparing your body with other women. Like this person, this woman and I are the same age, we're the same height, or not even the same height. It's like you're not even the same age and yet you're comparing yourself. You're 40. Why are you comparing your body to a 22-year-old? 22-year-old fitness influencer? Yeah. Been there, done that. Yeah. So and then like I think like all of these like red flags or warning signs, we focus on all these things, and then our world just gets smaller and smaller and smaller, and then we stop going out because there's food involved. We don't travel because we can't maintain a routine. We don't rest because we feel guilty. We turn down spontaneous experiences because they interfere with our plans. we become afraid of foods we previously enjoyed, or we can't have a meal without calculating what it means for tomorrow. Like, so I mean at that point, even if the behavior looks disciplined, it's worth it's worth asking whether the goal is serving your life or your life is serving the goal. Mm-hmm. That's good. And I'm guilty as charged. Mm-hmm. Yep. Of probably ninety five percent of those things. I'm like done that, check, check, check. Yeah. Yeah. I mean we we so spoke about a couple of podcasts ago about yeah that whole me wanting to bodybuild and I'm gonna still yeah, I still need to work through that to be completely honest. And I don't want it to be I have to I have to really ask myself, like am I doing it to glorify him? You know what mean? But yeah, I all of those things just scream obsession and self-punishment and guilt for sure. For sure. So if any of those listed you resonate with them, I'm gonna ask like our our listeners to pray about it, to to lay it at the foot of the cross, to when we talked about maybe get your hormones checked, especially if you think you're going through perimenopause. but lean on the Lord for sure. Lean on the Lord. Yeah. Cause you're leaning on self, you're leaning on your own strength, you're leaning on everything else but Him. Yeah. You know, and No, that was that's a good list. It's a good list. And I'm sure that there's so much more for sure. But those are the the big ones, I think. Yeah. Yeah. I'd love for you to pray us out. Especially for the women who's like, oof, ooh, that hurt. Of course, of course. let me just pull this forward. Father God, thank you so much for giving us your word as truth and for calling us to stand firm in you. You tell us to fasten the belt of truth around our waist, reminding us that everything we do should be grounded in what is true about you, about ourselves, and about the purpose you have given us. And and Lord, I just pray that we would continue to meditate on what your word says about our identities, about who we are in Christ, and that we would not allow the world to dictate who we are and what our standards are. And I just pray that if there are any women listening who are struggling with these warning signs, that first of all they would turn to you for strength and wisdom. And if they do have godly women in their lives, I pray that they would turn to them as well for prayer and for accountability and for encouragement and to just be reminded again that you know them. You are with them always. You know their struggles. You know them better than they know themselves. And your love and your grace and your mercy towards them is not based on their performance or what they look like. but is it it is solely based on Christ and his sacrifice for them. And I pray all of these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Oof. Today was I think is gonna be a good eye opener and Yeah, it's this if you've if it kind of shook you a little bit, we love you, but it's because God loves you more. And you know, s speak to perhaps medical practitioner, take a look at what your hormone panels looking like. we don't want to stay you we don't want you stuck in this, you know, spiral of frustration and obsession. We want you to release that. We want you to feel freedom in in Christ, in your finished journey. And so I know this one was a little bit heavy, but I think it was necessary to emphasize the truth of who you are, sis. So hope this encourages you. And we'll see you guys for the next one. Bye. Bye.