The body is amazingly made; you are amazingly made. God designed all of us in His image, but each body is quite unique. Again, what the ideal body weight is for one person is not the ideal body weight for another. But the percentage of fat is basically the same—Men typically average 18 to 24 percent and women average 25 to 31 percent. God designed our systems so efficiently that when you eat according to hunger and fullness, your body will naturally go to a slender size and remain there. Your body knows when its unnecessary reserves have all been used up, and your hunger sensation either will come more often or will require more food before being satisfied. It is important not to focus on a specific weight. It is also important not to repeatedly skip hunger signs. Continually ignoring the signal that your body needs to eat is as harmful as overeating. It can lead to anorexia and trying to maintain a body weight that is too thin and not healthy. As long as you are obedient to hunger and fullness, your body will reach and maintain the weight that God intends for you.

The body is made of mainly water, and water can fluctuate. If you have been obedient to hunger and fullness, you will lose weight if you have weight to lose. Therefore, keep food records of hunger and fullness. Do not be surprised if your weight goes up if you are disobedient to the stomach. If you are a female, do not be surprised if your weight goes up when it is time for your cycle. Do not get depressed if one week your weight does not go down and you did everything right; just keep going and look to God for His rewards.

It is helpful to pick a time of day to weigh, and then know that if you have been obedient and you are finding hunger, there is no reason to be upset if the scale does not go down. Instead, use that energy to make sure that you are waiting for hunger and stopping when you are satisfied. One week you may lose a couple of pounds, and the next week you may not lose anything. It may even go up a pound one week. Just look at the pattern over a three-week period.

Also remember, do not focus on what people think. Every time you find yourself wondering what people think, turn your attention straight upward to God and look only for His approval.

For more on this topic, please see Weigh Down Works!