Weight Loss – Losing Weight and Keeping It Off
Losing Weight: Slim is In, fat get back... Losing weight has become a national past time.
Losing Weight and keeping it off is a huge dilemma for many.
Oprah Winfrey, one of the most influential television personalities of this century, has been struggling for years to lose weight and keep it off permanently.
Here’s a recent quote she gave regarding recent weight gain:
“It’s about using food — abusing food. Too much work. Not enough play. Not enough time to come down. Not enough time to really relax.”
As brilliant as Mrs. Winfrey is, we beg to differ with her just a bit.
Many have said that weight gain can be a substitute for missing or misplaced emotional elements or other sundry mind and body causes.
This gives rise to innumerable strategies to change and cope.
Instead, we believe dealing with weight may be a great deal simpler than one thinks.
First of all, let’s see if we agree upon the following and go on from there.
Food can be absolutely delicious, tempting, addictive. Just as much as any other addictive substance such as drugs, cigarette smoking, inhalants, alcohol.
Food can seem to fill empty places in a person’s psyche. At least, it feels that way.
Food can be used to comfort and soothe.
And THAT, my friends, is what spurs the addition and prevents the reasonable limiting of food intake.
The Comfort and Soothing Aspects to Food
The comforting and soothing aspects of eating are physiological body responses to anything that tastes fantastic. Other feelings involved can include euphoria, peace, tranquility, energy, excitement, joy, contentment.
How and why are you supposed to say “No” to that?
Answer to Why: Just because something is pleasurable doesn’t mean you should do it.
Answer to How: Telling your body and mind, “No.”
Why People Can and Can’t Say No to Food
So how in the world can anyone say no to such stimulus?
After all, most all people do have the capacity to enjoy eating with the greatest of delight and pleasure.
Nevertheless, the following conditions may explain the differences among people and their appetites.
• Some people have an internal turn off switch.
• Others don’t quite enjoy eating as much as others.
• Some have greater response and sensitivity to taste.
• Some have no turn off switch at all.
• Others have a great deal of body fat that creates chemical reactions causing great cravings to maintain and grow more fat storage.
• Some people have food clocks that no longer function properly.
• Some people know no joy other than putting something in their mouths that tastes good.
What is Somebody to Do?
The best way to change your body’s appetite and your over eating habits may not be the easiest.
It requires putting the food DOWN. This is virtually impossible to many people.
They simply can’t say no. Or, rather,
THAT’S WHAT THEY THINK.
Actually, they CAN say no, they CAN put the food down. They simply aren’t willing to put up with the suffering after they do these things.
Putting Up with the Suffering
That’s the magic trick here. Learning to accept the suffering of saying, NO.
Then, realizing that THE SUFFERING DOESN’T GO ON FOREVER.
In most all cases, once you have learned to accept the suffering of not eating what you want, and walking around thinking about food all day long, you will gradually change.
We Have Forgotten
In today’s first world societies, we have become accustomed to freedom from “suffering.” There are countless pills and remedies to alleviate every type of discomfort including sadness, anger, frustration, too much energy, not enough energy, anxiety, moodiness, mild itches, imagined afflictions.
There’s money to be made in the industry of “Discomfort.”
However, there are times when discomfort is legimitimate – for example, growing pains, the pain of exercise, the pain of losing something valuable. And, the pain of saying no to something we want.
We can take drugs, use gimmicks, tell ourselves platitudes. Or, we can learn to accept, handle, move away from, pain. The pain of saying No to ourselves when we know it’s bad for us.
For some, the pain can be inordinate and unendurable. They absolutely cannot learn to accept the suffering, or their appetites are far too strong to resist.
This resembles those who are addicted to something and suffering greatly through withdrawals.
In these cases, and in fact in all health related matters, one must consider consulting with their physician.
Meanwhile, we surmise the following:
The first step to losing weight and keeping it off could very well be:
Learning to accept the suffering required to say “No” to ourselves and follow through.
It may not be easy in the beginning, but the good news is that it gets easier and easier as time goes on. Now that’s a relief!
These are opinions only. We are not physicians, therapists, consultants or practitioners in any sense whatsoever regarding this issue.
Always talk to your physician about any health matters.
We look forward to your thoughts!
All the Best!
Click HERE to visit our “Can’t Say No” Page
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