Danna Demetre battled a food addiction for years. Bulimia and diet pills filled her with so much fear and anxiety that she sometimes felt like she was losing her mind or even dying. That is what led her to Christ and how she ultimately gained victory over food temptations. She shares the steps she went through as God transformed her mind and her relationship with food.

The end of one year approaches and the beginning of another is on our horizon. Perhaps it is during the span of those couple months when more people consider the state of their health and the improvements they should make. I’ve been there. But I’ve also sat in a doctor’s office in mid-April or the end of August and had the very same questions. On a recent episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective podcast, I chatted with registered nurse and health coach, Danna Demetre, about seeing our health and body from God’s perspective. If you missed that episode, you can listen here [Seeing Our Health and Body from God’s Perspective – Episode 138].

She has so much wisdom and personal insight to offer. She shares about her food temptations and how she gained victory over food.

Food Temptation: How I Gained Victory
By Danna Demetre

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” Romans 7:15 (NIV).

I flopped down on the couch, grabbed the remote and landed on a late afternoon talk show. As a new registered nurse, I was stressed, trying to learn all I needed to care for my patients with confidence. I reached for the bowl of ice cream sitting on the coffee table and thought, “My husband won’t be home for hours. Today will be the last day I blow it. Tomorrow, I will go on a diet.”

The problem was, tomorrow never came … because I was in a battle I could not win. I’d been bingeing and purging for five years.
I’d stopped taking amphetamine diet pills because they caused unrelenting panic attacks with such fear and anxiety that I sometimes felt like I was losing my mind or even dying.

Food temptations led her to Christ

Those emotions prompted me to pursue God, and I came to know Jesus as my personal Savior. I tried to fully surrender my life to Him. I read my Bible. I prayed. I went to church and Bible study. So, why was it still so hard to change my relationship with food? What was wrong with me?

Despite knowing I had the power of the Holy Spirit living in me, when it came to food, I felt powerless.

One day, I found Romans 7:15 which completely described my dilemma. The Apostle Paul wrote: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

I wasn’t sure if I felt better or worse about this verse being in the Bible. If Paul, who personally encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, was in this same battle as I, who could ever find victory over their personal battles?

Fortunately, I didn’t stop reading.

In verse 24b, Paul asks the question I’d been asking about this perpetual battle of the flesh: “Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” In verse 25a, he gives the answer: “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (NIV)

But, what does that mean? I knew I was delivered from death to life through Jesus’ death. But, what about my daily battle right here, right now?

How the truths in God’s word transformed her thinking about food

My quest to find God’s answer began in earnest. I learned later in Romans 12 that one key was to change my perspective.

It says in Romans 12:1b to “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship” (NIV). I realized I was trying to lose weight to please other people rather than God. If I saw taking good care of my body as a form of worship, that changed everything. What freedom!

The nagging question remained: How do I do this consistently? Romans 12:2a says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (NIV). I came to understand that we are most profoundly transformed by TRUTH!

For many years, I’d believed several lies:

1) The lie that my identity was found in my size or appearance.
2) The lie that I couldn’t withstand the temptation of food.
3) The lie that I was dying or losing my mind.

These lies became my most dominant thoughts. And, in the human brain, the most dominant thought wins!

Victory over food temptations

I realized my part in transformation was to identify lies I believed and replace them with His truth.
For example, I began repeating 1 Corinthians 10:13 that deals with facing temptation. This was not an instant fix. It was an inner habit that needed daily practice and ultimately “rewired” my neuron pathways and my soul over time.

At 69, I have lived in victory over food for over 30+ years by practicing these truths. Whatever your battle, I know you can experience victory as well.

The Bible is like a surgical knife that cuts out lies and replaces them with life-changing truth. Whether your struggle is with food or some other battle, dwelling daily on specific scriptural truth to replace your lies will ultimately change your emotions and your behavior because the Word of God truly is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12b, ESV).

Heavenly Father, I pray You will help me be transformed by identifying the lies I believe and replacing them with Your truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

How have you handled those difficult situations and temptations in your life? We’d love to hear in the comments below.

 

About Danna Demetre

A former registered nurse, Danna Demetre has been a popular retreat and conference speaker for over 25 years. She’s the author of several books to include her latest – Eat Live Thrive Diet – co-authored with Robyn Thomson. Women all over the country are praising their biblical and practical approach to health and weight loss as they discover how to lose weight and improve their health in a way that is realistic and sustainable.

Danna and Robyn share weekly posts and videos addressing issues of concern to women covering body, soul and spirit. Their online virtual and live coaching program, Eat Live Thrive Academy, helps women discover a path to victory over unhealthy habits.

Connect with Danna: Lean Healthy Ageless Website / Eat Live Thrive Diet Website / Facebook / YouTube / Instagram

Book Giveaway

In conjunction with this post and the podcast interview Seeing Our Health and Body from God’s Perspective – Episode 138. Danna Demetre is giving away a free copy of her new book, Eat, Live, Thrive Diet: a Lifestyle Plan to Rev Up your Midlife Metabolism.

Leave a comment below sharing with us one thing you’ve learned about gaining victory over temptation with food and you will be entered into the contest for your chance to win a copy of her book.

You could also share this blog post on Facebook or Twitter then comment here to tell us where you shared it and you’ll also be entered into the drawing.

The winner will be selected at random and announced next Monday, December 13, 2021. Continental United States only.