BEYOND THE FEED

This week’s episode of Beyond the Feed, Andrea Lee, author of “Body Image: Valuing God’s Good Gift,” joined me to talk about navigating the relationship between faith and food.

Lee’s struggles with body image are no different from anyone else’s. They came at a vulnerable time in her life — during her college years, when comparison was high and new environments were unfamiliar. However, the way she navigated these struggles was different.

Lee’s love for Christ allowed her to pursue something greater than the image she saw in the mirror.

“The only thing that gets you out of one love is a greater love,” said Lee.

Her biblical approach changed her mindset completely. She found herself worshipping the act and mindset of becoming the standard society set for her body rather than worshipping the God she placed her trust in.

Lee compares the shame we feel when we break a diet, fail to stick to our food goals or compare our bodies to others to the shame Adam and Eve felt when they disobeyed God. Their bodies did not change when they ate the forbidden fruit, but the shame they felt was immediate.

The same applies to the shame we feel. Nothing about us changes the moment we break a diet or skip a workout, but we are immediately filled with guilt, regret or shame.

The solution is not simple, but reframing our minds and finding our purpose is a start.

“It’s a worldview, so it is really hard to untangle,” said Lee. “You have to ask, What is the purpose God created me for?”

Whether or not you are a follower of Christ, everyone is looking for a purpose. And the purpose for most of us is not to reflect society’s standards of beauty, count macros or be a slave to cardio equipment. Defining our purpose, whether in God or not, is a start to breaking habits and changing the mindset we have about body image.

Where do you find your purpose in life?