There is one component that almost every single health, fitness, or weight loss program overlooks. If you’ve ever tried to improve your body composition before to improve your health or confidence, but still don’t find yourself where you want to be, you may have overlooked this as well. I was equipped with all the knowledge I needed to be healthy, but despite knowledge of what to do I continued to fall into the same self-sabotaging habits and beliefs. It wasn’t until I got ‘spiritually fit’ that I finally saw the real physical transformation I had tried so hard to achieve before. 

Matthew 6:33 says to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” By the time you’re done reading you will be aware of the most common spiritual mistakes that you might be making and learn how to overcome them on your way to a stronger and more confident body that honors God. We’ve helped hundreds of people get in the best shape of their life over the last 5 years through Inside Out Strength, and I’m excited to help you save time, energy, and frustration by overcoming these common spiritual mistakes.

Mistake 1: Putting Your Identity In Your Health

I fell into this trap for a lot of years, and it can lead to all sorts of problems inside and out. It’s easy for those striving to live a healthier lifestyle to slip into placing their identity in their health. Your outside health should simply be a reflection of your inside health. While there’s nothing wrong with striving for a healthy life, your worth is in so much more than how healthy you are.

Strategy: Romans 6:6 says “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin”. Your old self may have found identity in health or external things, but your new self is called to put your identity in Christ alone.

Mistake 2: Relying on Your Performance

We live in a performance driven society. When you do well at something, you receive praise. When you don’t, you receive correction, feedback, or consequences. If you find yourself taking actions or doing something to please yourself or please others, you are relying on performance to find your self-worth. This will lead to unhealthy tendencies and thoughts that will never bring long-term success and fulfillment.

Strategy: 2 Corinthians 12:9 says “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” You don’t have to perform to draw closer to God or closer to others, instead live free knowing that you can perform from a place of freedom and acceptance in how God sees you.

Mistake 3: Finding Confidence In How You Look

The Bible talks about this as satisfying of the flesh or idolizing the flesh. If you find yourself suddenly convicted to eat healthy only when you have upcoming get-togethers, you might be finding confidence in how you look. Too many people live unhealthy for a majority of the year, only to ‘crash diet’ or start exercising when they have an event coming up - such as a wedding, reunion, or anything involving being in a swimsuit. 

Strategy: 1 Samuel 16:7 says “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” God wants you to find your confidence in Him, not in anything related to outward appearance.

Mistake 4: Living Hypocritically 

Just because you’re doing ‘better’ than the person next to you, doesn’t mean that you’re accessing all that God has for you. When you live in comparison, you are stealing the opportunity for God to improve what’s inside of you. When you allow God to reveal the areas for improvement in your own life, you’ll be able to grow into the standard of integrity and excellence that He has for you.

Strategy: Matthew 7:3 says “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Don’t use others as a measuring stick, use God’s word.

Mistake 5: Doing It For The Wrong Reasons

We were created in God’s image, and our outside body should reflect that truth. Too many people in health and fitness are chasing self-seeking reasons for better health. Approval from others, acceptance, and selfish reasons are common reasons you might be striving for better health - but all of these are short-term and will return empty.

Strategy: Genesis 1:27 says “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them.” Make sure the reasons you are desiring better health is to reflect God’s image and to glorify Him. Find ways to make it exciting to build a better temple for the Holy Spirit to be housed in.

Mistake 6: Following Fear, Doubt, or Worry

If you doubt your ability to get healthy, lose weight, live fit, or get out of pain, then you are not following God’s word. If you are only exercising to avoid a negative outcome, then you are not following God’s word. God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). When you allow this truth to move from your brain into your heart, you will see what’s possible for your health.

Strategy: Psalm 139:23 says “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts”. Ask God to reveal where you might be operating out of lies or limiting beliefs, and allow him to replace those anxious thoughts with thoughts of courage, faith, and trust in what’s possible.

Mistake 7: Not Allowing Jesus To Transform

You’ll only get so far in your own strength. Take it from my own experience, no amount of knowledge, discipline, or willpower will help you reach the healthy life you truly desire. If you are believing for a physical transformation of any kind in your health, Jesus is the way to helping you get there. He didn’t simply die on the cross to allow you to ‘just get by’ in this lifetime. He still brings power and transformation if you put your trust in Him and let Him guide your steps.

Strategy: Ephesians 3:20 says “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us”. Let God know what you are believing for, focus on the things you can control, and watch God do above what you can ever ask, think, or imagine.

We help men lose 10 lbs of fat and build 10 lbs of muscle in the next 10 months. If you’re ready to build a body that you’re confident in, click here to chat with one of our coaches.