Last week, I talked about 5 common reasons that hold people back from making a positive change in their lives. Since then, several people have asked me: "I want to be ready to lose weight/get healthy, but how can I do it without going on another diet??"
Ahhhh yes... this is what I like to call "weight-loss brain". It's a state of mind that comes from years of dieting and makes you believe that being on a diet is the ONLY way to be healthy or lose weight.
It’s no secret that I hate diets. I hate them because they don’t work, I hate what they do to your body, and most of all I hate what they do to your mind. The cycle of dieting not only keeps your body fluctuating between a size 2 and a size 10, it also keeps your mind fluctuating between sanity and paranoia...freaking out about every little change on the scale.
Did you know that when you decide to go on a diet, you’re not just committing to eating a certain way for a finite period of time...you’re actually signing up for a bunch of other things? Yep, take a look:
When you go on a diet, you might be saying “yes” to:
- being dissatisfied with your body during various times for the rest of life
- being in fear of and obsessed with certain foods
- constantly comparing yourself to others (a.k.a "body envy")
- compulsively counting calories, points, or carbs
- measuring your value by a number on the scale or a dress size
- evaluating how "good" or "bad" you are based on the food you eat
- being distracted by the constant pursuit of weight loss, and letting life zoom right past you
And by saying “yes” to all these things, you could be saying “no” to:
- knowing what it feels like to find pleasure in eating healthy foods
- living in the moment and accepting where you are RIGHT NOW
- finding your true purpose and passion... and pursuing it
- fully engaging in relationships with friends and family
- experiencing the fullness of life
This is just a little something to think about the next time you embark on YOUR next diet. I was able to recover from "weight loss brain" when I finally realized:
It's not JUST about food and exercise...it's about your WHOLE life.
What do you think of "weight loss brain"? Share your own personal experience in the comments section below!
