Sometimes we eat because everyone else is eating. Sometimes we say yes because we don’t want to explain why we’re saying no. And sometimes we’re just tired of feeling like we have to defend our choices.

I learned this in my own household. Brett and I used to try to keep up with each other, and I used to try to keep up with how he ate… it was easier than putting in the work or sometimes the words.

But now Brett and I eat differently. I had to speak up and set boundaries because what works for him doesn’t always work for me. He in turn found what works for him. We can now sit together, enjoy each other, and still have different boundaries.

We don’t have to go along to get along. 😊

And recently, I came across research that put words to something I had already been feeling. A study published October 15 in BMC Psychology followed 351 Chinese college students over three points in time. Worrying about how others viewed them was linked with feeling mentally depleted later, which was then linked with more problematic eating behaviors.

And even though it doesn’t prove that worrying about people’s opinions causes overeating, that connection made me reflect on something I recognized in my own journey that led me to make a change. (link.springer.com⁠)

It’s something I keep learning in my biblical mindful eating journey that before I concern myself with everyone else’s opinion, I can seek God for what is beneficial for me. I can notice my hunger, recognize my triggers, and make a choice with intention instead of pressure.

Once a month, we take that a step further. We fast, pray, and seek the Lord for our individual nutrition journeys. We take a break from food in the way we’ve prayerfully chosen. For some of us, that’s simply taking a break from chewing.

Consider joining us on the 26th of each month for the rest of this year.

Find our community and more at BiblicalMindfulEating.com.

Study reference: Wu and colleagues, BMC Psychology, October 15, 2026. Read the study here⁠: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-026-05778-7

And let God bless your health ❤️