Delay and Pray

January is full of hope - and pressure. New plans, new promises, and resolutions that often fade by mid-month. In this episode, Beth Bubik explains why resolutions fail and what actually brings lasting change. In this episode, we discuss why behavior-based resolutions don’t work and why formation does, how temperance transforms desire at the root, not just actions, and why spiritual fasting succee...

Late afternoon and evening eating is one of the most common struggles in spiritual fasting—and it’s not a failure of willpower. In this episode, Beth teaches why the 4–8pm window is so challenging and how to plan ahead so fasting becomes an act of love instead of a daily battle. In this episode, you’ll learn how to understand what’s really happening biologically, emotionally, and spiritually betwe...

Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! On this episode, Beth reflects on the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, and what it means to begin the New Year the Catholic way—with gratitude, trust, and a faithful yes . Looking back at the graces of 2025 and stepping forward into 2026 with faith, Beth uses It’s a Wonderful Life to explore how holiness is often lived quietly through obedience, family life...

Merry Christmas! In this special Christmas Day episode, Beth and Christine celebrate the birth of Jesus—the Infant King—and explore what it means to be “fit for a King.” The Incarnation sanctifies our humanity: our bodies, our appetites, our movement, and our rest. This is the day when heaven meets earth—and how we feast matters. Beth connects biology, neurology, and theology to show how we can gl...

Ever wonder how to stay spiritually grounded and physically steady when Advent feels like one giant holy fail? This episode takes you behind the scenes of my real life during the busiest month of the year, showing you exactly how I navigate sugar, celebrations, late nights, travel, and all the joyful chaos that December brings. You’ll hear how I set my minimum prayer baseline, how I follow my Chri...

Christmas can quietly turn into a sugar-feast that leaves your body sluggish and your soul foggy - but it doesn’t have to be that way. In this episode, we explore how turning down the sugar opens the door to real clarity, peace, and even miracles during Advent and Christmas. You’ll learn what metabolic flexibility truly is, why it matters for both your physical health and your spiritual life, and...

Advent isn’t really a countdown to Christmas cookies and chaos although it does include these things - it’s a sacred pause where the soul finally takes a breath. This episode invites you to step out of the December rush and step into the quiet, holy anticipation your heart has been craving. Inside, we explore Advent as a season of transformation, the deep connection between spiritual fasting and t...

In this Thanksgiving special, Beth and Christine dive deep into the true meaning of the feast. The word Eucharist means Thanksgiving , and every Mass is our invitation to dine at the table of redemption. Today isn’t just about turkey and pie - it’s about gratitude, discipline, and presence. Beth unpacks the biology of fasting and feasting, the neurology of gratitude, and the theology of the Euchar...

What happens when you finally stop gripping life so tightly and let Jesus lead? In this episode, Beth welcomes business owner, wife, mother, and “Mimi,” Lisa Thibodeaux, who shares how spiritual fasting brought her from striving and control into peace, surrender, and true freedom in Christ. Together, they explore how fasting transforms the heart, what it looks like to lead a business with faith an...

In this heartfelt episode, Beth welcomes  Coleen , a joyful and faith-filled member of  Delay and Pray Cohort #3 , to share her story of transformation through spiritual fasting. From surrendering her family struggles to rediscovering peace in prayer, Coleen shows what happens when we let fasting become an act of trust rather than control. In our conversation, we explore how fasting for...

In this episode, Beth sits down with Teresa Donnett — a nurse, wife, mother of ten, grandmother, and woman of deep Catholic faith. From her beginnings in South Dakota to founding a Catholic high school in Minnesota, Teresa’s life is a testament to service, perseverance, and joy. She shares her remarkable journey through  Delay and Pray , where she’s lost 70 pounds and found spiritual freedom...

When tragedy strikes again and again, how do you keep trusting God? In this deeply moving episode, you’ll meet Dawn — a woman who’s walked through unimaginable grief yet still clings fiercely to faith, prayer, and God’s promise of redemption. Dawn, a Catholic life and fasting coach, shares her incredible story of loss — the deaths of three of her children. Through her tears and testimony, she reve...

Lasting weight loss isn’t about restriction, punishment, or chasing perfection— it’s about peace . Beth explains how to approach fasting as a holy partnership with God, allowing His grace to reorder your desires and bring lasting balance. You’ll discover: How to stop striving and start cooperating with grace. The difference between punishment-based dieting and peaceful fasting. Why spiritual fasti...

What if the goals that seem impossible are the very ones God is inviting you to pursue with Him? This week's episode challenges you to dream beyond your limits and set impossible goals —the kind that make you laugh, doubt, or whisper, “There’s no way I can do that.” These goals are sacred collaborations between you and God, where He transforms your weakness into strength. You’ll learn how to: Set...

How can you tell if you're hungry for food or for God?  In this episode, Beth invites you to “dine in with Jesus” — a life-changing mindset shift that connects your physical hunger with your spiritual growth. She introduces the Delay and Pray Hunger Scale , a simple but powerful tool to help you discern between physical and emotional hunger so you can learn to fast with purpose, not punishmen...

What does it mean to dress with true beauty and dignity in today’s culture? In this episode, Beth welcomes Catherine Rose, author of A Return to Beauty: Ancient Catholic Wisdom and Modern Fashion , for a conversation on the virtue of modesty and the unity of body and soul. Together, they explore how clothing choices are more than personal style—they are a cultural witness. Catherine shares the his...

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Beth and Dr. Dan Schneider go even deeper into the realities of spiritual combat—this time focusing on the home, the family, and the spiritual authority God has given us to fight for those we love. Dr. Dan introduces the concept of the Adamic Temptation to Silence —a spiritual weakness affecting men since the fall of Adam—that continues to wound marriages a...

What does fasting have to do with spiritual warfare and freedom in Christ? Today begins a special two-part interview with Dr. Dan Schneider, a man who knows both physical and spiritual combat firsthand. Dr. Dan Schneider is an Army veteran, theologian, exorcism team member, and author of The Liber Christo Method: A Field for Spiritual Combat and Spiritual Warfare Q and A: For Priests and Laity . T...

Big changes are happening at The Catholic Fasting Coach! We are always improving the ways we can support all of you who want to learn about Spiritual Fasting and implement it in your life. Today, I introduce you to my new full-time team member, Christine Canino, to share the exciting updates God is building at The Catholic Fasting Coach. You’ll hear Christine’s personal journey with Delay and Pray...

Did you know your guardian angel—and the entire host of heaven—wants to help you fast and pray? St. Michael the Archangel and the Blessed Mother can support you in moments of temptation, guide you toward holiness, and bring peace to your spiritual fasting journey. Discover practical ways to invite your guardian angel into your daily life, from sending your angel to help loved ones to asking for th...

What does exercise have to do with fasting and holiness? In this episode, Beth shares how movement—whether it’s lifting weights, walking with a rosary in hand, or even playing pickleball—can transform both body and soul. Discover how exercise not only supports your fasting by managing hunger and balancing hormones, but also sharpens your mind, uplifts your mood, and strengthens your prayer life. B...

Have you ever felt like disappointment keeps you stuck? Whether it’s with fasting, your goals, or your prayer life, disappointment can feel like sliding down a chute in the game of Chutes and Ladders—frustrating and discouraging. In this episode, I share how to discipline disappointment so it doesn’t derail your progress. I introduce the beautiful devotion of St. Michael’s Lent , a 40-day season o...

Is your fasting routine easily derailed by travel, holidays, or unexpected changes? This week, I am sharing the secret to staying consistent in any season: spiritual cognitive flexibility. This simple but powerful mindset - openness to the Holy Spirit and the rejection of all-or-nothing thinking - can help you remain faithful to your fasting and prayer commitments no matter what life throws at you...

Why does spiritual fasting feel easy for some and incredibly difficult for others? In this episode, Beth interviews Catholic author and storyteller Rosemary McGuire Berry to explore how your God-given temperament can shape your journey toward holiness—and how understanding it can transform your approach to fasting, prayer, and virtue. Drawing from Rosemary’s new book, Piety and Personality: The Te...

Many of you ask me if I coach men, and I'm sad to say I do not at this time, but today I want to focus on men and the spiritual battle they face. I am joined by Jamie Baxter, founder of Exodus 90: a spiritual formation program that’s helped over 250,000 men across 80 countries grow in freedom, discipline, and communion with Christ. Jamie shares how Exodus 90 began and why its focus on prayer, asce...