Enough with the Quick Fixes: Here’s What to Reach for When Food and Body Control Isn’t Working

Enough with the Quick Fixes: Here’s What to Reach for When Food and Body Control Isn’t Working

If you’ve ever found yourself spiraling down the rabbit hole of diet rules, calorie tracking apps, “clean eating” lists, or “just one more workout will fix it”… 🙋‍♀️ friend, you are not alone.

But can we just be honest for a second? Quick fixes don’t fix much of anything. Sure, they might feel like they’re working for a hot second. But eventually—whether it’s two weeks or two years down the road—you find yourself back in the same cycle of restriction, control, frustration, and wondering if food will ever not feel like the boss of you.

That’s why today we’re talking about what to actually reach for when food and body control isn’t working (because honestly, it never really does).

This message is rooted in a powerful lesson from Exodus about God’s daily provision of manna and water for the Israelites—a story that has so much to say about our tendency to chase control instead of trust. And I promise, by the end of this, you’ll see that food freedom and faith have way more in common than you might think.

Why Quick Fixes Fail Every Time

We live in a culture that markets quick fixes like they’re going out of style. Want to lose 10 pounds? There’s a 30-day challenge for that. Want to “detox”? There’s a tea or supplement for that. Want to finally feel confident in your body? Just try this one weird trick 🙄.

But here’s the truth: Quick fixes aren’t solutions. They’re distractions.

They mask the deeper needs we’re trying to meet—comfort, control, safety, acceptance, maybe even love. And when the “fix” stops working, the need is still there.

👉 This is why you end up back at square one, frustrated and maybe even blaming yourself:

• “Why can’t I just have more willpower?”
  
  
• “Why do I keep messing this up?”
  
  
• “What’s wrong with me that I can’t stick to this?”
  
  

The problem isn’t you. The problem is that quick fixes can never satisfy the deep hunger of your body or your soul.

What the Manna Principle Teaches Us About Daily Nourishment

In Exodus 16, the Israelites are wandering in the desert, hungry and cranky (sounds a little like me when I miss lunch 😅). They cry out for food, and God provides manna—bread from heaven.

But here’s the kicker: He doesn’t give them a month’s supply. He gives them enough for one day at a time.

This is what my pastor called the Manna Principle—the practice of trusting God for your daily needs instead of hoarding, hustling, or grasping for control.

When it comes to food and body struggles, this principle hits home:

• Just like the Israelites needed manna every single day, we need both physical and spiritual nourishment daily.
  
  
• God didn’t give them bland survival food—manna was described as tasting like wafers with honey (hello, yum!). In the same way, He cares not just about keeping you alive but also about giving you joy in the process.
  
  
• This wasn’t about guilt. It was about connection.
  
  

Friend, if you’ve been chasing quick fixes, maybe what you really need isn’t another rule or restriction. Maybe what you need is daily dependence—on God, not on control.

Three Steps to Apply the Manna Principle to Your Food Freedom Journey

1. Establish a Consistent Pattern

This isn’t about perfection or a “quiet time checklist.” It’s about finding rhythms that help you connect daily—with Scripture and with your body.

Maybe it’s setting an alarm to read a single verse before bed. Maybe it’s inviting your kids into your devotional time in the morning. Maybe it’s simply pausing to pray before meals.

The goal isn’t to earn gold stars—it’s to weave daily connection into your real, messy life.

2. Wrestle with It

This one’s huge. Don’t just skim the Word or check off your to-do list. Ask God to meet you there. To reveal Himself. To make it real.

The same goes for food freedom work. Don’t just mechanically “eat the cookie” to prove you can. Slow down. Ask yourself: What need am I trying to meet right now? Am I running to food for comfort when what I really need is connection with the Lord?

3. Make it Non-Negotiable

Just like your body needs food and water daily, your soul needs the Lord daily.

When you start treating that connection as non-negotiable—like breathing or eating—you’ll notice that other things (like food rules and body obsession) lose some of their power.

What’s Your “Is God Really Here?” Moment?

Fast forward to Exodus 17. The Israelites are thirsty now. And despite literally seeing a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night (like…a giant neon sign of God’s presence), they still ask: “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Whew. That one stings a little, doesn’t it?

Because if we’re honest, we’ve all had those moments.

• When your jeans feel tight and you’re tempted to skip meals.
  
  
• When you binge and feel like you’ve blown it.
  
  
• When you’re exhausted, stressed, and silently screaming, “God, are You even here?!”
  
  

For so many Christian women, those “Is God here?” moments show up in our food and body struggles. We panic. We grasp for control. We run to restriction, overexercise, or numbing out with food instead of running to the Rock.

But here’s the good news: God is still there. He’s still faithful. And His provision is always more than enough.

Quick Fixes vs. True Satisfaction

Let’s be real—quick fixes are like eating half a dozen donuts in one sitting. 🍩

One donut? Fun and delicious. Half a dozen? You’re sick to your stomach.

Quick fixes might feel good in the moment, but too much of chasing control always leaves us empty.

Psalm 81 reminds us that God isn’t just interested in giving us “enough to get by.” He promises to satisfy us with honey from the rock—abundance, delight, joy, and provision that no restrictive diet or perfect body could ever deliver.

That’s the satisfaction you’re craving—not the next plan, not the next cleanse, not the next “fix.”

2 Practical Tools to Help You Let Go of Quick Fixes

If you’re thinking, “Okay, Brittany, this all sounds good, but how do I actually do this in real life?”—I got you.

Here are two resources I’ve created to help you take the first step:

1. Needs Assessment Quiz – Figure out what need you’re really trying to meet when you turn to food or body control. (Spoiler: it’s usually not about the food at all.)
   👉 Grab it here: brittanybraswellrd.com/needs
   
   
2. Go-To Move Worksheet – Learn how to create a practical plan for those “Is God really here?” moments when you feel like spiraling into control mode.
   👉Grab it here: https://www.brittanybraswellrd.com/jfe12
   
   

These tools are totally free and a great way to begin shifting from quick fixes to true freedom.

Why Food Freedom Is About More Than Food

Here’s the heart of it: Your struggles with food and body aren’t really about willpower, discipline, or “fixing yourself.” They’re about trust.

Trusting that your body is good and designed by God.
Trusting that you don’t have to micromanage every calorie to be okay.
Trusting that God’s presence is enough—even in your desert seasons.

Food freedom isn’t just about eating the donut without guilt. It’s about releasing the need for control and learning to rest in God’s provision, daily.

Ready to Let Go of Quick Fixes and Step Into True Freedom?

If you’ve been nodding your head through this and thinking, “Yep, that’s me. I’ve been chasing quick fixes and I’m exhausted,” then I want to personally invite you into Joy-Filled Eater Live.

This is my signature program where I’ll walk you step by step through how to:

• Ditch the food rules for good.
  
  
• Rebuild trust with your body.
  
  
• Nourish yourself with confidence.
  
  
• Root the whole journey in Christ, not control.
  
  

 👉 Join here: brittanybraswellrd.com/course

Final Thoughts: Honey from the Rock Is Waiting for You

Friend, the Lord is not interested in giving you scraps or survival food. He wants to feed you daily manna, quench your thirst with living water, and satisfy you with honey from the rock.

Quick fixes will always leave you empty. But His presence will always leave you full.

So next time you feel that pull to restrict, to control, or to chase the next “fix,” pause and ask: What am I really reaching for? And what would it look like to reach for Him instead?

You don’t have to do this alone. His grace is enough. And freedom—real, joy-filled, soul-satisfying freedom—is already yours in Christ.

💌 Want more encouragement like this?

• Subscribe to the Faith-Filled Food Freedom Podcast
  
  
• Join our free community of women walking the food freedom journey with Jesus at the center
  
  
• Download your free Needs Assessment Quiz today