S11.BONUS 7 | Feel & Function Well: A Christian Approach to Food, Movement, and Mood with Amy Connell

Jan 12

In this episode of Affirming Truths, Carla sits down with Amy Connell, host of the Graced Health Podcast, for a much-needed conversation about the intersection of mental health, nutrition, movement, and identity in Christ. Together, they address how deeply diet culture has shaped women’s relationship with their bodies - and how easily worth gets tangled up with the number on the scale, clothing size, and shifting cultural “ideals.”

From Carla’s nervous-system lens, they explore how things like under-eating, blood sugar swings, too much caffeine, poor sleep, and inactivity can shrink our window of tolerance - making emotional regulation harder than it needs to be. Amy offers practical guidance for balanced nutrition (without labeling foods “good” or “bad”), and explains why “fitness snacking” and small, consistent movement can be more beneficial - and more sustainable - than all-or-nothing workouts.

Did you know that Carla is a Christian Mental Health coach?

See if working with her is what you need in your current season.

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3 Key Takeaways from This Episode

Stewardship replaces shame when your “why” changes.
Amy reframes health as: “We take care of our bodies so we can do what we’re called to do.” The goal isn’t control, punishment, or a certain size—it’s availability for what God has asked of you.
Food and movement shape mood more than most women realize.
Blood sugar balance, eating enough, and adding protein/fiber/fat together can support emotional stability. Even 20 minutes of moderate movement (or small “snacks” of movement) can improve clarity, mood, and resilience.
The cultural ideal will always change—so it can’t be your standard.
Amy walks through how body ideals have swung across decades and reminds us: when we root our worth in the world’s preferences, we’ll always lose. The safer anchor is identity in Christ and faithful stewardship of the body God gave you.
BIO:Amy Connell is a diet-culture-free personal trainer and certified nutrition coach who helps women move forward with grace and strength. She’s the host of the Graced Health Podcast, where she explores what it looks like to steward our bodies in a way that supports both physical and mental health—without tying worth to the scale. Amy is passionate about helping women feel and function well so they can do what they’re called to do, and she shares practical encouragement through her bi-weekly newsletter, Nourishing Notes.

🔗 Want to Go Deeper?

If this conversation stirred something in you—especially the pressure to fix your body, the all-or-nothing spiral, or the feeling of “I’m trying… but it’s never enough”—I want you to hear this clearly:

You don’t need a stricter plan.
You need a steadier foundation.

Because when your nervous system is dysregulated, your thoughts get louder. When your body is under-fueled or over-caffeinated, your window of tolerance shrinks. And when your identity is tangled up in culture’s measuring stick, shame becomes the soundtrack—no matter what you weigh.

Rooted & Resilient is where we do the deeper work:

Renew your mind and replace shame-based thinking with truth
Strengthen emotional regulation (so you can respond instead of spiral)
Build sustainable rhythms—sleep, movement, nourishment, and spiritual grounding
Root your identity in Christ so your body is something you steward, not something you battle

If you’re ready to stop swinging between diet culture and burnout—and start living with clarity, steadiness, and peace—this is your invitation.

Enrollment for Rooted & Resilient is open now.