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My Blog
What I've discovered on my 90 pound weight loss journey through compulsive overeating and weight gain to 12-Step recovery since 2005. Navigating healthy eating can be tricky! Check out my tips and food tricks below. I've included some healthy recipes - please send your healthy recipe ideas to info@reshapeandrecover.com for posting consideration.


Progress Beyond the Scale
Ever notice how discouraging it feels when the scale doesn’t budge? You’re trying. You’re praying. You’re making better choices. …And the number just sits there. But here’s something I’ve seen over and over again — in my own journey and with the people I walk alongside: Sometimes the scale is the last thing to change. Before the pounds move, other things start shifting: ✨ You stop eating past comfortable fullness ✨ You recover faster after a slip ✨ You pause and pray before t

Julie Kleinhans
3 days ago1 min read


Step 2: You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
So many people who struggle with overeating secretly believe this is just a willpower problem. If we were stronger, more disciplined, more spiritual… we’d have it figured out by now. Step 2 gently challenges that lie. Step 2 reminds us that recovery isn’t about trying harder — it’s about trusting deeper. It’s about believing that God cares about this struggle and is able to help us with it. One line from this chapter says it so clearly: “We do not need to feel ashamed anymor

Julie Kleinhans
5 days ago1 min read


I Decided to Stop
I decided to stop eating — and that used to feel impossible. There was a time in my life when stopping mid-meal didn’t even feel like an option. Once I started eating, I felt driven to finish — even when I knew I would feel physically miserable afterward. Not because I was hungry. But because the food was there. Because I paid for it. Because I didn’t want to waste it. In this video, I share a small but powerful moment: I stopped eating before I felt sick. That may sound simp

Julie Kleinhans
7 days ago1 min read


Pausing to Pray
Ever notice how food can feel louder than your faith some days? The cravings feel urgent. The stress feels heavy. It’s not that we don’t want to turn to God…it’s just that we forget. I’ve been there too. It never occurred to me to pray about it. I prayed for others, or for things I thought were more important. But God cares about our health and well-being too. It’s okay to pray for help to turn away from unhealthy food. The good news? You can learn a new way. Every time you p

Julie Kleinhans
Feb 41 min read


Closer Walk with God Toward Freedom
For a long time, one of our members felt completely fixated on food. Thinking about it. Fighting cravings. Feeling frustrated after overeating… again. But when she joined Reshape and Recover, she told me something that stopped me in my tracks: “I don’t just want to stop obsessing about food. I want to grow my relationship with God. If I lose 20–30 pounds too, that would be great.” That’s the shift. 💛 Because real freedom isn’t just about eating less. It’s about needing food

Julie Kleinhans
Feb 21 min read


Step One: The Start of Recovery
I used to think I just needed more willpower. A better plan. A fresh start on Monday. A little more “self-control.” But Step 1 changed everything. Step 1 says we admit we’re powerless over certain foods and behaviors around food — and that our lives have become unmanageable because of it. That’s not weakness. That’s honesty. And honesty is where healing begins. For years, I told myself I could handle it. I’d try to eat “in moderation,” only to end up right back in the same cy

Julie Kleinhans
Jan 311 min read


Step 11
Most people think recovery is just about “trying harder.” But if you’ve struggled with overeating long enough, you already know: Willpower runs out. Motivation fades. Cravings get loud. That’s why Step 11 matters so much. Because Step 11 isn’t about food first — it’s about connection first. When we build a daily habit of time with God (in His Word + prayer), we’re not just “being spiritual.” We’re re-centering our entire day around truth. And something powerful happens when w

Julie Kleinhans
Jan 171 min read


Before You Quit...
If You Messed Up This Week, Read This Before You Quit If you’re ending this week thinking… “I blew it again.” “I had a good streak, and then I messed up.” “I’m back at square one.” I used to get so discouraged after a slip and give up thinking I failed again. Please hear this: You are not a failure. And you don’t have to quit. Shame loves the moment you want to quit — when those thoughts start saying: “You’ll never change.” “You’re too weak.” “God must be disappointed in you.

Julie Kleinhans
Jan 161 min read


Let Your Steadfast Love Be Upon Us
Have you ever done “all the right things” …and still felt pulled toward food? Here’s the truth most of us don’t hear enough: The struggle isn’t just about what we eat — it’s about what we’re trusting in. Because when stress hits…when emotions rise…when life feels heavy… food promises comfort. But it never delivers peace. 📖 “For our heart is glad in Him, because we trust in His holy name. Let Your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in You.” Psalm 33:21–22 (ES

Julie Kleinhans
Jan 151 min read


Control Can’t Give You Peace
Control can feel like the “responsible” thing to do. When life feels shaky, we make the lists… we work harder… we try to manage outcomes… and honestly? It can look wise from the outside. But there’s a difference between: ✅ planning and ❌ controlling Planning says: “I’ll do my part and trust God with the outcome.” Control says: “I have to make sure everything turns out okay.” Control is what we do when trust feels risky. But control doesn’t bring peace — it comes from fea

Julie Kleinhans
Jan 141 min read


Learning to Trust
Sometimes trusting God doesn’t feel safe. Not because God isn’t good… but because life has been hard. When you’ve been hurt by people… when things have been unpredictable… when you’ve watched Christians suffer too… it can be hard to believe: “Everything is going to be okay.” And if you’re someone who tries to control outcomes to avoid pain — I get it. I’ve been there. But here’s what I’m learning in recovery: trust isn’t pretending nothing will hurt. Trust is believing God wi

Julie Kleinhans
Jan 121 min read


Step Five: The Step That Breaks Your Isolation
For so many years, I struggled alone with my overeating. I thought it was up to me to eat in moderation. Maybe you’ve felt that too — the loneliness, the shame, the feeling that if people really knew you, they might pull away. But Step Five changes that. Step Five invites us to stop hiding and let God — and one trusted person — into the places we’d rather keep covered. It’s the moment we admit “the exact nature of our wrongs” to God, to ourselves, and to another human being.

Julie Kleinhans
Dec 6, 20251 min read


Step Four: The Step That Sets You Free
When I first worked Step Four, I was dreading all the extra work it would take to look at my resentments and fears. Plus, I didn’t think I had that many or that they really affected me much. As I worked through them though, with the help of a Fourth Step class and support group, I saw how much they affected my behavior and attitude. But this step isn’t about shame — it’s about healing. It’s about bringing things into the light so God can transform them. In my book 12 Ste

Julie Kleinhans
Nov 29, 20252 min read


Washed Clean
If you’re carrying shame or guilt today, I want you to hear this clearly: you don’t have to. One of the most beautiful truths of the gospel is that we are completely forgiven — of all things. Not partly forgiven. Not forgiven “as long as we never mess up again.” Not forgiven only if we earn it. Forgiven fully , because of God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice. For so many years, I lived with guilt that said, “You should be doing better. You should know better. You keep faili

Julie Kleinhans
Nov 28, 20251 min read


Deepening Our Connection with God for Recovery from Overeating
Ever have one of those days when you skip time with God… and everything feels harder? The stress hits fast. The cravings flare up. And suddenly you’re running on your own strength again. In this week’s Reshape and Recover Podcast , Tony and I talk about why Step 11 — prayer and meditation — isn’t just a “nice idea.” It’s the fuel for recovery from overeating. For years, I thought I was too busy for a morning quiet time. Work, kids, responsibilities… you’ve been there too. But

Julie Kleinhans
Nov 25, 20252 min read


How to Eat Healthy When You’re a Guest
Have you ever sat at someone else’s table, surrounded by delicious food… yet felt that quiet tug in your heart — knowing some of it isn’t part of your plan? You’re not alone. Staying committed to your recovery and health goals can feel especially challenging when food is part of the celebration. But just like Daniel at the king’s table, we can choose faith over pressure. In this week’s episode of the Reshape and Recover Podcast, Tony and I talk about how to: 💛 Stand firm in

Julie Kleinhans
Nov 18, 20251 min read


Sunday Encouragement — Romans 12:1–2
Romans 12:1–2 “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” I love this passage so much. It reminds me that taking care of my body isn’t just about me— not about vanity, not about perfection, and not even only about health. It is an act of spiritu

Julie Kleinhans
Nov 16, 20251 min read


Step Two - Trusting God with Our Struggle with Food
Perhaps you are like I was… I believed in God. I trusted Him with the “big” things — my family, my health, my salvation, my future. But my struggle with overeating? I never prayed about that. It felt too small… too personal… too embarrassing… just not important enough to bother God with. I felt like He had bigger, more urgent prayers to answer. But here’s what I learned: God is so much bigger and loves us so much more than we could ever imagine! ♦ Scripture tells us that He r

Julie Kleinhans
Nov 15, 20252 min read


Why Rest Matters for Your Recovery and Well-Being
I have a tendency to keep working and not slow down. But on the weekends, I intentionally shift gears — worship, a couple of trips to the pool, and an evening out with my husband. Those moments remind me how important it is to rest, reconnect, and actually enjoy life. As we head into the weekend, I want to offer a gentle reminder I’ve had to learn myself: Rest is not laziness — it’s part of recovery. When we pause, we create space to hear God more clearly and make healthier c

Julie Kleinhans
Nov 14, 20251 min read


An Easy, Christian 10th Step Explained
What does a daily 10th Step actually look like? In this video, I walk through a simple, Christian approach to the 10th Step that helps you stay grounded, honest, and connected to God each day. I’ll share: • The evening questions I ask myself • How I use the Fruits of the Spirit • Why a morning routine reduces anxiety and overeating • How the SOAP method helps with devotional time If you’re in recovery and want a simple daily structure, this will help. 👉 Watch the video to se

Julie Kleinhans
Nov 13, 20251 min read
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