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I'll Start Again Monday: Break the Cycle of Unhealthy Eating Habits with Lasting Spiritual Satisfaction
*I'll Start Again Monday is a newly revised and condensed version of Lysa's bestseller Made to Crave.*
Have healthy eating plans left you feeling defeated? Based on her bestseller Made to Crave, Lysa TerKeurst offers a new perspective to all those stuck in the cycle of losing weight and then gaining it back, equipping you with the deeper spiritual and emotional motivation you need to make lasting changes.
So often we characterize our food cravings as bad, especially when dieting has made us feel even more disappointed and discouraged. But the reality is we were made to crave. We just need to realize God created us to crave more of Him instead of misplacing that craving by overindulging in physical pleasures and unhealthy choices that will never truly satisfy.
In the midst of her own personal struggle with this, New York Times bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst invites us to embrace a new outlook that leads to enduring change. In this newly revised and condensed version of Made to Crave, Lysa encourages you
Break the cycle of "I'll start again Monday" and start taking steps toward consistency that lastsStop agonizing over numbers on the scale and make peace with your bodyReplace rationalizations that lead to failure with wisdom that leads to victoryReach your healthy goals and grow closer to God through the processThis is not a "how-to" book. This is not the latest and greatest dieting plan. This is the necessary resource to use alongside whatever healthy lifestyle plan you choose that will help you find your "want to" and lead to a spiritual satisfaction that goes far beyond the physical.
Look for additional biblically-based resources and devotionals from
Forgiving What You Can't ForgetIt's Not Supposed to Be This WayUninvitedYou're Going to Make ItEmbraced
Have healthy eating plans left you feeling defeated? Based on her bestseller Made to Crave, Lysa TerKeurst offers a new perspective to all those stuck in the cycle of losing weight and then gaining it back, equipping you with the deeper spiritual and emotional motivation you need to make lasting changes.
So often we characterize our food cravings as bad, especially when dieting has made us feel even more disappointed and discouraged. But the reality is we were made to crave. We just need to realize God created us to crave more of Him instead of misplacing that craving by overindulging in physical pleasures and unhealthy choices that will never truly satisfy.
In the midst of her own personal struggle with this, New York Times bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst invites us to embrace a new outlook that leads to enduring change. In this newly revised and condensed version of Made to Crave, Lysa encourages you
Break the cycle of "I'll start again Monday" and start taking steps toward consistency that lastsStop agonizing over numbers on the scale and make peace with your bodyReplace rationalizations that lead to failure with wisdom that leads to victoryReach your healthy goals and grow closer to God through the processThis is not a "how-to" book. This is not the latest and greatest dieting plan. This is the necessary resource to use alongside whatever healthy lifestyle plan you choose that will help you find your "want to" and lead to a spiritual satisfaction that goes far beyond the physical.
Look for additional biblically-based resources and devotionals from
Forgiving What You Can't ForgetIt's Not Supposed to Be This WayUninvitedYou're Going to Make ItEmbraced
157 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 4, 2022
1830 people are currently reading
12758 people want to read
About the author
Lysa TerKeurst
143 books33.1k followersLysa TerKeurst is president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and the New York Times best-selling author of Univited, The Best Yes, Unglued, Made to Crave, and 18 other books. Her newest book, It’s Not Supposed to be This Way, is scheduled for release in November of 2018. Lysa was recently awarded the Champions of Faith Author Award and has been published in multiple publications such as CNN and Fox News online. Additionally, she has appeared on the Today Show as one of the leading voices in the Christian community.
Each year, Lysa is a featured keynote presenter at more than 40 events across North America, including the Women of Joy Conferences and the Catalyst Leadership Conference. She has a passion for equipping women to share their stories for God's glory through Proverbs 31 Ministries' annual She Speaks Conference and writer training program, COMPEL: Words That Move People.
Connect with Lysa on social media @lysaterkeurst or at http://lysaterkeurst.com/.
Each year, Lysa is a featured keynote presenter at more than 40 events across North America, including the Women of Joy Conferences and the Catalyst Leadership Conference. She has a passion for equipping women to share their stories for God's glory through Proverbs 31 Ministries' annual She Speaks Conference and writer training program, COMPEL: Words That Move People.
Connect with Lysa on social media @lysaterkeurst or at http://lysaterkeurst.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 552 reviews
January 10, 2022
It’s January and the gyms are full of people trying to get a strong start on their New Year’s resolution: lose weight. Eat healthier, eat less, exercise more, or some combination of the three, weight loss tops the annual resolutions list. A recent Ipsos poll covering thirty countries found that 45% of the people they talked to said they were trying to lose weight. Yet, most of those people won’t find success.
It’s Monday and you’re beginning again. You did a good job last week. Until Friday (or Thursday). Or maybe you didn’t do a good job last week, but Monday. You’ll start it again on Monday. You’re stuck in this cyclical pattern of unhealthy habits and any failure means that you’ll reset…next week. In her book Made to Crave, Lysa TerKeurst pointed out that the thing that often causes failure in the weight journey—a deep craving—isn’t inherently bad. It’s all in what we have a craving for. In I’ll Start Again Monday, TerKeurst (appropriately? ironically?) trims down that bestselling book into a svelte pocket (or purse) sized version that keeps all of the essentials of her message.
I’ll Start Again Monday, begins with the premise that cravings are not inherently bad—but that we crave what our body is used to. Developing a healthy eating plan is about overcoming bad cravings, but more importantly about replacing them with a better alternative. And this doesn’t necessarily tie itself to weight loss. It’s more about the way food can be used as an emotional outlet or a coping mechanism. It’s about self-control, which is a spiritual discipline.
It’s not that God demands you be thin or that God doesn’t want you to eat a donut. But Scripture is clear that we should learn to have mastery over our bodies. For TerKeurst, developing healthy eating habits led to lasting spiritual satisfaction. It wasn’t just about the physical weight, it was about the spiritual transformation that came along with TerKeurst’s new eating habits—a transformation that actually made her stick to those habits.
Throughout the book, TerKeurst shares her own story, putting it all about there in a very vulnerable and matter-of-fact way, right down to the numbers on the scale. It’s a relatable, exhortative narrative in which TerKeurst positions herself as someone just along the journey. She’s a not a weight loss guru or fitness expert. She’s just a person who loves Jesus who no longer ties her weight to her happiness, but has learned spiritual satisfaction in healthy eating.
I’ll be honest with you, dear reader, though I am not the target demographic for this book, I am a person that could stand to lose a few pounds. When you go from elite athlete in your teens to athletics coach in your twenties to more sedentary pastor in your thirties, your eating habits have to change. Mine have been slow to adjust, let’s say. I’ll Start Again Monday was encouragement for me to stick with some changes I committed to at the beginning of the year. TerKeurst shows how spiritually cleansing taking control of your body can be—and if you lose a few pounds along the way, even better.
It’s Monday and you’re beginning again. You did a good job last week. Until Friday (or Thursday). Or maybe you didn’t do a good job last week, but Monday. You’ll start it again on Monday. You’re stuck in this cyclical pattern of unhealthy habits and any failure means that you’ll reset…next week. In her book Made to Crave, Lysa TerKeurst pointed out that the thing that often causes failure in the weight journey—a deep craving—isn’t inherently bad. It’s all in what we have a craving for. In I’ll Start Again Monday, TerKeurst (appropriately? ironically?) trims down that bestselling book into a svelte pocket (or purse) sized version that keeps all of the essentials of her message.
I’ll Start Again Monday, begins with the premise that cravings are not inherently bad—but that we crave what our body is used to. Developing a healthy eating plan is about overcoming bad cravings, but more importantly about replacing them with a better alternative. And this doesn’t necessarily tie itself to weight loss. It’s more about the way food can be used as an emotional outlet or a coping mechanism. It’s about self-control, which is a spiritual discipline.
It’s not that God demands you be thin or that God doesn’t want you to eat a donut. But Scripture is clear that we should learn to have mastery over our bodies. For TerKeurst, developing healthy eating habits led to lasting spiritual satisfaction. It wasn’t just about the physical weight, it was about the spiritual transformation that came along with TerKeurst’s new eating habits—a transformation that actually made her stick to those habits.
Throughout the book, TerKeurst shares her own story, putting it all about there in a very vulnerable and matter-of-fact way, right down to the numbers on the scale. It’s a relatable, exhortative narrative in which TerKeurst positions herself as someone just along the journey. She’s a not a weight loss guru or fitness expert. She’s just a person who loves Jesus who no longer ties her weight to her happiness, but has learned spiritual satisfaction in healthy eating.
I’ll be honest with you, dear reader, though I am not the target demographic for this book, I am a person that could stand to lose a few pounds. When you go from elite athlete in your teens to athletics coach in your twenties to more sedentary pastor in your thirties, your eating habits have to change. Mine have been slow to adjust, let’s say. I’ll Start Again Monday was encouragement for me to stick with some changes I committed to at the beginning of the year. TerKeurst shows how spiritually cleansing taking control of your body can be—and if you lose a few pounds along the way, even better.
January 14, 2022
As someone who struggled with disordered eating and identifies in the Christian space, I was really intrigued to read this book. I have loved Lysa’s books so I was intrigued by the topic.
I think this book can be beneficial to some but also very dangerous to others. Where YES Jesus heals all, sometimes disordered eating needs medical professionals to guide us in our journey to freedom and health. One of my biggest concerns is “Weight”. She mentions numbers and weight loss. What about my sisters with PCOS who cannot shed weight nearly as easily no matter how healthy they eat. And i don’t know what chips and salsa did to her, but apparently she’s holding a grudge.
Her extreme diet may work for her but it might not be feasible to others, no matter how spiritually nourished the person is. Diet culture overlapping faith is a terrifying place to be and I am scared for those who may feel shame after trying to adapt Lysa’s tips and not having results. This isn’t a cookie cutter approach. I don’t think we should be talking about DIET as much as lifestyle.
It is important to take care of our bodies because it is a temple and we only get one. You need to move your body. You need to eat fruits and veggies. You need to drink water. And we seek Jesus on this journey.
But I think we need to be careful with this advice.
PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION. I care about those recovering from a disordered eating journey and do not want this book to send them backwards.
There are valid tips and scripture. She also mentions sexual sin, debt, etc. Just stick to the one topic. But it’s not anything that hasn’t been written already. Spend your time reading Christine Caine or Annie Downs or Jamie Ivey or Rebekah Lyons or the Bible. You will get better wisdom and guidance and not be inundated with shame and google found food facts.
She gives satan a lot more credit than he deserves.
Thank you for coming to my ted talk review.
I think this book can be beneficial to some but also very dangerous to others. Where YES Jesus heals all, sometimes disordered eating needs medical professionals to guide us in our journey to freedom and health. One of my biggest concerns is “Weight”. She mentions numbers and weight loss. What about my sisters with PCOS who cannot shed weight nearly as easily no matter how healthy they eat. And i don’t know what chips and salsa did to her, but apparently she’s holding a grudge.
Her extreme diet may work for her but it might not be feasible to others, no matter how spiritually nourished the person is. Diet culture overlapping faith is a terrifying place to be and I am scared for those who may feel shame after trying to adapt Lysa’s tips and not having results. This isn’t a cookie cutter approach. I don’t think we should be talking about DIET as much as lifestyle.
It is important to take care of our bodies because it is a temple and we only get one. You need to move your body. You need to eat fruits and veggies. You need to drink water. And we seek Jesus on this journey.
But I think we need to be careful with this advice.
PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION. I care about those recovering from a disordered eating journey and do not want this book to send them backwards.
There are valid tips and scripture. She also mentions sexual sin, debt, etc. Just stick to the one topic. But it’s not anything that hasn’t been written already. Spend your time reading Christine Caine or Annie Downs or Jamie Ivey or Rebekah Lyons or the Bible. You will get better wisdom and guidance and not be inundated with shame and google found food facts.
She gives satan a lot more credit than he deserves.
Thank you for coming to my ted talk review.
March 3, 2022
I had such high hopes for this book, but almost stopped reading multiple times. I did end up finishing it hoping it would get better, but sadly it did not. From the first chapters where the author talks about “praying instead of eating the cake you want” to the last few chapters where she says “some food you have to stop eating forever” this book was 100% “toxic diet culture”, but with a spiritual element. It came off as “if you eat sugar or bread you are not a good enough Christian” to me and I would caution anyone with a history of disordered eating to stay far away.
January 13, 2022
This is one of those books where "don't judge a book by it's cover" really applies. Before reading I read a few reviews (of those who didn't even read the book!) who were critical of it due to promoting diet culture, etc. I, too, have been burned by diet culture and have leaned more towards intuitive eating vs. a Weight Watchers program or various other options.
However, after reading this book I can honestly say this book does not profess to be a diet or give into diet culture lingo. In fact, Lysa TerKeurst, really addresses the mindsets so many women have due to diet culture. She gracefully explains that what she is doing with her lifestyle choices is in obedience to God and obedience to God in this area may look different to various readers. It is not about a number on a scale at all or a BMI chart. She addresses the diet cycles and why they don't in fact work because they rely on our human ability to have self-control (hence "I'll start again on Monday).
I highlighted large portions of the book and plan to review it as needed. I appreciated that TerKeurst continually pointed to scripture as her foundation. Each chapter pointed to relying on Jesus and obeying Him, no excuses. She touches the sacred cow of gluttony and food being an idol in our culture, mindsets we have, and shares real-life encouraging stories of how she failed and how she then succeeded with God's help.
If anything, this book is a great reminder that God cares about every detail in our lives (including our health) and we need not fear what He may require of us in this area as His will for us is good. He provides the grace to do it!
Honestly, I'm probably the exact demographic this book was looking for and for that reason I am thankful to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
However, after reading this book I can honestly say this book does not profess to be a diet or give into diet culture lingo. In fact, Lysa TerKeurst, really addresses the mindsets so many women have due to diet culture. She gracefully explains that what she is doing with her lifestyle choices is in obedience to God and obedience to God in this area may look different to various readers. It is not about a number on a scale at all or a BMI chart. She addresses the diet cycles and why they don't in fact work because they rely on our human ability to have self-control (hence "I'll start again on Monday).
I highlighted large portions of the book and plan to review it as needed. I appreciated that TerKeurst continually pointed to scripture as her foundation. Each chapter pointed to relying on Jesus and obeying Him, no excuses. She touches the sacred cow of gluttony and food being an idol in our culture, mindsets we have, and shares real-life encouraging stories of how she failed and how she then succeeded with God's help.
If anything, this book is a great reminder that God cares about every detail in our lives (including our health) and we need not fear what He may require of us in this area as His will for us is good. He provides the grace to do it!
Honestly, I'm probably the exact demographic this book was looking for and for that reason I am thankful to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2023
“I’m not on a diet. I’m on a journey with Jesus to learn the fine art of self-discipline for the purpose of holiness.”
This line sums up the book perfectly. And it blew my mind.
Growing up in a Christian household, I always knew that gluttony is a sin, that too much of a good thing can be bad, but never did I realize that I was using food as a replacement for the comfort that only God can provide. The way we chase after food, is how we need to be chasing after Christ.
There’s many bad reviews for this book for promoting dieting, but I don’t think those people actually read the book. Lysa never says food is bad, (in fact she specifies that we need food to live) but the control that food has over us is bad. This is a spiritual battle, not only a physical one. She points out so clearly that the devil will use any tactic to bring us down. For some people it’s sex or porn, for others drugs, and for some of us, it’s food. And we never even realize that satan is using it against us.
This is such an amazing read. I would recommend this book not only to girls who are struggling to lose weight, but girls who are skinny, boys who are fit, literally everyone. This concept applies to pretty much anything that we have in life. You could replace food with literally any thing in our life that we seek comfort from over comfort from God.
This line sums up the book perfectly. And it blew my mind.
Growing up in a Christian household, I always knew that gluttony is a sin, that too much of a good thing can be bad, but never did I realize that I was using food as a replacement for the comfort that only God can provide. The way we chase after food, is how we need to be chasing after Christ.
There’s many bad reviews for this book for promoting dieting, but I don’t think those people actually read the book. Lysa never says food is bad, (in fact she specifies that we need food to live) but the control that food has over us is bad. This is a spiritual battle, not only a physical one. She points out so clearly that the devil will use any tactic to bring us down. For some people it’s sex or porn, for others drugs, and for some of us, it’s food. And we never even realize that satan is using it against us.
This is such an amazing read. I would recommend this book not only to girls who are struggling to lose weight, but girls who are skinny, boys who are fit, literally everyone. This concept applies to pretty much anything that we have in life. You could replace food with literally any thing in our life that we seek comfort from over comfort from God.
October 25, 2024
This was a new and fresh perspective to me about taking control of my eating habits instead of letting them control me. I'm a huge stress/boredom eatter. This was so insightful and hit me hard. I definitely wrote down so many notes while reading this. I plan to use these notes to help me form healthier habits with food. Thank you, Lysa, for being vulnerable and showing us this side but also helping us who are where you have been. It's truly remarkable! Unlike any of the diet books you'll find, this one helps you find your "why" and to get rid of the excuses to kickstart the healthy choices you need to make.
December 15, 2022
If you’re looking for a spiritual book about how your struggle with overeating and being overweight is gluttony, shameful, and against God’s purpose for your life, then this book is for you! I generally enjoy Lysa’s books, but this one doesn’t give much in the way of advice beyond ‘make better choices’ and ‘pray about it/ give it to God’. I’m not sure what I was looking for from this book, but the shame she places on the reader by discussing how overeating is a sin was way too much for me. No discussion about the psychology behind it or how to get actual help. She does have anecdotal evidence from her own life and her struggles to lose a little bit of weight. If you have more than 30 pounds to lose, I’d stay away. Unless you’re looking to feel extra bad about yourself.
February 28, 2023
Dnf, 55%...Has some good info, but I can't listen to more. Anyone telling me that I can't even have a slice of cake on vacation bc if I do, I've messed up in some way, is not what I need. I need to find balance and not guilt over food.
January 31, 2022
There's really only 3 pages of material. Not even an essay, more a blog post.
October 30, 2023
“No matter what issue you are currently dealing with, Jesus wants to help you with it. He really does. But you have to stop beating yourself up about it and stand in the place of repentance.”
This book was short, sweet, and super impactful. I’ve read several of Lysa’s books and I always appreciate how approachable she is in her writing style. As a reader you always feel like you have a cheerleader walking alongside you as you make your way through the book.
I was interested in reading a book that views healthy living from a Christian perspective, and this one delivers just that! This book is more geared towards weight loss than just healthy living (they’re the same thing but also not, ya know? 😜), and it’s packed with encouragement and resources to help make better choices with our health/food. Lysa walks through every excuse in the book people can make to justify their bad choices, and she counters them with better steps to take and Scripture to back it up. She dives into how unhealthy living can in fact be a sin and that people tend to not think of it like that.
This was a really great read that will have a lasting impact for me!
This book was short, sweet, and super impactful. I’ve read several of Lysa’s books and I always appreciate how approachable she is in her writing style. As a reader you always feel like you have a cheerleader walking alongside you as you make your way through the book.
I was interested in reading a book that views healthy living from a Christian perspective, and this one delivers just that! This book is more geared towards weight loss than just healthy living (they’re the same thing but also not, ya know? 😜), and it’s packed with encouragement and resources to help make better choices with our health/food. Lysa walks through every excuse in the book people can make to justify their bad choices, and she counters them with better steps to take and Scripture to back it up. She dives into how unhealthy living can in fact be a sin and that people tend to not think of it like that.
This was a really great read that will have a lasting impact for me!
July 24, 2022
my rating: 2/5
Everyone seems to reset what they really want to do (but fail to do so) again on Monday. And so am I!
This book is all about this matter but I guess it just didn't resonant with me enough.
Everyone seems to reset what they really want to do (but fail to do so) again on Monday. And so am I!
This book is all about this matter but I guess it just didn't resonant with me enough.
May 15, 2023
The most generous thing I can say about this book is that it’s irresponsible at best and harmful at worst.
The fact that she begins with talking about how women have food problems because Eve was tempted with food is laughable. She opens with that and I should’ve known it keep going downhill from there. Jesus went 40 days and 40 nights without food, so you should be able to too.
It perpetuates diet culture, demonizes carbs, and ignores the fact that food is so much more than calories and macros. She’s proud of herself for skipping dessert at birthday parties and vacation, failing to affirm that moderation is key and all foods can fit in a healthy diet. God gives good gifts and I refuse to believe in a Jesus who turns down a piece of cake at a birthday party.
I’m a huge advocate of self control, and I get that point when it comes to food, but I assume from this book that the author has an extremely unhealthy relationship with food. She talks about how she limits her carbs, but then she rattles off this long list of foods she doesn’t eat that makes it clear that she eats no carbs at all. Our bodies were literally ~designed by God~ to use carbs for energy and they’re vital for good brain function. She has no clinical experience or education to be a beacon of nutrition like she claims.
Instead of eating ice cream, she asks God to be her portion of strength to abstain from “unhealthy foods”. She talks about leaning on biblical promises and exercise to remain strong when she wants pasta. I mean I could go on and on about how problematic this book is but I won’t waste any more time on it than I already have! Don’t read it!
The fact that she begins with talking about how women have food problems because Eve was tempted with food is laughable. She opens with that and I should’ve known it keep going downhill from there. Jesus went 40 days and 40 nights without food, so you should be able to too.
It perpetuates diet culture, demonizes carbs, and ignores the fact that food is so much more than calories and macros. She’s proud of herself for skipping dessert at birthday parties and vacation, failing to affirm that moderation is key and all foods can fit in a healthy diet. God gives good gifts and I refuse to believe in a Jesus who turns down a piece of cake at a birthday party.
I’m a huge advocate of self control, and I get that point when it comes to food, but I assume from this book that the author has an extremely unhealthy relationship with food. She talks about how she limits her carbs, but then she rattles off this long list of foods she doesn’t eat that makes it clear that she eats no carbs at all. Our bodies were literally ~designed by God~ to use carbs for energy and they’re vital for good brain function. She has no clinical experience or education to be a beacon of nutrition like she claims.
Instead of eating ice cream, she asks God to be her portion of strength to abstain from “unhealthy foods”. She talks about leaning on biblical promises and exercise to remain strong when she wants pasta. I mean I could go on and on about how problematic this book is but I won’t waste any more time on it than I already have! Don’t read it!
January 3, 2022
Lysa TerKeurst is one of my favorite authors. I read “Made to Crave” years ago, so this revamp of an oldie but goodie came at the perfect time. It’s a quick read, but it is very relatable and saturated with Scripture.
As most women, the start of a New Year brings about new goals including physical wellness. Dieting is not the answer, so what I love about this book is that it promotes having a healthy body through having a healthy mind realizing our ultimate craving should be Jesus. This is a spiritual journey and not a temporary diet. With our eyes fixed on Jesus, we can overcome temptations. Rather than allowing food to consume us, we consume food and are filled with His love and goodness. Lysa shares personal struggles and victories and great encouragement to those seeking to be healthy and physically and spiritually well.
As most women, the start of a New Year brings about new goals including physical wellness. Dieting is not the answer, so what I love about this book is that it promotes having a healthy body through having a healthy mind realizing our ultimate craving should be Jesus. This is a spiritual journey and not a temporary diet. With our eyes fixed on Jesus, we can overcome temptations. Rather than allowing food to consume us, we consume food and are filled with His love and goodness. Lysa shares personal struggles and victories and great encouragement to those seeking to be healthy and physically and spiritually well.
January 29, 2024
FINALLY! Getting through this book was more difficult than giving up carbs! LOL
I do agree that we should not use food (or anything else) to fill the void in our lives that should only be filled by God.
I also agree that Christians shouldn't shy away from discussing sins like gluttony.
All that being said, it seems this author challenged herself to see how many scriptures she could take out of context. She said she doesn't believe in diet culture at the end of the book in which she rambled on and on about her strict DIET. 😱 She talked about not replacing God with food to find emotional comfort but then spoke about the natural high of working out. Isn't she just replacing food with workouts rather than God?! 🙄
Did you know you can't ever use food to celebrate anything or that's the devil tempting you to SIN?! That's crazy because God had His children use feasts to remember and/or celebrate many things. Oops. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 Does this mean I think God had His people practice gluttony? No! But it does invalidate the author's many claims that food for celebration is the devil's hand in your life, tempting you to sin. 🤢🤢
God talks to her. The devil is always trying to control her. She has got a lot more supernatural stuff going on in her life than I do.
10/10 Do NOT recommend.
I do agree that we should not use food (or anything else) to fill the void in our lives that should only be filled by God.
I also agree that Christians shouldn't shy away from discussing sins like gluttony.
All that being said, it seems this author challenged herself to see how many scriptures she could take out of context. She said she doesn't believe in diet culture at the end of the book in which she rambled on and on about her strict DIET. 😱 She talked about not replacing God with food to find emotional comfort but then spoke about the natural high of working out. Isn't she just replacing food with workouts rather than God?! 🙄
Did you know you can't ever use food to celebrate anything or that's the devil tempting you to SIN?! That's crazy because God had His children use feasts to remember and/or celebrate many things. Oops. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 Does this mean I think God had His people practice gluttony? No! But it does invalidate the author's many claims that food for celebration is the devil's hand in your life, tempting you to sin. 🤢🤢
God talks to her. The devil is always trying to control her. She has got a lot more supernatural stuff going on in her life than I do.
10/10 Do NOT recommend.
April 2, 2024
okay this is hard to rate bc I was going back and forth the whole time listening and almost quit many times even though it’s only 4 hours long. Saw the title/topic and was intrigued to hear what was said but didn’t expect what she actually talked about. This is a complicated topic that I think Lysa did her best to discuss in a personal way through a biblical perspective and pointing to places in scripture that talk about the control food can have over people. Found certain things helpful/convicting/ interesting (chap 9 I think I liked) while also feeling like much of it was a bit extreme/ overspiritualized and even hurtful to some. I’m glad I stuck it out and think it was worth hearing if you remember to take it all with a grain of salt.
Read
May 14, 2024There were a lot of helpful & thought provoking ideas here. While I didn’t agree with everything, Lysa does a good job in highlighting how food shouldn’t consume us to such an extent & how it relates to our spiritual lives.
I feel the need to caveat something I wished I knew beforehand. The primary focus of the book is directed towards those needing/wanting to lose weight or who struggle with overeating/emotional binging. For those whose struggle is the opposite—being chronically underweight, calorie obsessed, or have an ED—constantly reading about “diets” and cutting out foods may be triggering. There are still overarching principles that apply but just know the focus is different.
I feel the need to caveat something I wished I knew beforehand. The primary focus of the book is directed towards those needing/wanting to lose weight or who struggle with overeating/emotional binging. For those whose struggle is the opposite—being chronically underweight, calorie obsessed, or have an ED—constantly reading about “diets” and cutting out foods may be triggering. There are still overarching principles that apply but just know the focus is different.
July 26, 2024
This is a christian book about the cycle/psychology of overeating or poor food habits. TerKeurst references the bible, and religious beliefs and how they may tie to food addiction, gluttony, idolization, overeating, and bad habits. I think even if you are not religious, TerKeurst makes some valid observations. Such as untying your own self worth and self love to an "ideal body" or vanity. She talks of comparison, blame, and the whole "it's not fair" scheme. The idea that we often try and use food for comfort or to fulfill some other need in our life. Lastly how food shouldn't control our thoughts/actions was really great stuff. Side note, the message to her estranged father did make me sad and I hope that has been resolved.
May 22, 2023
4⭐️
Some sentiments (may not be direct quotes) that I got from here were:
Don’t wallow in abundance
We crave what we focus on
Use the “everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial” verse when battling food temptations
Define your day by your obedience to God
Some sentiments (may not be direct quotes) that I got from here were:
Don’t wallow in abundance
We crave what we focus on
Use the “everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial” verse when battling food temptations
Define your day by your obedience to God
January 25, 2023
I put this book down—which I rarely do. I can’t any I disagree with this author, per se. i just see God differently. I do believe God helps us with our struggles and rejoices in our triumphs. I don’t believe that eating issues are due to focusing on the wrong types of cravings. I believe they are ultimately related to our connections with others and ourselves. Obviously our connection to God is an important connection, but I would hate for someone to out down this book and think they are not righteous enough if they can’t get their eating in order.
That being said, this book has gems like the following quote I’ve been thinking about:
“We consume what we think about and what we think about can consume us if we are not careful.”
That being said, this book has gems like the following quote I’ve been thinking about:
“We consume what we think about and what we think about can consume us if we are not careful.”
March 2, 2023
Genres: Health/Nonfiction/Religion
I'm not entirely sure that those genres were successfully merged into this one book. I love this author and will still read whatever she writes but this one was a big NO for me. It left me shaking my head.
I can appreciate her trying to make sense of her own experience which is fine for a memoir but this was not that. Dispensing diet advice is a whole different animal.
I'm not entirely sure that those genres were successfully merged into this one book. I love this author and will still read whatever she writes but this one was a big NO for me. It left me shaking my head.
I can appreciate her trying to make sense of her own experience which is fine for a memoir but this was not that. Dispensing diet advice is a whole different animal.
Want to read
January 6, 2022If you are looking for a book that tells you what to eat and what not to eat, this is NOT this book. This is a book about trusting God and turning to Him instead of food to cope with life. Lysa is very upfront and open about her struggles and how she was able to use God’s words to help her through her journey to a healthier lifestyle.
March 7, 2023
Gosh this book is STEEPED in diet culture. She does give her weight in numbers so if that is a trigger to you please don't read this book. Basically this is her explanation of how she is learning to say no to "bad" foods and yes to "good" foods. While I think the issues with body image and eating things can be widely applicable, her specifics were not and I think this book got a little lost in the weeds. I loved the idea of praying through cravings and temptations, but I wish this was a little more generalized instead of being so specific it wasn't relatable.
February 17, 2025
I gave this such a high rating, not because it was profound, but because it was very relatable. There were many sections where everything she wrote was exactly how I feel.
This was a short and honest book about making real lasting changes in our lives, specifically relating to health. She draws the connection between our very real physical need for food and the spiritual struggles we experience relating to food.
Recommend if you're on a journey to health and feel like there's a piece missing.
This was a short and honest book about making real lasting changes in our lives, specifically relating to health. She draws the connection between our very real physical need for food and the spiritual struggles we experience relating to food.
Recommend if you're on a journey to health and feel like there's a piece missing.
February 10, 2023
Lysa just might be my favorite author. She is so transparent and brings Scripture into every aspect of her thinking. I love it!
This book was very timely and motivating to me. I don’t need to just start another diet. I need to live the overcoming-victorious life because I am a child of God who has His power in me.
This book was very timely and motivating to me. I don’t need to just start another diet. I need to live the overcoming-victorious life because I am a child of God who has His power in me.
July 25, 2022
I don’t usually read books more than once, but I want to read it again and again. Lisa talks to my struggles, but give solid Biblical direction for adjusting my mind, will, and emotions in relation to food.
May 12, 2024
Talk about taking scripture out of context. Absolute rubbish.
February 1, 2022
I was so excited about this book, even preordered it. I love Lysa terms used but this.book is just a revised version of Made to Crave...which I've read twice and have highly recommended to several people. I was disappointed and feel like a waste of time and money to say the least.
January 8, 2025
If you ever read “Made to Crave” by Lisa Terkeurst you have read this one too. I liked that one better 🥴
February 20, 2024
I love everything Lysa TerKeurst writes, but, this one specifically convicted me in ways that I didn’t imagine. Highly recommend!
March 26, 2025
If you struggle with emotional eating or have a history of disordered eating, this book can offer a refreshing look at the root of food problems.
I was pleasantly surprised at the condensed and concise nature of the little book: only 131 pages (and with big letters, as my daughter would point out!).
You won't find a diet plan to get skinny in two weeks within these pages. The author does mention her own diet restrictions but that is not the point. She is trying to get down to the spiritual issues that trigger bad habit cycles. She introduces positive thought processes to put in place of the ones that are pulling us down.
I don't agree with everything in here. But, for the most part, as someone who has a strong emotional attachment to food, I felt it was pretty helpful.
Quote from the book:
"If we fail to understand how to fill our souls with spiritual nourishment, we will forever be triggered to numb our longings with other, temporary physical pleasures. When these pleasures are food, the resulting behavior is often referred to as emotional eating. But the issue is bigger than emotions. It's really about spiritual deprivation."
I was pleasantly surprised at the condensed and concise nature of the little book: only 131 pages (and with big letters, as my daughter would point out!).
You won't find a diet plan to get skinny in two weeks within these pages. The author does mention her own diet restrictions but that is not the point. She is trying to get down to the spiritual issues that trigger bad habit cycles. She introduces positive thought processes to put in place of the ones that are pulling us down.
I don't agree with everything in here. But, for the most part, as someone who has a strong emotional attachment to food, I felt it was pretty helpful.
Quote from the book:
"If we fail to understand how to fill our souls with spiritual nourishment, we will forever be triggered to numb our longings with other, temporary physical pleasures. When these pleasures are food, the resulting behavior is often referred to as emotional eating. But the issue is bigger than emotions. It's really about spiritual deprivation."
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