Fasting is meant to bring us closer to God—but what happens when it feels more like another form of self-deprivation or falls into diet culture traps? In this episode, Brittany tackles a question so many Christian women struggle with: How do you navigate fasting when you’re working through disordered eating or battling negative body image? This conversation digs deep into the distinction between fasting as a spiritual practice and self-deprivation driven by pride, perfectionism, or control. If you’ve ever felt torn about fasting because of your relationship with food, or if you’ve wrestled with guilt over not fasting, this one’s for you. Brittany walks us through a biblical perspective on fasting that doesn’t rely on willpower or deprivation. She dives into key Scriptures and challenges common misconceptions about fasting, offering wisdom for Christian women trying to balance faith with mental, emotional, and physical health. Whether you're curious about the biblical examples of fasting or wondering how it applies to your life today, this episode is packed with insights to help you embrace fasting in a way that fosters spiritual growth—not shame or restriction. A few things you can expect to hear in this episode include… 🙏 The difference between fasting and self-deprivation ✝️ A closer look at what the Bible actually says about fasting 🤔 How fasting can shift from prideful willpower to genuine spiritual practice 📜 Surprising biblical examples of fasting and what we can learn from them 🍽️ Practical wisdom for those struggling with disordered eating and fasting Your Next Steps to Food Freedom & Better Body Image: > Subscribe to The Joy-Filled Eater PRIVATE PODCAST for step-by-step strategies to walk you through my proven Joy-Filled Eater framework for finding lasting freedom from negative body image and disordered eating > Become a VIP Podcast Insider HERE to access BONUS resources only available to our VIP list. > Enroll in The Joy-Filled Eater course! Join our FREE community in the Food Freedom & Body Image Support for Christian Women Facebook group to ask your questions about cultivating a joy-filled relationship with food, your body, & Jesus. Got a question about food freedom, body image, faith, or nutrition? Leave me a SpeakPipe voice note here for a chance to have your question answered on an episode of The Joy-Filled Eater Podcast! If you love the show and are finding it valuable, be sure to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Listen to your podcasts somewhere else? No worries!  You can leave your podcast review here instead 😉. Connect with Brittany on Instagram *Reminder - Podcast content is not meant to be taken as professional nutrition or medical advice or to replace counseling with a licensed therapist. Please consult with your own treatment team.