I remember one morning, sitting in complete exhaustion — tired of micromanaging my food, but unable to stop.
I thought about whether I could stomach doing this for the rest of my life. Ugh. I couldn’t.
I thought about whether this was something I wanted my daughter to observe me doing as she got older — or, worst case, something she’d start doing herself. Absolutely not. I only want her to grow up knowing that food is a gift — something that nourishes her.
I thought about everyone I know and love. Did the knowledge of whether they tracked their food alter my feelings about them? Of course not. In fact, I was starting to wish everyone around me had the food freedom I longed for — but was too scared to reach for.
And yet, I kept going.
I continued to track my food down to the last bite.
I worked out almost every day — sometimes twice.
I passed on rest days, convinced I’d lose progress if I slowed down.
I celebrated discipline like it was the highest virtue. And slowly, I started to hate it.
But the fear of what would happen if I stopped consumed me.
What if I gained weight?
What if I had to buy bigger clothes?
What if I just let my body be?
That fear kept me frozen for a long time.
So I didn’t stop.
And I didn’t rest.
And I got more tired.
Eventually, I realized I wasn’t actually living in a healthy body — I was living in a body I didn’t trust.
One I tried to manage, manipulate, and out-discipline every single day.
Quitting Dieting Didn’t Mean Quitting Health
Letting go of dieting wasn’t a snap decision.
It was a quiet unraveling.
I’d make progress, get scared, and fall back into old habits.
But I kept plugging away — one thought, one rest day, one small act of trust at a time.
At first, it was terrifying. I didn’t know what would happen to my body without the rules.
But what I found instead of chaos was peace.
Freedom.
And, surprisingly — more energy and strength than I ever had while dieting.
I began eating for fuel and joy.
I started moving because I wanted to feel strong — not because I needed to burn something off.
And I found that when I gave my body grace, it responded with strength I never saw when I was stuck in the cycle of overtraining and restriction.
What Happened When I Quit Dieting
All of those things I feared?
Gaining weight.
Buying bigger clothes.
Letting go of control?
They happened.
And I was okay.
My body wasn’t built to be an extra small. I’d be lying if I said there weren’t days where I still struggled with that. But even after all of those fears came true… I survived. And more than that — I found peace.
I no longer feel like my body will spiral out of control if I skip a workout or eat something unplanned.
I no longer feel like I have to “make up for” anything.
My body has settled into the size it’s meant to be.
And there is so much peace in that.
A Faith-Based Approach to Fitness Changed Everything
As I stepped away from diet culture, I started asking what it would look like to honor my body — not just as something to take care of, but as something designed by God.
What would it look like to move out of love, not fear?
To treat rest not as weakness, but as wisdom?
To stop trying to shrink my body and instead learn to steward it?
That’s what Grit & Grace is about.
It’s a faith-based approach to fitness that honors your body, your story, and your walk with God.
It’s strength without shame.
Movement without guilt.
Grace without earning it.
If You’re Tired, Too…
If you’re worn out from chasing numbers, tracking every bite, and feeling like your body is always a problem to fix…
I want you to know it’s okay to stop.
You can step out of the cycle and still care for your body.
You can pursue health without punishing yourself.
You can choose grace — and still become stronger than you’ve ever been.
This is the beginning of a new chapter.
One that doesn’t demand perfection.
Just a little faith, and a willingness to move forward with grace.
One Small Step You Can Take This Week
Pick one way to move your body this week that feels life-giving — not punishing.
Maybe it’s a strength workout.
Maybe it’s a walk outside.
Maybe it’s stretching to worship music.
Or maybe… it’s simply resting without guilt.
Don’t track calories burned.
Don’t force it to last a certain amount of time.
Just find something you enjoy — and do it for as long as it feels good.
Then ask yourself:
Did that feel like care? Did that feel like grace?
Let that be the new standard — not how much you burned, tracked, or earned.
