So far in the Retored Series, we have covered truth, temple, union, hope, family, heart, mind, and emotions. This week our theme is Behaviors Restored from chapter 9 of my book, Image Restored.

Therapist Thoughts:

"The diet industry puts a lot of effort into trying to help people change their habits through willpower and behavioral modifications. This top-down approach can be helpful for some people, but many people end up disillusioned, chasing one diet fad after another, because behavior modification alone is like trimming the top of a weed without getting all the roots. In contrast, a bottom-up approach addresses the root issues below the surface. With this approach, we switch directions, stop, take a deep breath, and invite God to show us His view of our bodies to make space for behaviors that come from our Creator’s core beliefs." - Adapted from Dr. Shannon Crawford

Questions I get asked about body image include, but aren’t limited to, the following:

What’s a healthy weight for my body type? Is it okay to weigh myself daily? Should I count calories or carbohydrates? Do I really need to exercise every day? What do you consider overexercising?

These, along with more intimate questions, have one thing in common: behavior.

Here are my questions back to those women and you: What is that behavior providing for you? Is my behavior driven by faith or fear?

Process:

Before you make a decision about food, exercise, body image, or any other behavior in your life, ask yourself these questions:

Does this behavior glorify God in my body? Is there any sin in this behavior? Are there any unhealthy thoughts or motives directing this behavior? Do I hide this behavior? Is this behavior something I want to pass on to the next generation?

Resource:

The resource I recommend for all of these episodes is my book, Image Restored. (If you’ve already purchased the book, join the private community on the book page. We will email you free resources and printables you can use right away.)

What's Your Body Trying to Tell You Quiz