Fully Nourished: A Grace-Filled Approach to Ditch Diets and Find Peace with Food and Your Body

by Brandice Lardner

Even though as Christian women we know that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, many of us have been in a war with our own bodies for years. We tediously track calories, eliminate food groups, jump on the latest exercise trend, and wonder if all this business about balancing hormones is real or just someone trying to sell us something.

Through all the conflicting advice, weight lost and regained, and time spent berating ourselves for failing, we never get to the heart of the matter: why we started overeating in the first place or why our sense of worth has become entangled in what we eat and how we look. We focus on improving the outside, hoping it will make us feel better inside. But true, lasting, life-altering freedom is found by changing from the inside out.

Fully Nourished invites you to step off the exhausting treadmill of dieting and into the freedom Jesus offers. Certified nutrition coach and personal trainer Brandice Lardner gently guides you through sustainable practices grounded in biblical truth, sound nutrition, and habit-building science. You'll discover how to nourish your body without shame, renew your mind with grace, and build habits that support your health, your peace, and your calling.

This is not about getting it "perfect." It's about finally being free.

Genres: Health, Self Help

208 pages, Paperback

Published February 3, 2026

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the past couple of weeks, I have been so encouraged as I started reading a pre-launch digital version of Fully Nourished by Brandice Lardner. What I have thoroughly enjoyed so far is how she approaches our health & wellness from a starting place of gratitude to God for our bodies and what they can do for us rather than from a place of deficit & restriction. Each chapter has a tiny habit to gently and lovingly make progress towards FOOD FREEDOM! This is not a diet, this is not an exercise program, this IS a path to quiet the food noise & negative body chatter as we SEEK to honor the Lord with the one and only precious body we have. Now I finally have her in my hands and she is lovely! Ready to get off the “diet culture” roller coaster? Today is your day to be fully nourished!

[Anne Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fully Nourished is unlike most “eat healthy” books because it isn’t built on rules, restriction, or quick fixes—and it isn’t a diet plan paired with a Bible study. Grace and faith shape the entire approach, beginning with gratitude rather than willpower.

Instead of food lists and rigid plans, the book emphasizes mindset throughout and honors the fact that the food you enjoy eating matters. The author’s honest, relatable story makes the message feel attainable, not idealized.

Fully Nourished focuses on small, sustainable habits and daily behaviors rather than unrealistic long-term goals. It offers a gentle, grace-filled path to caring for your body that feels doable, freeing, and deeply nourishing.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I am the target audience. A Christian woman who has spent a fortune and still was battling body image through every means necessary even if they caused the body I was trying to fix irreparable harm. I was asked along with others to preview the book prepublication. I have been through the entire in-depth program (Platinum) that the book is based on and have come out victorious and free on the other side.

——————-

Are you tired of the ever changing diet narrative? Are you discouraged because of all the money, time and effort you’ve spent on meal plans and exercise programs that FAIL you. Been there done that?

Well, FULLY NOURISHED is the book for you. I dare say it’s life changing. I know because the program (Platinum) that this book is based on changed my life. The author, Brandice Lardner, a nutrition coach, personal trainer and founder of Grace Filled Plate, gently, honestly and effectively walks you through each step that will turn upside down every engrained thought and experience you have had about diet and body image. And the result is well explained and simple to do behavior changes that encourages you to draw closer to ABBA, God the Father, by seeking to cling to the blessings we as Christians already have in Jesus, and to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to your FOOD FREEDOM. Practical, simple to do habits that will change your life.

[Kaelyn Prince · Rating 3 out of 5]

Food can so easily become an idol, sometimes through obsession with dieting and reaching the “perfect” weight or by turning to food rather than Christ to meet emotional needs. This book details a grace-filled approach that points to Christ rather than perfection and calls us away from idolizing food. We often pray to God to ask for help in many areas of our lives, but do we turn to him for guidance in our eating habits? I really liked this quote from the book:

“It can also be scary to hand your weight loss over to God and let him decide what you should weigh. After all, what if God doesn’t care how you look in a swimsuit?”

Personally, I had never really thought about giving this area of my life over to God. I did appreciate the author pointing this out, and I liked her attempt to keep Christ at the center of this approach to food habits. However, I wished there was a little bit more. It’s definitely not a diet plan with a Bible study slapped onto it, but I also wanted a little more diving into scripture. Christ was mentioned throughout, but I felt like there was still a lot of focus on self. But it is a nutrition coach teaching us how to nourish our bodies and build habits, so maybe some focus on self is inevitable? I’m not sure, but this aspect of the book just seemed to be missing something for me.

The author recommends a slower approach to this book by reading a chapter and then working on the habit taught for a week or so before moving on to the next chapter. I moved through this book more quickly for the purposes of leaving a review, but I also think this method would be beneficial. This book definitely has something to offer when it comes to thinking through eating habits, especially for those who have struggled with dieting and feeling shame about food. At the same time, I felt like it used a lot of biblical language without really diving deeply into scripture, so don’t expect a book that really gets into the theology of eating.

Thank you to Baker Publishing Group and Revell for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Stela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to think my struggles with food were just about willpower. But reading Fully Nourished has shown me how much I’ve been trying to handle on my own without inviting Jesus into the conversation.

I’m learning to pause, notice what’s going on inside me, and ask for His help — not after I mess up, but right in the moment. That’s been the biggest difference.
This message feels like freedom instead of another plan.

[Shamika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource to improve your relationship with food. I love her personal stories and teachings about putting food in its proper place. The practical, step by step instructions of seeking God first and slowly building habits around food freedom is so helpful.

[Richard Propes · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a couple of disclaimers with which I need to begin my review of Brandice Lardner's "Fully Nourished: A Grace-Filled Approach to Ditch Diets and Find Peace With Food And Your Body."

First, there's simply no question that I'm not the target reader for "Fully Nourished," though I am someone who's had a complex relationship with food and I have struggled with the diet rollercoaster. However, it's clear that "Fully Nourished" is primarily written for Christian women. While I can and did find a connection to Lardner's material, there was never really a moment when I felt like "Fully Nourished" was written for me.

Secondly, and most importantly, in the early pages of "Fully Nourished" Lardner recommends a more relaxed, contemplative approach to reading her book that will allow for putting into practices the words, habits, and ideas that she shares. In the interest of both finishing reading and completing a review, I did not take that approach to reading "Fully Nourished" and this may have, and probably did, lead to a more rushed take on Lardner's grace-filled approach.

"Fully Nourished" is, quite simply, a prayerful and practical guide designed to free believers from an obsession with weight. It's for those who've been stuck in the diet spiral, a world so often ruled by guilt and so incredibly lacking in grace. Lardner moves women away from counting calories and carbs and into a more positive relationship with one's body, learning how to listen to one's body, learning how to actually enjoy food again, and ultimately leaning on one's faith to ditch diets and find peace internally and externally.

A fitness coach, nutrition expert, author, and Jesus freak, Lardner ties every chapter and habit here into scripture with science-backed biblical wisdom that is refreshingly devoid of the usual guilt. "Fully Nourished" includes talk points, developing habits, and everyday practical tools. While I never really felt like "Fully Nourished" was written for me, I still took away quite a few tools to improve my relationship with food and my body.

Lardner comes off like a mentor and coach here - a gentle spirit both supportive and challenging. You can easily see yourself sitting in your neighborhood coffee shop enjoying, and really enjoying, a cup o' joe and a meaningful conversation. Lardner's relatability is immensely beneficial here and "Fully Nourished" is the kind of book that will have you rushing over to check out her website (which is quite cool - I did it myself).

If you've been stuck in the diet cycle and frustrated with food and your body, there's much to love about "Fully Nourished."

[Monica H (TeaandBooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you a Christian who struggles with diets and eating? Fully Nourished by Brandice Lardner may be a book that you would find helpful.

I like to read health-related books so I have read a lot of them. I point that out because I didn't learn a lot from this book for that reason. I thought the book was well-thought-out and the steps the author included could be helpful to the person who has these struggles. I am not that target audience though. I haven't struggled through diets. I grew up in an era when it was "in" to be skinny but I was already skinny and active so not really an issue for me at that time. However, having gone through menopause, I can say that I had to change how I then had to change how I ate to maintain the weight I wanted but it wasn't a real struggle. The author of this book has struggled with weight and body image throughout her life. She then became a health coach and personal trainer who has lived what she teaches. She is also a Christian and applies both the Bible and her walk with God to her eating and body image issues and encourages readers to do the same.

Fully Nourished offers slow steps to making changes to make healthier eating choices. This book has QR codes in it that the reader can also click on to go to the author's website for more helps and guidance. Some people may find that helpful. Quite honestly, I am old-school so those aren't something I like to use. I would recommend this book to someone who is new to making healthy eating changes and who is a Christian because that is her target audience. It does have solid nutritional guidance and could help with better eating skills.

For the purpose of this review, I read Fully Nourished straight through. However, this book would be better read through slowly while working through the steps the author has laid out if you want to glean the most from it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Brandi Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friends, the subtitle of this book says it’s “a grace-filled approach to ... find peace with food and your body” and it hits the nail on the head!

This book seemed targeted to women who have been deeply influenced by diet culture and the strict rules it imposed. Those who’ve dealt with the shame of starting a new diet only to be derailed by breaking the rules—again!

Admittedly, that’s never been me. BUT I have dealt with inconsistency in maintaining healthier eating habits for various reasons over the years. And I have felt the guilt of constantly turning back to cruddy eating habits for the sake of convenience or lack of discipline.

I may be the secondary market for this book, but I feel like its greatest strength is what it gives to any reader with disordered eating habits—awareness.

After reading this book, I walked away with so much more insight into why strict methods aren’t sustainable and what actually makes habits stick.

I loved that the author brought things like core values and grace into the conversation. She reminded readers that our eating has to do with so much more than just our physical bodies—it’s often connected to mental, emotional, and even spiritual aspects of our lives.

If you’ve been looking for a book that approaches eating from a nuanced position, this is worth the read! I recommend working through it slowly and in order. The chapters include habits that build on one another to set the reader up for success in creating sustainable eating habits.

Thanks so much to Baker Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book to read and share about!

[Angela Grubaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fully Nourished has been one of the most meaningful books I’ve read in a long time—especially for anyone who’s ever struggled with how their body fits into their spiritual journey. What I loved most is how this book doesn’t just tease out biblical truth; it makes that truth practical, relatable, and deeply life-giving.
Each chapter is like a gentle conversation with a wise friend who speaks grace without compromise. The author consistently points us back to the heart of who we are: beloved children of God. In a world that constantly whispers that worth is tied to appearance, Fully Nourished anchors me in the unshakeable truth of God’s love. It helped me see my body not as a project to be perfected, but as a gift to be stewarded with gratitude, kindness, and joy.
What stands out is how the book blends Scripture with real-life application. I found myself pausing, reflecting, and writing notes—because the insights weren’t just inspiring; they were applicable. I walked away feeling not just encouraged, but equipped to live with a healthier perspective on body image—one rooted in identity, not insecurity.
If you’re looking for a grace-filled resource that speaks truth with warmth and wisdom, Fully Nourished is a book that will nourish your soul and renew your view of yourself through the lens of Christ’s love.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you intuitively understand what's meant by phrases like "food freedom" or "silencing the food noise" - and they sound as wonderful to you as finding a stream of water running through a desert - then this book is for you and will bless you like it's blessed me! Brandice Lardner has walked in our shoes and isn't afraid to share her most desperate moments here, which makes this book even more powerful!

Like me, you may have been thinking about/battling these issues for many years. The thought of taking a risk on another book or a "new" approach may be daunting. I personally can get pretty overwhelmed when dealing with these issues and trying to make changes. I need baby steps, structure & a lot of compassionate encouragement. Brandice strikes a perfect balance in providing all of these.

She excels in calming anxiety by letting you know where she'll be leading you, as she lays out how each chapter will guide you in learning an action step (habit). She smartly encourages spending time practicing a chapter’s action step before hurrying on to the next chapter. This isn’t a book to be read – it’s a practical, step-by-step, “personal guide” (as she calls it) designed for lasting change. Along the way, Brandice gives you tools to deal with potential obstacles, links to bonus features, and cheers you on the entire time at whatever pace you need to take.

[Lyndsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re tired of reading diet books that make you feel worse instead of better, Fully Nourished is for you! It’s not a diet book at all, but a guide to creating a healthy, God-focused life, free from the shame that so often surrounds our bodies and weight. There’s no list of forbidden foods, diet instructions, or guilt when you “mess up.” There’s just a gentle approach to honoring the body God has given you and making small, sustainable habit changes. The best part is, the habit changes don’t require emptying out your pantry and tossing all the food in your fridge. Instead, they’re small mindset, attitude and heart shifts that make a big difference in your life.
Reading this book is like talking to a friend. Brandice is so encouraging and helpful. You really feel like she’s talking to you. Every chapter felt so relatable and I thought, “I can do that!”
If you’re tired of diets and looking for grace-filled change, I highly recommend Fully Nourished!
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. (And I ordered my own copy so I can highlight to my heart’s content!)

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fully Nourished isn’t just a book about food, nor, yet another diet book. It’s an invitation to find lasting peace throughout your body, mind, and spirit, by inviting God into your relationship with food….something you may never have previously considered. It’s an eye-opening and validating book that encourages you to release the endless dieting cycles and mentality, the obsession with food and weight, and create new habits rooted in God’s power, NOT willpower! Each chapter includes a habit to incorporate into your daily life to help you on your journey of creating a nurturing relationship with food and your body… creating a way that supports your goals, values, preferences, physical health and spiritual wellbeing. I highly recommend Fully Nourished to anyone, like me, who has purchased more diet books than you care to count. This may well be the LAST book you have to purchase on the subject, as it’s teaching you it’s about more than food…..it’s about lifestyle…..a way you can live the rest of your life…..increasing your energy, and focusing on God, and the life He desires you to live.

[DK · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have ever struggled around food, this book is for you. Whether it be trying every diet under the sun or just one diet that really rocked your world (and not in a good way), or going through the cycle of binge-restrict-repeat, or just not having healthy habits around food and not knowing what to do about it. This book is full of the graceful direction that so many of us need. Brandice approaches the struggle many women have around food at some point in their lives with such grace, gentleness, and HOPE. The title Fully Nourished really hits the message on the head, it’s about nourishment from the inside out. This book is worth your time, and it’s one I will be revisiting for years to come.

[Kristine Csillag Mansfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fully Nourished is simple, yet profound. Brandice shares her struggles so vulnerably and invites us to bring Jesus into our relationship with food. He’s not too busy, He cares, He created us in His image, He wants the sacrifice of our hearts, He wants what’s best for us, and He has assigned no morality to food-people have. Brandice gently urges us to take one tiny step at a time with Him, learning what works for EACH ONE OF US so we can quiet all the other competitive views and voices. No more all or nothing…just 1% better every day, learning to be consistent and growing ever closer to Jesus.

[Heidireadsitall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a good reminder that we don’t have to live stuck in the constant cycle of dieting and feeling frustrated with our bodies. Brandice Lardner shares such a gentle, grace-filled approach to health that really points everything back to truth and freedom in Jesus.

I loved how it focuses on healing the why behind our struggles with food instead of just telling us what to eat. It honestly felt like a conversation with a wise friend from church who wants you to walk in freedom, not shame. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the diet cycle, this one is really encouraging. 💛

Thank you to Revell books for the gift copy! These thoughts are my own!

[Robbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am almost finished with Fully Nourished and can't say enough good things about it, so far. It is as if Brandice wrote this book just for me. Almost as if I explained my experiences with food and she wrote them down. I connected with this book on a very deep level. I am putting into practice what Brandice so eloquently wrote about and will allow it to change my thoughts about my physical self as well as my spiritual being. Taking control of my thoughts and turning my focus back to God, the Creator and Lover of my soul. It is truly life changing.

[Marge Halterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does not contain a diet, a prescribed food plan, or a list of do's and don'ts to help you attain food freedom. Instead, it introduces simple habits and practical tools with each chapter to help you get there. The author also shares her personal story of dieting struggles and how she invited God into her journey, ultimately finding success. She totally understands the struggles you're dealing with. She attained freedom and peace with food, and you will be able to also. I know because I have. Brandice has been a guide for me...let Brandice and God help you, too!

[Katie Betts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many Christian women feel trapped in a war with their bodies—cycling through diets, shame, and endless self-improvement. This book looks beneath the surface to uncover how identity, worth, and eating became entangled. Blending biblical truth, sound nutrition, and habit science, it offers a sustainable path toward freedom, peace, and health from the inside out.

I liked this! A clear principle approach to not only eating but valuing your body from out inside-out. I think Jordan Lee Dooley’s BE GOOD TO YOUR BODY does a much better job at presenting biblical basis for what your body is and placing the current wellness trends in truth and proper perspective. FULLY NOURISHED tends to be debunking diet myths I think started dying a decade ago, but it still lays out timeless principles everyone can utilize. those really reminded me of James Clear’s ATOMIC HABITS- which I adore!!

Thank you @revellbooks for the book!

Perfect for you if you like:
Nutrition principles
Food and wellness guides
Faith-integrated self-help

Similar:
The Good Food Solution by Meredith Fletcher
Be Good to Your Body by Jordan Lee Dooley

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fully Nourished by Brandice Lardner is not a diet, an exercise program or cookbook, rather a guide to support everyone to quieting the food noise and negative body chatter that inundates each of us everyday. Approaching one's health and well being from a place of gratitude to God for our bodies and what they can do for us, allows for the implementation of Lardner's small, sustainable habits and daily behaviors. Rather than restriction. Fully Nourished focuses provides a grace-filled path to caring for your body that feels doable, freeing, and deeply nourishing.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an easy read with practical and biblical tips for getting healthier without obsessing over food. I liked the author's gentle approach in several different areas, which I can apply right away. The way she labeled foods is easy to remember and has no pressure on it. It's a great companion book for your overall health plan that needs to include exercise, rest, hydration, and consultations with your doctor. I love that this came from a Christian perspective and felt like a girlfriend talking to me with no shame - just validation and encouragement.

[Shari Turpen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have carried shame about my weight and eating habits my whole life. I felt myself resonate with what I read on the pages of this book, and it gave me peace like I’ve never had before. Brandice opens up and shares her real life experiences, which makes you feel safe and understood so you don’t feel so alone in your struggles.

If you’ve ever wanted to be able to surrender this area of your life to the Lord, I highly recommend this book.

[Ruthie Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This amazing book is like a compassionate friend guiding food-weary individuals towards a God-centered perspective. The author, who understands the struggles of diet mentality, shares her successful coaching practices in a concise logbook filled with practical tips and insights. It's a warm invitation to embrace mindful eating and a healthier approach to food and health! A wonderful resource for anyone struggling with food!

[Megan Dickerson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn’t great. The back of the book says, “Diets don’t touch the deeper hunger in our souls” but neither did this book. It was the same “don’t diet” advice that pretty much sounds like a diet that I hear everywhere. It was vague therapeutic language with a few Bible verses slapped on. This kind of books is needed!! But this one was a miss. (I was given a copy of this book to review, obviously didn’t impact my opinion)

[Suz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her book, Brandice Lardner addresses the importance of viewing our bodies as God designed them and eating out of a place of joy in fellowship with Him.

She gives a step by step process to evaluate and problem solve eating habits, physical and emotional needs, and build new habits - all while keeping the focus on walking with the Lord.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Maciah Nobles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fully Nourished is the perfect title for this book. It is nourishing for your mind and your soul. Rooted in biblical truth, this book provides hope and encouragement for the woman who wants to create sustainable, shame-free habits surrounding food!

[Hannah Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You are not the primary source of your strength in this journey to food freedom. It’s not about the details of what you eat, but about the desires of your heart.”
I thought this book was a great balance of biblical encouragement and actual education about how to practically care for your body.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was blessed to receive an early copy of this book. It offers a truly Godly approach to weight loss through prayer and faith rather than diets and restrictions. Reading it changed the way I view food and brought me a sense of freedom and peace. If you’re looking for encouragement and spiritual guidance on your health journey, this book is for you. Her other book, Grace Filled Plates, is also a wonderful read.

[Heidi Schuessler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing faith based nutrition book. She gives you practical habits to help you create a better relationship with food, your body, and your faith.

[Priscilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fully Nourished is a Christian living book I recommend for women who have felt stuck, shame, or disappointment around a lack of a nutritionally balanced life. This book is ideal for the woman who finds herself on a hamster wheel with no lasting results from dieting.

Brandice Lardner pours grace-filled habits into Fully Nourished, helping women stop striving to eat better and instead confront the inner war with food from a place of peace. She walks readers through 11 fully nourished habits that, when implemented methodically, lead to acceptance of the freedom Jesus offers us from being at war with ourselves over nutrition.

Food freedom is what she teaches at the core, encouraging that physical, emotional, and spiritual needs be met. A holistic approach!

Key features of this book that I appreciate, besides the habits, are:

* A chart explaining the difference between restrictive diets and food freedom
* Step-by-step processes
* Guidance on how to personalize each habit you are taught
* A “nutrition made simple” chapter
* Weekly/biweekly check-ins protocol
* Lists of limiting beliefs and sabotaging thoughts
* And much more

This is a 5-star food-freedom handbook you can work through at your own pace.