Some of you may be coming to this blog for the first time or may not have a clue what
Thin Within is. You may have done a Google search for Christian dieting or diets or bible based weight loss. The great news is,
Thin Within is even better than a diet or weight loss program! Totally based on biblical principles, the message is refreshing and freeing!
Thin Within is a book by Judy and Arthur Halliday and it is also a website available at
http://www.thinwithin.org/. It is an approach to life--not just eating. It is surrendering who I am to the Lord, inviting him to invade my life completely. He becomes my sufficiency, my satisfaction, my strength. When I am excited, depressed, anxious, instead of turning to food, I learn to turn to Him to satisfy the heart hunger.
Thin Within teaches me to eat only when I am physiologically hungry and to stop eating when I am physiologically satisfied or not hungry any more. We call that 0 to 5 eating.
No foods are "off limits." So I released 100 pounds while eating chocolate, pizza, mexican food, McDonalds french fries (don't be disgusted! LOL!).
As time progressed, however, I found myself gravitating more towards more beneficial foods. I still eat Godiva chocolate and french fries (have had both today, in fact), but the goal is that NO food will have mastery over me.
This way, not only is the weight released from my body, but it is done in such a way that I can live this way for the rest of my life. I released all of the extra weight by eating normal foods only when hungry. While I live a relatively active lifestyle, shedding the extra weight involved no obsessive exercise. If I have a more active day, I am likely to be hungry more frequently. If I am hungry, I am free to eat! No calorie, fat gram, or point counting.
I am free!
Once I am no longer hungry or "satisfied" I stop eating.
The trick is all those other reasons many of us eat! My heart is to turn to the Lord anytime I have a desire to eat when I am not physically in need of nourishment.
Thank you, Lord, for relieving my body of 100 pounds!
12 comments:
I am so excited about this! I wrote early this morning in my blog about this past weekend trying to get ready for June 1st! Love the videos Heidi - such a great personal touch. I am SO THANKFUL you are doing this for us. A book is great, but to have someone who has been through all you have and who we can interact with is fantastic. I am also very impressed with those accompanying me on this journey as well. I love the blogs many of you have and I SO appreciate your comments that you leave on mine.
My only frustration: My book isn't here yet! But I just received an email it shipped so hopefully by weeks end I will have it.
I have been praying for you, Heidi, as well as the rest of us as we proceed on this journey.
Thanks!
Laura
http://beautyforashesjourney.wordpress.com/
Woohoo! I'm excited! Love the video clip. It brings home to me that this new leg of the journey is BEGINNING! Wow, I'm pumped! Thanks for helping lead the way, Heidi:-)
Great video clip! And wow, are you really free from caffeine? How did you do it?!! Jane xx
Wow, God just led me to your site today. When I saw "Week 01 - Let's GO!" I knew it was time for me to jump right in. I already have the book (and have read the first few pages on my own a few different times). I am excited to have a "leader" to help me along the way!
Thanks, ladies, for your kind comments and your mutual enthusiasm. This is going to be such fun!
Jane asked: "...are you really free from caffeine? How did you do it?!!" Yes, I am free from addiction, but I have allowed it back in my life in moderation. I don't allow it to own me...same with nutrasweet which was an even a bigger deal. Diet cherry pepsi owned my life! If there is a day when I wonder about if I can go without either or both (or anything else for that matter...like ice cream or cookies!), I give them up for the day (or longer if the Lord leads). This keeps me in check. One of the best things that helps me not to return to addiction is my terrific accountability partner. I report very specifically what I drink to her ... well, except all the water I also drink! I drink more water now than I ever have. In October when I came off of diet soda, I never dreamed I would enjoy water as much as I do now. I drink it all day long. :-) One of the ways that I was able to make the transition was with Fuze Slenderize Juice drinks. They are wonderfully yummy, but I could easily trade to those...I had to realize that God wanted me to give up my insistence that I have something SWEET in my mouth all the time! That was and continues to be a very tough part of this journey for me! :-)
I am having problems posting. If this works, I will send another comment.
I seem to be having problems sending a blog (new to me), so I am trying again.
I want to thank you Heidi, I have started, and thanks for your guidance, this is super I am so excited. God will do wonders in our lives, and I want to learn more and more how to put him first. Thank you, over and over again, this will be terrific journey. I ordered the guide today, but your guidance is super.
I am having problems with giving up caffeine, have begun to dring too much coffee. I know there is a adverse side affect to caffeine, can you let me know what it is?
Thanks.
Madaline
Wow! That was part of my Bible reading tonight and I underlined every word! Then I watched your video, and there it was again!
The Lord is using you to encourage and inspire me and I am so grateful! I had really lost hope of ever being able to "get it together again." I was even ready to join Weight Watchers as a last resort, but I know that's not what the Lord wants me to do. He showed me many, many years ago that this is the way to true freedom from this bondage to food, but I have just been stuck spinning my wheels for the last decade plus, and have been feeling a tad desperate.
I half-heartedly looked around a little on the Thin Within forums last week. But then, Saturday night when I wasn't even at my computer, I felt impressed to find and read your blog. I couldn't believe that you were getting ready to start a new study and that I was in time to begin it with all of you! That was the encouragement I needed to even want to begin again. Now I think I see a little glimmer of hope again!
Thank you so much for giving so much of yourself and your time to help us. You'll never know how much I need this "shot in the arm!"
Oh, I also underlined the next verse in my Bible tonight---it just seemed to jump out at me. Hebrews 12:4, "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood." But we know Someone who has, and this just reminded me how able He is to help us with our struggles.
Thanks again, Heidi, and God bless you all!
~Kathy
Love the video! As I am doing this, I am also reading and praying through some of Beth Moore's Praying God's Word, especially the chapters on idolatry and food-related strongholds. Here is my prayer for Heb. 12:1-3...
"Lord, help me and the ladies here to lay aside every distraction and the sin that enslaves us so easily. Help us to run the course with endurance all the while keeping our focus on Jesus, the originator and preeminent example of our faith. He endured the cross because of the joy that was waiting for Him. Help us to remember what Jesus endured whenever we are tired of it all and discouraged and want to quit. Thank you for what you are doing in each heart and life. AMEN!
I love all your notes to us. I am so excited, I cannot say this enough.
I have found these passages helpful for me. (I need to stay focused, and to remember that when I am obeying I am honoring God, and that is what I want to do,honor him as much as I can.)
I am not afraid to suffer a little, at least what I call suffering, which really is not suffering at all. We may think we are because we are so use to comfort and pleasure but actually, it is not suffering and who better to be our guide than Our Lord, Jesus Christ, who himself suffered for US, so that we could be with him and the Father in heaven.
Romans 6:4 - "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
Ephesians 4:22-24
"You were taught, with regard to you former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires: to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteouness and holiness."
Yes,Satan tries to corrupt our minds, and make us fearful, but we have nothing to fear and with the Holy Spirit in use we cannot be corrupted.
I have to remember that to be righteous means to walk in way that is right in God's eyes, and we know that way if we stay in his word. He speaks to our hearts through his word.
I also have to remember that a person committed to doing things God's way is a person who gets right back up when they stumble.
Well, folks blessings to all.
And again, thank you Heidi.
Madaline
You girls bless my heart with all your encouraging words. THANK you for being here! God is using you all to strengthen me and inspire me! I praise Him for you!
Hi old friend...It's me again...Your website is so encouraging to me..and your videos are great..I have also seen some on YouTube that you have done..
You have such a heart for encouraging people out of the bondage of food addiction..Your testimony and blogs have been the most encouraging thing I have seen..
I tried to get a TW group started in my church, and no one was interested..and there is no group in western NC..
So..I guess you are going to be my "group"...Thanks for following the Lord's direction..
Luv N Hugs.
Barbi
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