Tight ministerial schedules make it hard, at times, to get to the grocery store, must less cook. That leaves us with fast food — processed foods which may be laden with fat, hidden sugars and unwanted calories.

It’s no surprise when those unwanted calories turn into unwanted pounds and inches. It’s no surprise the added weight tends to make us less active, compounding our problem.

So how do we cope? God is surely our best ally as we battle bulge.

We could turn to fad diets. We could rely on negative-calories foods like grapefruit which contain fewer calories than it requires to digest. But I learned in my own personal struggle that prayer and fasting are powerful weapons against those spiritual enemies which may have caused our problems in the first place: Overeating, food lust, food addiction, eating for pleasure instead of hunger, self bitterness and/or an unloving spirit.

God enabled me to drop about 40 pounds which hung around long after my son’s birth — pounds I had gained easily despite breast feeding.

My family loves to eat out and it was just too easy to put off dieting when faced with large platters, tempting buffets, and sumptuous desserts. Even when I cooked, I hated to waste food, so I ate more than I needed. Breast feeding didn’t help because I ate more — just because I could.

My victory came when I decided the enjoyment I got from eating wasn’t worth being overweight. I made a commitment to regular exercise — meaning just about everyday — and began juicing for 40 days.

In my case, this wasn’t strict juicing, which removes the pulp. I used my blender, but limited my food intake to fruits and vegetables. You could call it a Daniel fast because it is similar to his test diet outlined in Daniel 1.

What made this effort different than a diet was that I was doing it for the Lord. God gave me the willpower I didn’t have otherwise.

Jesus’ disciples learned about the need to fast after they attempted to heal a child and could not.

“… this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting,” he told them Matthew 17:21.

Fasting at the Holy Spirit’s urging has helped me both spiritually and physically. I have done water fasts and the Daniel style fruit-and-vegetable fast. I have given up desserts or some activity for the Lord. I have learned to set aside time to hear God’s voice through Scripture and the circumstances of life.

Occasionally the weight creeps back, as I suspected it would, but God ordains a church fast or gives me someone for whom to pray and fast.

As I get older, I realize the importance of cutting portion size to compensate for muscle loss and my body’s decreasing ability to burn calories.

I know I’ve not arrived and my choices could be better, at times. But I have made progress.

I have learned to cut my white flour, sweets and meat. I eat more soup. I avoid soda and sweetened drinks, preferring water and non-caffeinated, unsweetened tea. I’ve cut way back on the home-baked cookies or sweet breads. I don’t eat many fried foods. I eat more vegetables, like spinach.

I’ve developed newer, healthier habits with God’s help. He’s enabled me to say “no” to calorie-laden desserts because they seem too rich, instead of just out of concern about calories. Sometimes the drink or dessert seems too sweet. I look forward to eating whole grains and actually prefer them at times — at least in part because it makes me feel good to take care of myself.

To me, there is no perfect diet regimen. I believe God wants us FREE to make wise choices, and eat foods we enjoy in moderation.

God gives us wise advice in Romans 13:14: “…put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

This article is not intended to take the place of medical advice. Water or Daniel-style fasts are not advisable for everyone and can be dangerous for some. Seek a medical checkup and get a doctor’s advice before undertaking any diet or food-related fast.

By Cheryl Rogers writes on behalf of the Facebook download – Chit Chat for Facebook. Chit Chat is a Facebook Messenger that enables it’s users to talk over Facebook Chat from their computer’s desktop. The Chit Chat site also boasts many Facebook articles.