Cutting Loose: A Biblical Approach to Health and Fitness

"Yahweh, God, is deeply concerned with our well-being: body, soul, and spirit. If we are always tired and dislike our bodies, how can we be living the life He created us for?"

"The enemy is having a field day out there as he persuades us that we are nothing unless we present with the perfect figure."

"We live in a world that embraces a lifestyle that not only affects us physically, in such areas as obesity and heart disease, but that also influences our ways of thinking and how we perceive ourselves."

-- Quotes from the author, Gillian Taylor

What good is it to go through a health and fitness program if you are just going to slip back into old habits as soon as it's over, sabotaging all the gains you made? This is the first thing Gillian addresses in her excellent, spiritual diet and exercise program. After first laying out health and well-being from a Biblical, spiritual, and Hebraic perspective, she then helps you do an effective, inner search to get at the root of why you personally have reverted back to unhealthy ways and what to do practically to cut loose so it won't happen again. Planning is key, and Gillian provides fresh ideas, along with helpful diagrams, charts, lists, and illustrations.

The book is designed for Bible study groups to work through together.

The first question addressed is: Are we thinking about ourselves the world's way or the Biblical way?

WORLD:

You are too fat. You are too old. I will do whatever I want. What I eat and drink has nothing to do with my spiritual walk. You need to work faster. You need to look like this to be acceptable. I need to build my self-esteem.

BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE (sample questions):

1 Timothy 4:7-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Romans 12:1-2

Q. Do you consider your body as holy and pleasing to God?

Q. What issues for you, as an individual, prevent you from being able to accept this as true?

1 Chronicles 12:8; John 10:10

Q. Are you living your life to its fullest measure in serving Yahweh?

Q. Can you accept that you are a beautiful, unique, one-of-a-kind creation, men and ladies?

Q. Are there any issues that are holding you back from experiencing all that Adonai has for you?

FIRST QUIZ (in part):

2. How happy are you with your body?

I'm very happy with my body. I identify that He died for me and I am created in His image. I could do better, but I accept my body as it is. I dislike my physical body, but there is nothing I can do about it. I dislike my body and would do anything to change it.

5. How do you feel when you are with your friends at a social event?

I rarely go out. I always feel out of place and that everyone looks better than I do. I am comfortable with myself as long as I am with friends. I am really confident in who I am in Yeshua. I am usually the centre of attention.

The goal of this in-depth study is to get to the cause and find the solution, first through the six stages of the change cycle:

Contemplating Incubating Preparing for action Taking action Maintaining Oops

It continues with S.M.A.R.T.T. goal setting and much more