Have you ever paused to consider what you truly desire? Do you yearn for freedom and deep nourishment for your mind, body, and spirit? Yet, so often, we find ourselves doing the very things that hold us back.

St. Paul captures this struggle perfectly in Romans 7:15: What I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate.

Changing our lifestyle can feel like a daunting, even impossible task. We may think, I’ve tried and failed before; why try again? Or, It’s just too hard. But here’s the good news: Jesus wants you to be healed, whole, and connected. He wants to lift your shame and transform your wounds into freedom, just as He did for the woman at the well. He’s ready to give you a new beginning, and He wants this for you even more than you want it for yourself.

The journey to food freedom isn’t about our own strength alone. It’s about stepping into the grace God provides and allowing His truth to guide us. I hope these 10 tips inspire you to take that first step into freedom!

1. Face the Truth

Begin by acknowledging where you are. Avoiding, making excuses, or numbing your struggles won’t lead to healing. Truth spoken out loud brings about the power to change. Reach out to someone you can trust to speak about the truth of your addiction and confess your struggles to God. It takes courage to be this vulnerable. Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:7:

Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.

Humility and vulnerability are our secret weapons for moving toward the desires of our hearts. Our willingness to enter through this door places a whole new beginning before us. When the door to truth opens, so also is a new beginning, where God’s mercy meets us with mercy and strength for the journey ahead.

2. Let Go and Let God

Facing the truth may feel heavy, but truth demands a choice: follow My Way (self-reliance and control) or His Way (surrender and trust). Jesus says in Matthew 16:24:

Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

The door we can knock on and will be opened to us is our cross. Our freedom, healing, and growth are found upon entering this darkness. Jesus makes this promise to us when we feel heavily burdened in Matthew 11:28-30:

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you...and you will find rest for your souls.

Let us pray this from the depths of our hearts and soul…

My Way isn’t working, Lord. I want Your Way.

3. Embrace a True-Hearted Spirit

A True-Hearted spirit embodies simplicity, humility, and obedience. This means:

• Pursuing the simple things in life.
• Being teachable and truth-seeking.
• Staying connected to God, others, yourself, and His nature.

Our modern culture often misleads us into disconnection and addiction. By embracing a True-Hearted spirit, we can reject false teachings and lean into God’s truth, which bears lasting fruit.

4. Simple Food

Overwhelmed by diet trends and information overload? Start by removing the excess. Return to ancestral wisdom and eat simple, nutrient-dense foods:

• Prioritize animal-based, whole foods.
• Eliminate processed foods, sugars, grains, legumes, and inflammatory seed oils.
• Eat until satisfied, without counting calories or tracking macros.

The results? Reduced inflammation, clearer thinking, and freedom from cravings. Your body was designed for this nourishment; it will thank you!

(Always consult your doctor before making dietary changes.)

5. Don’t Dabble

Jesus isn't about moderating our sinful behaviors. He teaches us in Matthew 5:29-30:

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right-hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

Removing the sin is first, but then avoiding the near occasion to sin becomes the following step. The alcoholic stays out of the bar and doesn't bring alcohol into their home. The food addict stays out of restaurants, which causes them to sin and remove trigger foods from their home. Time away is necessary to reset their mind and body’s responses to the foods that cause them to keep coming back for more.

Stepping into freedom takes a spirit of humility and trust. Lean on God as you face your struggles and seek out the help He is leading you to.

6. Ditch the Scales and Calculations

A number does not define you. Proper human food doesn’t require measurement; your body knows what it needs. Instead of focusing on your weight on a scale, notice how you feel:

• Increased energy and clarity
• Improved sleep and emotions
• Looser clothing
• Deeper connection with God

Release the project-me mindset and embrace a healing journey guided by grace with results in how you are feeling and performing rather than metrics.

7. Realize and Release

Sinful patterns often stem from deeper wounds. These strongholds form as a result of past pain, limited beliefs, and self-protective vows. Identifying these roots is key to breaking free.

Invite God into these hidden places, and consider seeking help from a trusted pastor, coach, or therapist. Healing involves vulnerability and forgiveness and our willingness to realize and release strongholds.

8. Cultivate Stewardship

Take back responsibility for your health and wellness. Stewardship begins with small, consistent steps:

• Seek truth and make common-sense lifestyle changes.
• Focus on your deep desires rather than perfection.
• Trust the process of growth over time.

Common sense alone shows us that our health and wellness aren’t being looked after well. We are not getting healthier as a culture. We should be seeing improvements, but instead, we are seeing more medications, more surgeries, more procedures, more obesity, more chronic disease, more addictions, and more mental health concerns. What we have been handed is not our fault, but it most certainly is our problem. The desire to be well comes from God, and we begin cultivating stewardship by shifting our mindsets.

9. Fill Up

With all this letting go, it’s important to refill your cup with what truly nourishes:

• Play and creativity
• Time in nature and prayer
• Rest and meaningful work
• Nutrient-dense foods and good conversation

Psalm 23 beautifully illustrates how God restores and fills us: He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul. Embrace a Simple Presence and allow Him to guide you toward the fullness of life.

10. Ask, Seek, and Knock

Return to Matthew 7:7: Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. Vulnerability is the path to change:

• Ask: Invite God to lead your healing journey.
• Seek: Pursue truth guided by faith, simplicity, and wisdom.
• Knock: Step out of your comfort zone and trust Him to open the door.

Does the idea of stepping into food freedom excite you or give you a sense of nervousness? This is precisely the place where change occurs. Remember that the door is our cross, our darkness, our hiddenness. It is upon entering the darkness that we can discover His light.

We don't have to have all our ducks in a row to begin facing our crosses. We simply need to be willing and ready to take the next step forward at the present moment we are in. If we try and fail, it's ok. That is our humanity, and we need to learn to embrace it! In our poverty, we discover our great need for help, our need for a savior. This is a beautiful thing! He holds to His promise to be close to the broken-hearted and downtrodden, and we can trust Him!

Final Thoughts

How are you going to Ask, Seek, or Knock today? He is at the door, ready to fill your cup as you empty yours. He desires to take you from feeling addicted and chained to healing and freedom! Food freedom isn’t about perfection; it’s about letting go of what holds us back and stepping into Jesus's grace and healing. Trust Him to guide you one step at a time toward the life you were created to live. Freedom is within reach, and it begins today by embracing His grace and courageously taking the first step toward where He is calling you.

Learn more and schedule your free Return to Simple session with me today!