I saw a post that said, “It’s Resolution Release Day.” Apparently, by mid-January, we’ve decided the collective is released from the goal they set on January first. Most of that is just a bit of fun, and that’s fair enough, but it got me thinking. Why do we give up on a weight loss goal? Where does that start? It may be a temptation, perhaps a desire for perceived freedom, maybe frustration with years of wanting something that always seems out of reach. There are consistent themes, and there are solutions.
I’ve tried ALL the diets – and nothing works for me
Cookie-cutter diets do not work for every body, but we think they should, so we pick one and try it as long as we can stand it. If it doesn’t suit our bodies, tastes, or lifestyle, we blame either the diet or ourselves – followed swiftly by beating up on ourselves.
Please stop that. You don’t deserve it. If our tongues, irises, and fingerprints are all scannable enough to serve as security identifiers, our nutritional needs are also individual.
Emotional Baggage Drives us to food.
Food has worked as a soother since our birth. When a baby cries, we put something in their mouths whether they’re hungry, teething, or just need soothing. Cry – in goes the pacifier/dummy/binky. Even the names tell the tale.
As we get older, we graduate to food, and it has always worked – until perhaps we needed more soothing than our bodies could take without storing it as fat. Finding what drives us to food and resolving that is more lastingly effective.
We ignore our best selves
You know the feeling when one part of you wants to make good choices, but that other part really wants the cake – what would your best self choose? Yet what do we often choose? Which do you want to choose?
It takes sooooooo long
Yes, sometimes it does. It took more than a couple of weeks to increase our weight, and our bodies need time to release it. It may be a down and up tango over time. Yet if we choose to get back on track, we will get there. Even if progress is incredibly slow, it’s still progress. The Tortoise and the Hare comes to mind –
However long it takes, improved health – as in less stress on your joints, better insulin sensitivity, fewer metabolic issues, better immunity, and more ability to fight viruses and infection – is worth it. Ultimately, it’s not about a number on the scale or your clothing size. It’s about the pursuit of a healthy body.
I can’t do it on my own
This was me. I couldn’t stay on track without some external accountability. I’m not alone – the majority of people need someone to help them reach any kind of goal. Create a support system – a group, a coach, a friend you can trust. When we have boundaries and parameters to help us succeed, we make progress.
If you know you need some support, book a call with me. We can brainstorm options.
