Confession time. Just over a year ago, I had a photo album on my phone titled “thinspiration.” You’ve probably already deduced the photos were a collection of ladies that I completely and totally envied. Celebrities. Friends. Personal trainers. Even a frenemy. The...
weight loss
Total Transformation Versus Coffee-mate Christians
It's inspiring to watch someone's life be transformed. From a fitness standpoint, think about Biggest Loser kind of results. How awesome is it to watch someone on the brink of, quite literally, death, morph into the picture of health and happiness? I worked in the...
What a Burning Desire for a Better Body Reveals
One month after our wedding day, my new husband picked me up at the Fresno airport which we lovingly referred to as FAT (well because that's actually it's acronym). I had been gone for several days, so we made small talk about my travels in the car. Then, with a sort...
What to Do When Your Friend Loses the Weight
Every woman who's ever tried to lose an ounce of weight has had this happen. I'm sure of it. Stepping on the scales every week feels like watching grass grow. Progress is slow. Will it ever change? You give yourself a virtual pat on the back for sticking to your plan...
Would You Love Me More if My Body Was Perfect?
My struggle with body image began at a very young age. I grew up in a dysfunctional family and was not taught about God’s unconditional love and acceptance as a child. As a victim of emotional abuse, I have struggled with knowing my own worth my entire life. My...
Wrestling Donuts: Hope for Dieters
When my brother and I were in elementary school, we looked forward to one reward for cooperating during a grocery store trip. A donut. For me, it was Boston Cream-filled--the top covered in chocolate and the middle oozing with a creamy, pudding like deliciousness....
When Someone Brings Up Your Weight: A Cheesecake Dilemma
Have you ever had someone bring up YOUR weight or the topic of weight loss during dinner? Do you stop eating? Hide your body under the table cloth? Defend yourself with your food journal? Here's a dilemma many of us can all relate to and how contributor Summer handled...
The Best Gift this New Year is Not Weight Loss
It’s a tough time of year for body image. Everywhere we turn, the perfect body is heralded as the ultimate happiness. I flipped on the TV the other day only to find a diet specialist who outlined Hollywood “nutrition” and the way it could help us get thinner in the...
The Miracle Weight Loss Secret Our Hearts Are Searching For
"I've struggled with my weight for as long as I remember..." That's how the email began. Oooh... Someone else who struggles is going to share their secret! That hook works on me. Every. Single. Time. Please! Tell me how you solved it! Please, please, please tell me...
Pregnancy and Body Image: When Pregnancy Ain’t No Picnic
Today the Pregnancy and Body Image Series continues with Esther's story of the roller coaster ride her pregnancies, weight gain, and eventual PPD took her on. During pregnancy I experienced the most self-loathing I’ve ever felt in my entire life. Before pregnancy, I...