3 Ways to Stay on Track with Your Weight Loss During the Holidays

Proverbs 4:25–27 “Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.”

3 Ways to Stay on Track:

1. Focus on One thing and doing one thing well.

Philippians 3:16 says, “We must hold on to the progress we have already made.”

2. Set Boundaries with yourself and others That Guard Your Peace and your conviction.

Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace his whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”

3. Remember to Keep Spiritual Habits at the Center

John 15:5 says, “I am the vine, and you are the branches, if you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.”

Father, thank You for reminding us that consistency is not about perfection, but about focus. When distractions pull at our hearts, help us fix our eyes on You. Give us the wisdom to set boundaries, the strength to stay steady, and the grace to enjoy this season in peace. Protect our progress and align our priorities with Your will. In every meal, every plan, every moment — may our choices bring You glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. What’s one area where you tend to lose focus during the holidays, and how can you fix your eyes on Christ instead?

2. What boundaries could you set, with yourself and others, this season to protect your peace? 

3. Which spiritual habit can you commit to keeping consistent, even in busy season?

Are you sick of trying diet after diet and NOT losing weight?

Hey there friend, I'm Lindy Schlabach, Christian Fitness & Nutrition Coach. I gained 100 pounds in my late twenties and struggled for years to get it off. Seven years ago, I found a basic system that worked and has helped me lose 90 of those pounds. I’ve been working with women in online fitness and nutrition ever since to break chains of diet culture, embrace their bodies and fueling instead of dieting.

In this podcast, I'll teach you how to:

• • Lose Weight in a Way that honors God without obsessing about the scale
  • Meal Plan and Prep for Your Family
  • Follow a MACRO based plan that allows you to eat the foods you love.
  • Recognize and pray through triggers keeping you stuck.
  • I’ll help you Plan your week and schedule your self-care time.
  • Cultivate a spirit of self-discipline in your workouts you actually enjoy.
  
  It's time to give God your health journey and watch Him make you new, from the inside, OUT.

Join The Biblical Weight Loss Framework: https://www.herweightlossmindset.com/framework

Join my FREE Community: https://bit.ly/JoinTheChristianWeightLossCommunity

Join my Insiders List with weekly tips for weight loss for Christian women: http://herweightlossmindset.com/herweightlossmindsetinsiders

Transcript

Good morning, beautiful friend. Welcome back. Listen, I know this time of year can feel like a whirlwind.

We have full calendars, sweet treats aplenty, family events to think about, and emotions that sometimes feel all over the place, especially if you're in a season of grief through the holidays.

If you've ever said, I just want to make it through the holidays without losing progress, this episode is for you. Did you know that the average person gains five to seven pounds between Thanksgiving and Christmas?

We just give up and give in to our excuses. But no more! This is not how God desires us to treat our bodies.

And it takes such a toll on our overall health, our mental, physical, and emotional, and spiritual. So today, we are talking about three ways to stay on track during the holidays. Not with perfection or striving, but with peace.

Because staying steady through this season isn't about restriction. It's about direction. So hang tight and ask the Lord to give you peace through this episode.

Are you sick of trying diet after diet and not losing weight? Are you tired of doubting your ability to actually lose weight in a healthy way? Do you wish you could find a laid out for you plan that will help you stay accountable to your goals?

Hey, friend, I'm Lindy Schlabach, Christian Fitness & Nutrition Coach. I gained 100 pounds in my late 20s and struggled for years to get it off. So grab your pre-workout and let's chat.

So I want to invite you to my free one-day Christmas boot camp. If you join my free community, herweightlossmindset.com, and subscribe to my mailing list, I'm going to send you a link to join my free community.

In December 2nd, we are going to be kicking off the Christmas season with a weight loss boot camp. I'll be sharing all things weight loss through the season, fun desserts, how to stay on plan, how to treat, and what to eat.

I want you to make sure you hop in the free group and get in there so that you can join us. The link to my website is in the show notes below.

2:22

Divine Guidance

Okay, so the best place to start is in the word. Every day, right? And today's verse comes from Proverbs 4, verses 25–27.

It says, Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet. Stay on the safe path.

Don't get sidetracked. Keep your feet from following evil. Oh, man, I really feel like we need to read that again.

Okay, it says, Look straight ahead and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet. Stay on the safe path.

Don't get sidetracked. Keep your feet from following evil. Proverbs 4, 25–27.

Oh, my gosh, does that fire you up? Like, that inspires me and gives us such a directive in life. It reminds us that focus is spiritual.

It's blood ordained. And when we fix our eyes on Jesus and we keep walking in wisdom, his wisdom that only he gives when we ask, even in the busiest seasons, can become holy ground for us to do his will and live in obedience.

3:30

Focus on Progress

So we're gonna walk through three ways to protect your progress and your peace as you navigate this holiday season.

So I know we talk about this first step like quite often, but I really want you to implant it in your mind right now, that we're focusing on one thing and doing one thing well. This is Christmas. You're gonna be invited to a party.

You're probably gonna go out to dinner with your friends. Maybe you will work in a doctor's office or a dentist office. And I know that friends and family of mine are constantly having desserts and donuts and sweet treats brought in.

And so we are not focusing on all the things that we're not gonna do. We're not gonna eat sugar through the Christmas season. We're not gonna do this.

We're not gonna do that. And if God has called you to that or you're having a medical issue, then that's one thing.

But if you're just focusing on losing weight so much so during this Christmas season, I want you to shift that focus into walking in obedience instead. And we're gonna do that by focusing on one thing and doing that one thing really well.

Because perfectionism is one of the enemy's favorite traps, especially during the holidays. We think, if I can't do it right, like alright, why even do it at all?

But the truth is, small, intentional, steady progress pleases God far more than you burning yourself out or trying to strive and try and living in shame when you fail.

When you miss a workout or eat more than you planned, don't label that day as a failure. Instead, what can I do next that honors you, Lord? Just do the next right thing.

Repent and ask the Lord to lead you in your next choice, to help you remove the shame from your life. Maybe you need to drink more water.

Maybe you need to take a five-minute walk every day, or simply pray when you start to feel spiraling, or that craving kick in, or you're walking to the pantry when you just ate dinner.

We have to learn to forgive ourselves and replace the negative inner monologue with the verse that we shared above. Stay on the safe path. Don't get side-trapped.

Fix your eyes on what lies before you. Keep your feet from following evil. Remember, progress is obedience in motion.

It's not perfection. Obedience to the Holy Spirit over the outcome of your result is how we truly win while honoring the Lord throughout this journey. This is a hard journey, friends.

Especially I have a very dear set of girlfriends, their sisters, and they lost their mom a year ago this past August. And this season is hard for them right now. Like it is hard for them to navigate this.

They have so many other good things going on in their life. But when you're missing someone during the holiday season, especially a woman as amazing as their mother was, like, it's a hard season for some people.

But we have to learn to focus on what is true, and what is noble, and what is right. Which is this season is about celebrating Jesus and all of the goodness that he bestows upon us every single day.

And instead of feeding ourselves through our grief, or through our shame, or through a breakup, or maybe job loss, like we have to learn to focus on the Holy Spirit. Philippians 3.16 says, We must hold on to the progress we have already made.

Yes, hold on. See how far you have come. Focus on what you are doing.

One seemingly small step is going to add up to far more than trying to do it all, and then quitting again. We must hold on to the progress we have already made. Hold on to the progress we've already made.

Listen, if you are coming back to this podcast and listening over and over and over, that is progress you have already made because you know that the Lord is leading you here and you know that the Lord is breaking chains, and even if you haven't lost

one ounce of weight, maybe you are starting to recognize that you need to eat more protein. Maybe you are starting to recognize when cravings hit or the negativity that runs through your brain. That's progress. Hold on to that.

Look and see how far you have come. Focus on all of the amazing things that you are doing. One step.

Focus on one step in doing that one step well. When things get hectic, protect that progress and protect your peace. We're not starting over here.

You're continuing the work that God began in you. I don't care if you took a five-year break. You're not starting over.

You're continuing the work. So I want you to consider this simple mindset shift. Don't let one moment define your momentum.

Do the next right thing.

8:21

Establish Boundaries

The second thing I want you to do is set boundaries with yourself and others. That's going to guard your peace and guard your conviction. Listen, this journey is about honoring the Lord.

We're not in school anymore. Someone's bullying you or belittling you because you're working to eat for the Lord. They have no say in your life.

I don't care if it's your spouse, your best friend, your parent. Bless and release. One of the hardest things about the holidays isn't the food, it's the pressure.

Pressure to please everyone, to attend every event, to cook and clean and smile when you're running on empty. But I want you to prayerfully lean in and ask the Lord what events you need to be attending and the ones that you don't.

And learning to say no thank you is going to give you such power. When you let the Lord speak through you to graciously to kind, through his strength not yours, that peace is going to overcome.

And it's going to look a lot different for you this holiday season. Boundaries are biblical, my friends. Even Jesus withdrew from crowds to rest and pray.

You have permission to say no. You have permission to protect your peace. If you haven't asked the Lord if you should attend an event, you need to start praying over that.

If you get an uneasy sensation, that's the Spirit's warning. And learning to discern those thoughts will help you attend events that will fill your cup instead of stealing from it.

Just because it's the holidays doesn't mean you have to spend time with family that depletes you. I have some friends that every year for Thanksgiving, they don't leave their house.

They cook an entire Thanksgiving meal, just the two of them, husband and wife, and spend the day doing the things that they want to do. They have set that boundary within their family, and I think that's amazing.

So ask yourself what drains your energy this season. Who drains your energy? And what fills you up spiritually, emotionally?

Who are the people that fill your cup? And then be intentional, so intentional about both. If a tradition, event, or obligation is stealing your peace, it's okay to make adjustments.

It's okay to re-shift that time. Isaiah 26.3 says, You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you. Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the Rock Eternal.

So fix your eyes as Proverbs says, look straight ahead, not everyone else's expectations. You're following the path that God marked for you. Let Him lead.

So this week, I want you to try building some small daily peace breaks. Five minutes of quiet with God in the morning. Maybe a walk outside at lunch, or a worship playlist while you're cooking or doing your workout.

I want you to remember that peace isn't found in protection and perfection, excuse me. It's found in His presence.

11:08

Prioritize Spiritual Habits

And then lastly, the third step, remember to keep your spiritual habits at the center. When life gets busy, it's easy to drop the spiritual rhythms that anchor your heart.

You give up prayer, scripture, gratitude, worship, but those are the very things that keep you anchored. And this season, your spiritual health must be a non-negotiable.

We're not about pleasing people, we're about pleasing the Lord, but these habits have to remain non-negotiable. You have to make time. And that doesn't mean that you have to spend an hour long doing a devotional or reading your Bible.

It means intentional moments of connection with the Holy Spirit. It means getting in the Word, opening your Bible. Read one verse or a few verses, whatever he leads you to.

So, here are maybe a few ideas you consider. Read a psalm while you're coffee brews. Maybe write it down or repeat it out loud.

Maybe say a prayer before each meal. Or keep a gratitude journal. Three to five things every day that you're grateful for.

These seemingly small habits keep your focus clear and keep your soul nourished. John 15 5 says, I am the vine and you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.

Apart from me, you can do nothing. I actually had this tattooed on my arm two years ago because it is the lifeblood of who I ache to be.

When we stay connected to the vine, you're going to bear fruit even during the holiday season, especially during the holidays. So let's shift. You're not just trying to survive the holidays.

Like you're learning to abide through them with grace and strength through the Holy Spirit.

12:48

Sustained Peace

So I want to tell you about my friend. Let's call her Lauren. She told me last year that every holiday season felt like three steps forward and five steps back.

She would start strong in November, but by Christmas she felt defeated. She was exhausted, bloated, overwhelmed, disappointed. But last year she did something different.

She wrote Proverbs 4.25–27 on a sticky note and put it on her fridge. Look straight ahead. Stay on the safe path.

She strapped trying to be perfect and started focusing on peace. She planned her meals, she took short walks after dinner, and said no to a few things that was draining her energy. And by January, she had just maintained her weight.

She had gained peace, confidence, and deeper intimacy with Jesus. And that is what staying on track truly looks like. Most Holy Father, thank you for reminding us that consistency is not about perfection, but about focusing on you.

When distractions pull at our hearts, Father, help us fix our eyes on you. Give us the wisdom to set boundaries, the strength to stay intentional, and the grace to enjoy this season in peace, focusing on you, which is the most important thing.

Protect our progress, Jesus, and align our priorities with your will. In every meal, every plan, every moment, may our choices bring glory to you. It's in your name we pray, Father.

Amen. So I'd like you to think about the following questions and then seek the Lord's answer if you struggle. So what's one area that you tend to lose focus during the holidays?

And how can you fix your eyes on Christ instead? And then think about what boundaries you could set with yourself or someone else this season to protect your peace.

And then lastly, think about which spiritual habit you can commit to keeping consistent with even in the busy season. Remember, we're focusing on one thing. Listen, sister, staying on track isn't about doing more.

It's about walking with your heavenly father. Look straight ahead, fix your eyes on Jesus, and keep those steps intentionally steady towards him. You don't have to be perfect.

You just need to be present. You are enough. God bless.

Hey, sis, I hope you enjoyed today's episode. If so, would you take 30 seconds and share it with a friend? Also, please leave a quick review for the show on Apple Podcasts.

It lights me up to know this podcast is helping you. Okay, it's time to go make a protein shake and get my sweat on. No more standing in the kitchen waiting for motivation to appear.

I will meet you back here for another episode. God bless.