In this special episode of Taste for Truth, I want to share an update and invite you to continue this journey with me over at the Christian Habits podcast, where I talk about breaking free from overeating, habits, procrastination, and growing in our relationship with God. I’m so grateful for all the guests who have shared their stories here, and if you’re new, I recommend starting with the episode “How to Break Free from an Overeating Stronghold or a Skinny Stronghold.” While Taste for Truth will remain available as a resource, I’m excited to offer new online courses at barbraveling.com/course and hope to see you over at my other podcast for ongoing encouragement and support.

Chapters 0:24 - Introduction to Taste for Truth Podcast 1:34 - Future Plans for Online Courses 1:54 - Closing Thoughts and Encouragement Episode Summary

In this episode, I take a moment to share some updates with my listeners regarding my ongoing journey with the Taste for Truth podcast and the new direction it’s taking. While I have cherished the time spent discussing topics related to overeating and emotional eating, I want everyone to know that I am also actively podcasting at the Christian Habits podcast. This platform has allowed me to expand my discussions beyond eating habits, exploring various aspects of life including how to break free from negative emotions, procrastination, and strengthening our relationship with God. Each of these areas plays a crucial role in addressing the struggles associated with emotional eating, and I aim to provide listeners with the tools they need to honor God in their eating habits.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the guests who have joined me on the Taste for Truth podcast. The vulnerability displayed during our coaching and victory interviews has been a profound experience, and hearing from authors and coaches has enriched our discussions significantly. It's been a pleasure to connect and share insights with everyone about the challenges of overeating, and I hope to continue providing valuable content that resonates with our audience.

For those who are new to the podcast, I recommend starting with my recent episode, “How to Break Free from an Overeating Stronghold or a Skinny Stronghold.” In this episode, I summarize my key recommendations on overcoming overeating, which I believe will serve as a solid foundation for anyone seeking help in this area. Additionally, I encourage listeners to explore the previous episodes and interviews for more in-depth discussions and insights that can guide them in their journeys.

Looking forward, I am excited to announce that I will be transitioning toward online courses that will further delve into subjects like emotional eating and renewing the mind. For anyone interested in these upcoming resources, I invite you to visit barbraveling.com/course for more information. As I reflect on the experiences shared through this podcast, I remain hopeful and prayerful for all of you as we navigate our paths and seek guidance from God in our lives.

Resources Mentioned

• Christian Habits podcast
• Weight Loss Bible Studies
• Barb’s Online Courses

Listen to the Podcast

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• Apple Podcasts: Click here to subscribe or listen on Apple Podcasts. (If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast on Apple, this can sometimes take a few hours to update.) 
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• Spotify: Click here to subscribe or listen on Spotify. 
• Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Taste for Truth Podcast.” 

Many of us have struggled with food for years—turning to it for comfort, relief, or even a sense of control. Others have battled with the pressure of being “skinny,” believing that achieving a certain body shape will bring happiness. But what if true freedom lies not in food or body image but in shifting our perspective and relying on God? In this episode of the Taste for Truth podcast, we’ll explore how to break free from these strongholds and embrace a healthier, more fulfilling life.

What We Discussed on the Podcast

• The difference between biblical strongholds, which were places of refuge, and the spiritual strongholds of overeating or having a skinny idol that keep us in bondage
• How to weaken our strongholds by renewing our minds
• Why it's important to set boundaries around food, and then renew our mind whenever we break them
• What fuels a "skinny stronghold" and how to break free
• How praying for others and loving others well can help break insecurity about our appearance
• Why we need to develop a habit of going to God for refuge
• Key Bible verses: Colossians 3:12-15 to show notes and 1 Corinthians 13

Resources Mentioned on the Podcast

• Christian weight loss books and resources
• I Deserve a Donut app
• Weight loss Bible studies
• Renewing of the Mind Project
• Course signup
• Christian Habits podcast
• Faithful Counseling

Listen to the Podcast

• YouTube: Click here to subscribe or listen on YouTube. 
• Apple Podcasts: Click here to subscribe or listen on Apple Podcasts. (If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast on Apple, this can sometimes take a few hours to update.) 
• Android: Click here to subscribe or listen on Android. 
• Spotify: Click here to subscribe or listen on Spotify. 
• Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Taste for Truth Podcast.”

Do you struggle to make yourself renew your mind or set boundaries? Have you had a difficult trauma in your life that has caused you to gain weight? Do you ever feel like you need to be perfect (and perfectly skinny) to be loved?

These are all things my guest Denise has struggled with. Thankfully, she learned how to make herself renew her mind. God used the renewing of the mind to help Denise see herself through His eyes, set boundaries, follow boundaries, and lose weight. She shares her journey with us in today's episode of the Taste for Truth Podcast.

What We Discussed

• How to make yourself renew your mind when you don't feel like it
• Why Denise did the Taste for Truth Bible Study five times
• How being skinny and eating healthy becomes a control issue
• Tips for maintaining weight on three meals a day
• How grief affects our eating habits and causes us to gain weight
• Why it's important to not base our identity on being skinny
• Tips for leading a Taste for Truth Bible study at your church

Resources Mentioned

• Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg
• Taste for Truth Bible Study
• I Deserve a Donut by Barb Raveling
• I Deserve a Donut app

Listen to the Podcast

• YouTube: Click here to subscribe or listen on YouTube. 
• Apple Podcasts: Click here to subscribe or listen on Apple Podcasts. (If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast on Apple, this can sometimes take a few hours to update.) 
• Android: Click here to subscribe or listen on Android. 
• Spotify: Click here to subscribe or listen on Spotify. 
• Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Taste for Truth Podcast.” 

The live 7-Week Master Class on Transformation Begins January 28, 2025!!!

Do you ever say, “I can’t believe I’ve been a Christian for x number of years and I’m still struggling with this?” Are you reluctant to work on transformation because you’re afraid you’ll fail like you did last time? Do you have some area of your life where you feel stuck?

My guess is that we can all answer “yes” to at least one of those questions. It’s discouraging to fail over and over again.

Romans 12:2 tells us that the answer to our struggles is to renew our minds. But there are two problems with this approach: 1) We don’t necessarily know what that means or 2) we do know how to renew our minds but we can’t make ourselves do it consistently enough to see transformation.

My 7-Week Master Class on Transformation will help you with both of those problems. We’ll get together, each choose an area of our lives to work on, and work together on transformation.

What area of transformation would you like help with?

Here are a few areas you may want to work on during this transformation class:

• Break a habit such as overeating, overspending, or too much time on your phone even though you have zero discipline in that area.
• Achieve a goal such as writing a book, developing a habit of consistently completing your to-do list each day, or starting a business even if you’re a born procrastinator and can’t make yourself work on your project or list.
• Break free from a negative emotion like anger, worry, discontentment, and insecurity even if that emotion has been with you as long as you can remember. Often we think we can’t let go of the negative emotions. Our only hope is to escape them with some self-destructive behavior, stuff them, or control our behavior so the emotion doesn’t hurt ourselves and others. But the truth is, God can help us let go of those negative emotions situation by situation and live in peace and joy (Galatians 5). We’ll learn how to do that in this class.

What are some side benefits (but often the biggest benefits of all) of working on transformation?

No matter what practical area you choose to work on, God will use the transformation process to help you achieve the following goals:

• Grow closer to God and more excited about your times with Him as you develop the practical habit of carrying each thought captive to the truth through the renewing of the min.
• Live in peace and joy as you learn how to corral, process, and let go of the thoughts that are swirling in your head, threatening to drive you crazy.
• Improve relationships and learn how to love others better as you grow in the fruit of the Spirit.

What is the set up of the class?

Here are a few features of the class:

• It will be live. We’ll meet on Zoom but the sessions will also be recorded if you can’t make it.
• I’ll give 15-30 minutes of instruction but we’ll be pausing during the class to apply what I teach to the area of your life that you want to work on.
• We’ll meet once a week for seven sessions but I’ll have six weeks of homework for you to do during the week to apply what you learned to the area of your life you’re working on.
• At the end of each class, I’ll have breakout rooms where you can share how you did with your renewing each week and what God taught you during the week.
• You’ll also have a chance to find accountability partners.

When will the class start?

The class will begin on January 28, 2025. We will meet weekly for 7 sessions on Tuesdays at 12:00 EST. Each class will be be 1 to 1 1/2 hours long.

What if I can’t make the live sessions?

If you can’t make the live sessions, I’ll have a replay available by the next day, possibly sooner. The replays will be available until at least 6/1/25, possibly longer, so that you have time to do the class.

What is the cost of the class?

Although classes like this are often quite expensive, I want everyone to be able to take it, so I’m offering the class at $27 USD.

Is there a deadline for signing up for the class?

Yes, the deadline is January 28, 2025. This is not an on-demand class so even if you plan to take it later, you’ll need to sign up now so I can email you links to the class videos and homework each week.

Where can I sign up?

To get started, go to the click here to go to the product purchase page and sign up.

Six years ago, Stacey had just lost 150 pounds. Today - she is still living in victory! Many who are successful in weight loss, unfortunately, have difficulty keeping it off and continuing to live in freedom.  My conversation with Stacey today on the Taste for Truth Podcast is chock full of insight about not only how to lose the weight, but also maintaining a 150-pound weight loss with God's help.

Listen to my first interview with Stacey here. 

What We Discussed on the Podcast

• How Stacey has become totally free from cravings
• How putting in the work with one particular practice has helped keep the weight off this time
• The reasons that Stacey used food to numb and be "invisible"
• How to manage the social difficulties that arise when following boundaries with food
• Navigating some different challenges after the weight started coming off
• The first step to change

Resources Mentioned on the Podcast

• I Deserve a Donut
• Upcoming Online Courses
• Counseling Resource
• Taste for Truth
• Freedom from Emotional Eating
• Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating

Announcements

I also wanted to mention that I will be tapering off and ultimately ending the Taste for Truth Podcast in January of 2025. I will still be doing my Christian Habits Podcast, and all of the past Taste for Truth episodes will still be available! I'm just at a place in my life where I need to find a work-life balance that is sustainable, and going down to one podcast seems like a very helpful way to do that.

I am also planning to give online course creation a try. If you are interested in staying informed about that, click here.

Listen to the Podcast

• YouTube: Click here to subscribe or listen on YouTube. 
• Apple Podcasts: Click here to subscribe or listen on Apple Podcasts. (If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast on Apple, this can sometimes take a few hours to update.) 
• Android: Click here to subscribe or listen on Android. 
• Spotify: Click here to subscribe or listen on Spotify. 
• Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Taste for Truth Podcast.” 

[This interview was originally published on 10/10/2018.]

Have you ever been completely hopeless about weight-loss? Do you think you've tried it all, and you are on the verge of giving up? My guest today, Stacey, felt exactly the same. However, with God's help, she has been able to lose (and maintain) a 150 pound weight loss!

Today on the Taste for Truth Podcast, I am doing something I have rarely (if ever!) done before: replaying a very encouraging interview! One reason for doing this is because I recently had a second interview with the same person, Stacey, and she has successfully kept the weight off for over 6 years! I wanted it to be easy to have a frame of reference between the first and second episodes. The new interview with Stacey will come out in December.

Stacey followed a program where she had to cut out sugar and white flour and plan out what she would eat each day.

One of the problems with programs like this is that we feel like life is boring because we can't have sugar. Towards the end of the podcast, Stacey shares how she deals with that issue, renewing her mind before she enters into situations where she might feel like she's missing out by not eating sugar.

Whether you follow Stacey's boundaries or not, you'll be able to learn from her experience as she goes to God for help with life.

What We Discussed on the Podcast

• What the difference was this time that led to Stacey's 150 pound weight loss
• The revelation of how we often use food isn't what God intended
• How Stacey was able to stay the course, even through her strong cravings
• Different strategies for renewing the mind
• Lies that Stacey had to work through when getting to maintenance

Resources Mentioned on the Podcast

• I Deserve a Donut
• Upcoming Online Courses
• Counseling Resource
• Taste for Truth
• Freedom from Emotional Eating
• Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating

Announcements

I also wanted to mention that I will be tapering off and ultimately ending the Taste for Truth Podcast sometime in January or, at the latest, February, of 2025. I will still be doing my Christian Habits Podcast, and all of the past Taste for Truth episodes will still be available! I'm just at a place in my life where I need to find a work-life balance that is sustainable, and going down to one podcast seems like a very helpful way to do that.

I am also planning to give online course creation a try. If you are interested in staying informed about that, click here.

Listen to the Podcast

• YouTube: Click here to subscribe or listen on YouTube. 
• Apple Podcasts: Click here to subscribe or listen on Apple Podcasts. (If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast on Apple, this can sometimes take a few hours to update.) 
• Android: Click here to subscribe or listen on Android. 
• Spotify: Click here to subscribe or listen on Spotify. 
• Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Taste for Truth Podcast.” 

Many of us picked up lies about food and eating when we were very young. Those lies tend to follow us into adulthood and sabotage our relationship with food. However, there is hope! Through the renewing of the mind, and going to God (instead of food) for help with life's difficulties, we can regain a healthy relationship with food. On the Taste for Truth Podcast today, Jennifer talks about her journey to finding victory in this area of her life.

What We Discussed on the Podcast

• The early lessons Jennifer learned that sabotaged her relationship with food
• The surprising result of giving up the skinny idol
• Trigger times of the day
• What was different in Jennifer's weight loss journey this time around
• "Growth points" and perfectionism
• The disconnect about having boundaries in other areas of our lives and having boundaries with food

Announcements

I also wanted to mention that I will be tapering off and ultimately ending the Taste for Truth Podcast sometime in the next 2-4 months. I will still be doing my Christian Habits Podcast, and all of the past Taste for Truth episodes will still be available! I'm just at a place in my life where I need to find a work-life balance that is sustainable, and going down to one podcast seems like a very helpful way to do that.

I am also planning to give online course creation a try. If you are interested in staying informed about that, click here.

Resources Mentioned on the Podcast

• Counterfeit Gods by Timothy Keller
• Upcoming Online Courses
• Taste for Truth
• Freedom from Emotional Eating
• Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating
• Freedom from Procrastination
• The Renewing of the Mind Project

Listen to the Podcast

• YouTube: Click here to subscribe or listen on YouTube. 
• Apple Podcasts: Click here to subscribe or listen on Apple Podcasts. (If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast on Apple, this can sometimes take a few hours to update.) 
• Android: Click here to subscribe or listen on Android. 
• Spotify: Click here to subscribe or listen on Spotify. 
• Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Taste for Truth Podcast.” 

Stress is an everyday struggle for most of us in Western society. We turn to many unhealthy things to cope  which often lead to health struggles and weight gain. It actually makes the problem worse! However, stress eating does not have to be our reality any longer.  I'm excited to have Katrina Sequenzia as my guest again today on the Taste for Truth Podcast. Katrina shares her personal struggles in this area as well as many practical tips to overcome the unhealthy coping mechanisms in our lives.

What We Discussed on the Podcast

• A personal struggle that had Katrina turning to another coping mechanism to get through
• The lie that we always tell ourselves in the midst of stressful times to justify our out-of-control eating
• Some of the biological reasons why we turn to food during times of stress
• Many practical (and healthy) ways to cope with difficult moments in our day-to-day lives
• What movement does for us with regard to stress
• Loads, limits, and creating margin

Announcements

I also wanted to mention that I will be tapering off and ultimately ending the Taste for Truth podcast sometime in the next 3-5 months. I will still be doing my Christian Habits Podcast, and all of the past Taste for Truth episodes will still be available! I'm just at a place in my life where I need to find a work-life balance that is sustainable, and going down to one podcast seems like a very helpful way to do that.

I am also planning to give online course creation a try. If you are interested in staying informed about that, click here.

Resources Mentioned on the Podcast

• Online counseling resource
• My initial episode with Katrina: How to Stop Sugar Cravings by Katrina Sequenzia
• Katrina's free gift for my listeners!
• Katrina's website: healthyfreelife.com
• My recent episode with Kirby Kelly
• Upcoming Online Courses
• Taste for Truth
• Freedom from Emotional Eating
• Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating
• Freedom from Procrastination

Listen to the Podcast

• YouTube: Click here to subscribe or listen on YouTube. 
• Apple Podcasts: Click here to subscribe or listen on Apple Podcasts. (If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast on Apple, this can sometimes take a few hours to update.) 
• Android: Click here to subscribe or listen on Android. 
• Spotify: Click here to subscribe or listen on Spotify. 
• Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Taste for Truth Podcast.” 

If you've ever wondered how all of those people I've interviewed in the past are doing now, you'll enjoy today's episode of the Taste for Truth Podcast! I'm having a second "check-in" interview with Sarah whom I previously interviewed over four years ago. Back in 2020, Sarah was a new mom and was experiencing great success with changing her eating and lifestyle habits. Today our discussion centers around how pivotal exercise has been for Sarah in her journey, and about her struggles and victories while navigating many life changes.

What We Discussed on the Podcast

• How Sarah is doing four years after her first victory interview
• How finding exercise that matched her temperament has helped Sarah achieve her goals
• Viewing exercise as spiritual warfare - using your body to fight a spiritual battle
• New research that highlights the importance of exercise for mental health
• The importance of asking for help
• Why we can have hope even when we have yo-yo dieted and feel that we have tried everything
• What being poor in spirit really means, and how it's a good thing
• The story of "20-steps back" and how it relates to success with healthy habits

Announcements

I also wanted to mention that I will be tapering off and ultimately ending the Taste for Truth podcast sometime in the next 5-7 months. I will still be doing my Christian Habits Podcast, and all of the past Taste for Truth episodes will still be available! I'm just at a place in my life where I need to find a work-life balance that is sustainable, and going down to one podcast seems like a very helpful way to do that.

I am also planning to give online course creation a try. If you are interested in staying informed about that, click here.

Resources Mentioned on the Podcast

• • My initial episode with Sarah: Losing Weight and Getting Healthy (January 2020)
  • Elaina Koyl Coaching
  • Upcoming Online Courses
  • Taste for Truth
  • Freedom from Emotional Eating
  • Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating

Listen to the Podcast

• YouTube: Click here to subscribe or listen on YouTube. 
• Apple Podcasts: Click here to subscribe or listen on Apple Podcasts. (If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast on Apple, this can sometimes take a few hours to update.) 
• Android: Click here to subscribe or listen on Android. 
• Spotify: Click here to subscribe or listen on Spotify. 
• Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Taste for Truth Podcast.” 

On this episode of the Taste for Truth podcast, I am doing something different and kind of fun! I decided to do a mish-mash of sorts of a few different episodes. I'll be doing a meditation from my book Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating ("It would be crazy not to eat this!"), and then also a series of "Ask Barb" questions that I've received from listeners. There a variety of topics covered, but all of them are centered around eating habits for ourselves or others. I hope you find something that is helpful and encouraging!

Announcements

I also wanted to mention that I will be tapering off and ultimately ending the Taste for Truth podcast sometime in the near future. Don't worry -  I will still be doing my Christian Habits Podcast, and all of the past Taste for Truth episodes will still be available! I am just at a place in my life where I am needing to find a work-life balance that is sustainable, and going down to one podcast seems like a very helpful way to do that.

I am also planning to give online course creation a try. If you are interested in staying informed about that, click here.

Lastly, my online Philippians Bible study is still going on (as of May 2024). If you'd like to join in for the last 3-4 sessions, click here for more information!

Resources Mentioned on the Podcast

• Philippians - Closer to God Bible Study
• Better Help - Faithful Counseling
• Do You Eat When You're Tired?
• Taste for Truth
• Freedom from Emotional Eating
• Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating
• Rally - A Personal Growth Bible Study

Listen to the Podcast

• YouTube: Click here to subscribe or listen on YouTube. 
• Apple Podcasts: Click here to subscribe or listen on Apple Podcasts. (If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast on Apple, this can sometimes take a few hours to update.) 
• Android: Click here to subscribe or listen on Android. 
• Spotify: Click here to subscribe or listen on Spotify. 
• Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Taste for Truth Podcast.” 

It's so easy in our culture today to get caught up in trying to find our self-worth in material things, money, our jobs, or the way we look. The idea of being skinny can be something that we begin to obsess over because we somehow think our identity is wrapped up in our appearance. This isn't what God wants for us and, consequently, also makes us very unhappy.  On today's episode of the Taste for Truth Podcast, we'll debunk 10 lies that perpetuate this skinny idol.

I also wanted to mention that I will be leading an online Bible study through my new Philippians Bible study in the month of May. If you're interested in finding out more and signing up, get the info here. I do think it is so helpful to go through regular Bible studies - even when you're trying to lose weight or be healthier - because we are getting more of the truth of God's word in our system (which helps us combat all the lies we believe that fuel our eating problems).  This particular book deals with many different topics in the book of Philippians, one of them being finding our identity in God. I hope you'll find it helpful!

What We Discussed on the Podcast

• How our "Good Christian" list can adversely affect our self-worth
• Different things we turn to to find our identity in rather than God
• "I need to be skinny to be accepted."
• "When I'm skinny, I'll be happier."
• "People think I'm a loser because I'm overweight."
• A passage in Philippians that reminds us what we cannot have confidence in
• Some tips for truth journaling

Resources Mentioned on the Podcast

• Philippians - Closer to God Bible Study
• Taste for Truth
• Freedom from Emotional Eating
• Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating

Listen to the Podcast

• YouTube: Click here to subscribe or listen on YouTube. 
• Apple Podcasts: Click here to subscribe or listen on Apple Podcasts. (If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast on Apple, this can sometimes take a few hours to update.) 
• Android: Click here to subscribe or listen on Android. 
• Spotify: Click here to subscribe or listen on Spotify. 
• Amazon Alexa: To listen on Amazon Alexa, say, “Alexa, play the Taste for Truth Podcast.”