Food Freedom Isn’t “For Later” — 5 Excuses Christian Women Use (and How to Break Free Today)

Whew — we’re going there today, friend.
If you’ve ever thought…

“I want food freedom… I really do… BUT ____.”

…then pull up a cozy chair, grab your chai, and let’s chat. Because you are not the only Christian woman who loves Jesus AND still finds herself wrestling with food guilt, body stress, and the sneaky voice saying you “should” have this figured out by now.

And hey — I get it. I’ve heard all the fears, excuses, and “not yets” over the years (and honestly? I’ve believed half of them myself at some point).

But those fears?
Those excuses?
Those sneaky thoughts that sound logical?

They're often the very things standing between you and the joy-filled, peace-drenched food freedom Jesus desires for you. 🕊️

So today, we’re breaking down the Top 5 Excuses Christian women believe about pursuing food freedom — and replacing them with Scripture, clarity, and encouragement that empowers you ...

Ever felt that wave of shame hit right after eating—like somehow you’ve “messed up” again?
That internal voice whispering, “You shouldn’t have eaten that. You should’ve had more control.”

Guess what? So has nearly every Christian woman I’ve coached through her food freedom journey.

In this episode of the Faith-Filled Food Freedom podcast, I sat down for a live coaching call with one of our Joy-Filled Eater students, Michelle—a compassionate, faith-filled woman who’s been doing the hard, holy work of untangling years of disordered thoughts around food and her body.

What unfolded was a powerful conversation about how faith can motivate healing instead of fueling shame—and how to finally stop feeling like God is disappointed in you every time you eat.

What Shame Around Food Really Sounds Like

If you’ve ever struggled with food guilt or body shame, you’ll recognize the mental chatter Michelle shared during our session:

“I know what I should do—I teach these same principles to other...

Ever find yourself “saving up” food or calories during the day… only to end up raiding the pantry or finishing off the ice cream carton later at night?

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I’ll just eat less now so I can ‘earn’ my dinner later,” or “I better skip breakfast since we’re going out tonight,” this blog post is for you.

This pattern might feel like control, but spoiler alert: it’s actually restriction in disguise. And restriction almost always backfires—physically, mentally, and spiritually.

In a recent episode of the Faith-Filled Food Freedom podcast, I sat down with Lindsay Nichol, a woman who knows this struggle firsthand. Together, we unpacked what’s really going on when you save food or calories for later… and how you can break free from this exhausting cycle once and for all.

So grab your coffee (or your LaCroix 😉), and let’s dive in.

Why Do We Save Food or Calories for Later? (The Real Root Issue)

On the surface, it might seem logical. Diet culture has t...

Why Intuitive Eating Hasn’t Worked (and the 3 Keys to Food Freedom That Lasts)

Have you ever tried to assemble a piece of IKEA furniture without looking at the instructions? 🙋‍♀️ (Yep… guilty over here.) At first, it feels freeing. Like, “I’ve got this! I’ve done something similar before. No big deal.”

But then… you realize you’re missing a peg. The back panel is on upside down. And suddenly, what was supposed to be a cute bookshelf is wobbly, crooked, and one sneeze away from collapsing. Oy vey!

That’s exactly how so many women try to approach intuitive eating.

You hear about it. You’re intrigued. You decide to toss out all the diet rules and just “eat what sounds good.” But before long, things feel wobbly. You’re confused, frustrated, maybe even convinced something must be wrong with you.

Friend, hear me on this: If intuitive eating hasn’t worked for you, it’s not because you failed. It’s because you were missing pieces of the foundation.

And today, I want to walk you throug...

Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you try, your relationship with food is stuck on repeat? You swear off the donuts (again), only to find yourself elbow-deep in a bag of Cheetos after a stressful day. 🙋‍♀️ Oy vey!

If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. In fact, today I want to share a powerful story from one of my amazing clients, Laurie, whose journey from restriction and guilt into joy-filled, Christ-centered eating will inspire you to see that yes, food freedom is possible—even for you.

Laurie’s testimony reminds us that healing doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a journey, not a sprint. But it’s a journey worth taking, because it leads to more than just peace with food. It leads to a deeper, richer walk with Jesus. ✝️

Laurie’s Story: “I Didn’t Even Realize Food Had Become an Idol”

When Laurie first reached out for support, she was caught in a cycle so many of us know all too well:

• Labeling foods as forbidden (hello Cheetos and donuts 🍩🙋‍♀️)
  
  
• Bingeing on the very...

Have you ever noticed how the “perfect time” to start something… never actually shows up?

You wait for the house to calm down, for the kids to be in the next season of life, for your work schedule to lighten, or for that magical burst of motivation to finally kick in. And yet—poof!—that moment seems to vanish like the last cookie in the pantry.

Friend, I get it. The thought of tackling your relationship with food when you already feel stretched thin? Overwhelming. But here’s the secret most women don’t realize:

👉 The best time to begin your journey toward food freedom is exactly when you feel least ready.

Sounds backwards, right? But stick with me. Let’s unpack why waiting for “ready” is keeping you stuck—and why stepping in right now might be the most life-giving decision you make.

The Garden Analogy: What We Can Learn About Growth

Imagine for a minute that your food freedom journey is like planting a garden. 🌱

No gardener waits for the “perfect” conditions before planting. ...

We need to have a little heart-to-heart, friend. Because if there’s one struggle I see over and over again in the women I work with, it’s this: clinging to control with food and body feels safe, but it’s not peace. And it’s definitely not freedom.

If you’ve ever thought, “If I could just control what I eat better… if I could just stick to my food rules… if I could just control my body shape or size, THEN I’d finally feel at peace” — this post is for you.

Peace and control are not the same thing. In fact, they’re polar opposites. And I’m going to show you why today — with a little tough love, a lot of grace, and some Jesus-centered encouragement along the way. ❤️

Why Control Feels Like Safety (But Isn’t)

Let’s be real for a sec. Control feels safe. It feels predictable. It feels like we’re putting ourselves in the driver’s seat, keeping the chaos of life neatly packed into a box (or a color-coded planner 🙋‍♀️).

But here’s the deal: control is a counterfeit version of peace.

Thi...

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. An...

3 Ways to Help Your Kids Have a Healthier Body Image This School Year

If you’ve ever cringed at something your kid came home saying about food or their body after a day at school… friend, I get it.

I’ll never forget the day my son—fresh out of kindergarten—waltzed through the door clutching a worksheet from his “healthy eating lesson.” He proudly showed me where he had circled the “healthy” foods and X’d out the “unhealthy” ones, just like the teacher told him to.

Cue the deep sigh, the slow sink into my chair, and the eye roll (yes, all three happened in quick succession 😅). As a food freedom dietitian and mama who works hard to teach my kids that all foods are morally neutral, this worksheet felt like a flashing neon sign for one of those “We need to talk” moments.

Because here’s the deal—those kinds of messages? They don’t just stay on the worksheet. They sink deep into our kids’ little hearts and minds, shaping how they see food… and eventually, how they see themselves.

And...