I recently received a thank-you letter from one of our wonderful members. In her letter, she shared something that really stood out to me: her biggest mistake in her weight-loss journey was never making herself a priority.
She is a mother, a very accomplished doctor, and someone who genuinely wants to improve her health and feel better.
But even after purchasing the program, she continued to struggle... not because she lacked information or motivation, but because her life felt too busy to prioritize her health and her own needs.
Is her story unusual?
Not at all.
In fact, it’s one of the most common struggles I hear from women who want to make healthier choices.
And I completely understand. There have been many seasons in my own life when "busy" felt like my first and last name!
But I want to gently challenge something I hear so often:
"I’m just too busy to think about my health right now."
Sometimes, a more accurate statement might be:
"My health is not a priority for me right now."
Ouch, I know.
I say that with total love, because I’ve had to recognize this in my own life, too.
What Are Your Priorities Telling You?
One of the best ways to understand your priorities is to look at how you spend your time and money.
Many successful professionals have encouraged people to examine their calendars and checking accounts for exactly this reason. Where we spend our time and resources often reveals what we are prioritizing.
And that exercise can be eye-opening.
For some people, their days are filled with the things that genuinely matter most to them: caring for their children, working, maintaining their homes, spending time with family, exercising, or reading.
For others, they may discover that more time than they realized is being spent scrolling, watching television, playing video games, or doing other activities that aren’t helping them move toward their goals.
I’m not saying those activities are always bad. We all need rest and relaxation!
But if you’re constantly saying you don’t have time for something that matters to you, it may be worth taking an honest look at where your time is actually going.
And here’s the part that can be especially difficult:
Sometimes the things keeping us from our health goals are not bad things at all. They’re good things.
When Good Things Become Too Much
The woman who wrote to me wasn’t spending all her time watching television or scrolling through social media.
She was prioritizing her family and her career.
She was being a good mom.
She was being a good doctor.
She was taking care of her responsibilities.
And none of those things are wrong.
But she had left herself off her own priority list.
There was no consistent commitment to her own needs or her own health goals.
This is so common among mothers who are constantly putting their children first. It’s also common among professionals who work long hours, caregivers who are always tending to someone else, and women who feel responsible for keeping everything and everyone running smoothly.
The problem isn’t that they care too much about others.
The problem is that they’ve forgotten that they matter, too.
Your Health Affects Everything Else
You may be thinking, "But Isabel, I have kids, a job, responsibilities at home, and family members who need me. How am I supposed to prioritize myself?"
Trust me, I understand.
And I’ve learned this lesson the hard way.
There have been times when I’ve sacrificed sleep to get more work done. In the short term, I may have accomplished more. But eventually, my body caught up with me. I became exhausted, got sick, and ended up having to take time away from work altogether.
That experience reminded me of something important:
We don't have time not to take care of our health.
Think about it.
What area of your life would not be improved by having more energy, feeling better, and taking better care of yourself?
Your relationships?
Your parenting?
Your work?
Your ability to serve others?
Your mood and outlook on life?
Your ability to enjoy the things you love?
When we neglect our health, it eventually affects all of those areas.
But when we begin taking better care of ourselves, we often find that we have more to give.
Prioritizing your health isn’t about taking something away from everyone else.
It’s about making sure you have the energy, strength, and well-being to show up as the person you want to be.
My Personal Priority List
I encourage you to create your own priority list. Yours may look very different from mine, and that’s okay.
The important thing is to be intentional about what matters most to you.
Here is the order I’ve found helpful in my own life:
1. God
God comes first in all things.
When I prioritize time with Him, especially in the morning, and spend time reading my Bible, I find that the rest of my life more easily falls into place.
2. My Health
I know this may seem selfish at first glance, but hear me out.
The better I feel, the better I can be for everyone else.
When I’m exhausted or lacking energy because I haven’t been taking care of myself, it becomes much harder to give my best to the wonderful people in my life.
3. My Marriage
I’m committed to being the very best wife I can be to my husband.
Maintaining a strong marriage helps us be better parents and better people.
4. My Kids
I’m always tempted to make my boys my top priority, especially when they’re young and need me so much.
But I’ve learned that when I consistently put myself last, it can eventually lead to a breakdown in my health and even in my marriage.
Taking care of myself helps me be a better mom.
5. My Extended Family
My dad, in-laws, and sister are all very important to me.
But it’s difficult to be the loving daughter and sister I want to be when I’m exhausted or not feeling well.
6. My Work
For someone who spends a majority of her time working, it may seem strange to see work at number six!
But I make an effort to ensure that the priorities above it are being cared for before work takes over.
Society often tells us that our work or professional status is the most important thing in our lives. But our work is not our identity.
That can be a dangerous trap to fall into.
7. My Community
I’m active in my church and community, and I enjoy giving my time wherever I can be helpful.
But I also try to make sure my family’s needs are being met and that I’m not spreading myself too thin by saying yes to every opportunity.
8. Reading and Learning
I’m a voracious reader, so I try to fit in some reading every day—even if it’s only ten minutes.
I’ve found that this is much easier when I spend less time scrolling through social media and use that time to read a good book instead.
You Don’t Have to Change Everything at Once
If you’re realizing that your health has been pushed to the bottom of your priority list, don’t feel overwhelmed.
You don’t need to completely reorganize your life overnight.
Start by asking yourself:
- What is one thing I can do for my health this week?
- Where am I spending time that could be used more intentionally?
- What responsibility or activity could I simplify, delegate, or say no to?
- What would taking better care of myself allow me to do more fully?
Maybe it’s going to bed a little earlier.
Maybe it’s planning a few healthy meals.
Maybe it’s taking a walk.
Maybe it’s finally making that appointment you’ve been putting off.
Maybe it’s setting aside ten minutes each morning to pray and ask God for wisdom about your health.
Small changes can make a meaningful difference.
Making Yourself a Priority Is Not Selfish
Before you begin taking steps to improve your physical health, you have to be mentally ready for some possible changes.
You have to be willing to commit to the process.
And you have to recognize that your health deserves a place on your priority list.
At first, it may feel like everyone else is getting a little less of you.
But in the long run, they may actually be getting more of you.
More energy.
More patience.
More joy.
A better mood.
A better outlook on life.
And a healthier version of the woman you were created to be.
Make the investment in yourself. You are worth it... and the people you love will benefit from it, too.
Ready to Make Your Health a Priority?
If you’re looking for practical guidance and support as you build healthier habits, the Food Meets Faith program can help you take that first step.
It’s a faith-centered approach to healthy eating designed to help you make lasting changes—not just follow another temporary diet.