Stop Binge Eating Solutions: Eating from Boredom

Emotional-Eating-Boredom

Earlier in the week, I received an email from a lady who wrote me the following:

HOW do I make God’s word work for me in the area of food addiction, when I have been back and forth so many times, my heart just always wants food, as I always feel so empty and bored, and I know natural food does not meet that inward need. I have had so much inner healing and spiritual deliverance etc. over the years but this food thing is something that I just do not seem to be able to get me to change. But I am willing to trust God’s word as you said, it is God’s food.”

Here was my response to her and I hope it helps you today, primarily if you eat from emptiness and boredom: “Isn’t it interesting that you said your heart wants the food? That solidifies the lesson God taught me years ago – food addiction and compulsive overeating are primarily about issues of the heart, not the body. Only God has the ability to change the human heart. A diet will never fix that.

Here are some things to consider in your mind, heart, and actions to change:

Changing your Mind and Heart

Regarding the food addiction, you have to remember that it is a habit that you have learned over years. You have thoughts and behaviors associated with that. The only way you are going to be able to change it is to start renewing your mind to thoughts and actions that line up with God’s word.

That takes persistence and time, but you are well able to do it with God’s help.

Continue to humble yourself (admitting that you can’t do it alone and need God’s help), pray, seek His face, and obey the Holy Spirit’s guidance that instructs you on what to do to turn from that destructive way. He gives you strength to carry it out.

Again, you are re-making habits that have been learned over years, so changing them will require patience, diligence, and awareness. Your brain is probably prompting you to eat whenever you feel any discomfort. That may be dozens of times a day! So like re-writing a computer program, it’s going to take time to learn new ways of thinking and acting.

You say that you feel empty and bored. First of all, you might feel empty, but you aren’t empty as a believer in Jesus Christ because the Holy Spirit is in you:

…the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you (John 14:17).”

One of the works of the Holy Spirit is to Comfort you and Help to fulfill God’s will in your life. He doesn’t shout at you – His voice is still and small. It’s that quiet voice that says “Do this” “Call her” or “You know you shouldn’t do that.”

It’s like an internal GPS system that steers you towards God’s highest good for you.

Whenever you disobey that voice, it causes delay. Or it can even land you in situations God never intended for you to be in.

So it’s very important that you learn to recognize that voice and to obey His guidance.

I’d recommend praying that God give your Spiritual listening ears a tune-up. In addition, you need to study the bible so that you can recognize the Holy Spirit’s voice from others. The voice will always line up with God’s word. It will always lead you toward what is doing what is best in the long run, not necessarily what is easy in the short term.

Unfortunately what gets us into trouble is always going for what’s easy to do right now, instead of what is best for us now and in the future. Most people live their lives like that.

Changing your Actions

As for boredom, I’d take a look at a couple of things in your life:

  • Is your life in order or is it in chaos?

Boredom sometimes occurs as a means to avoid dealing with the BIG issues in your life. The truth is, you may have things you need to handle (which would eliminate the boredom), but you don’t want to.

For example, is your house in order? Do you have clutter? Voila’! If you focus on dealing with that, you won’t have time to be bored. How about your financial life? Are your bills paid? Do you need to learn about how to manage money better? Another thing that can occupy your time.

Check out this article for insight on getting your house in order: https://www.takebackyourtemple.com/getting-your-house-in-order/

  • Do you know your Spiritual gifts and are using them to benefit the body of Christ?

Finally, do you know what Spiritual Gifts God has given you to use to benefit the kingdom? That’s a BIG issue because God created you for a purpose. You have at least one gift God has given you to benefit the body of Christ. Are you using it?

If not, here is how you can discover it and after you take the test, the website has a document with ideas on how you can use your gift: https://www.takebackyourtemple.com/discover-your-spiritual-gift/

I hope this helps!

Kim

Be blessed in health, healing, and wholeness,
Kimberly Taylor
Author of the ‘Take Back Your Temple’ ebook
P.S. Have you ever started a weight loss program with great enthusiasm – only to lose focus and regain the weight you lost?
Not any more. To help you stay motivated so you can become a weight loss success story, I recently published my ‘The Weight Loss Scriptures’ 30-day daily devotional on Amazon.com.
The eBook is in Amazon Kindle format, but you don’t need a Kindle to read it. Amazon has a FREE Kindle reader you can use to access the book instantly on your computer.

About the author 

Kimberly Taylor

Kimberly Taylor is a certified Christian life coach and has a heart to help others struggling with emotional eating and weight loss. Once 240 pounds and a size 22, she can testify of God’s goodness and healing power to overcome. She lost 85 pounds as a result of implementing techniques to overcome emotional eating and binge eating disorder.

Kim is the author of "The Take Back Your Temple Program," which teaches Christians how to take control of their weight God's way and the books "The Weight Loss Scriptures" and "The Weight Loss Prayers."

Kim has been featured in Prevention Magazine, Charisma Magazine and on CBN’s 'The 700 Club' television program.

  • Read the Eating from Boredom. My problem has been very similar to the story. I work at a really boring desk job. Sitting all day is horrible, but I stay because I need the benefits. Out of bad habit, out of boredom, or for whatever reason, I compulsively eat all day. The desire to eat is an addiction, much like a drug addict. The feeling is beyond horrible. Its almost a feeling of panic. I have asked God to take away these cravings, these desires, and I know He will. I just pray my ears will open to His words. Two years ago I lost 45 lbs and felt better than I have in many many years. But, one bite of food started me back on a downward spiral, until I am back where I started – as always. I know God is the only answer to my weight issue, but I need strength and help hearing His word. Any suggestions would be so helpful and appreciated.

    • Hi Kathy – I’ve got a few questions for you regarding this issue. Do your coworkers know that you are a Christian? Even though your job may be boring, you have an opportunity to be an effective witness for Jesus right where you are. In the article, I linked to a test where you can discover your Spiritual gift. You can use that gift to bless people where you are.

      In addition, are you performing your job with EXCELLENCE? If your coworkers do know that you are a Christian, then keep in mind that the only Christ they may ever see is the Christ in you. Is it a true representation of Him? Your responsibility is to be sure that you are performing your duties to the best of your ability (boring or not) and that your conduct is beyond reproach (positive attitude, kind to people). I am not sure where you are with your faith but if you need to re-dedicate your life to Christ, you can learn how here.

      If you are not growing as a Christian (proof is that you are growing in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control), then after your job responsibilities are taken care of then you can use that time to grow in wisdom regarding your faith with these free online Christian courses. Or you can use a bible in a year program to study the bible or devotional of your choice.

      After Spiritual growth, I’d suggest focusing on your health. How exactly are you able to eat all day? Are you bringing food with you from home? Raiding the vending machines? See, you have to determine what your eating pattern is so that you stop leading YOURSELF into temptation. Check out this article for more on that.

      In addition, you can use your job as a means for physical exercise. Take the stairs – you can start with 1 flight if more than that is too hard and work up. Do a search for ‘Desk Exercises’. Or check out exercises you can do at work on YouTube.

      Finally, what are your dreams? I know you said you are staying with this job so if that is the decision you’ve made then you want to maximize it. Make up your mind to become a lifelong learner, even if you aren’t in school. There are free language courses online and dozens of other courses that are free online for just about any topic. Google it.

      In other words, Kathy – you are only bored because you choose to be. It’s really up to you whether you want to take a different road. I hope you do. God gave you a purpose beyond eating. According to Romans 14:17: “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

      Part of your new adventure is to discover what your purpose is – and start working on it. That’s where the real excitement in life is, not food or a job! God bless you 🙂

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