If only I could get this weight off, then I could feel good about myself, fit into my clothes or even better, go down a size or two.
If only I could get this weight off, I’d be healthier physically.
If only I could get this weight off, I’d feel like I fit in with society and could finally love myself.
If only I could lose this weight, then I’d be able to put a bathing suit on and go to the beach and play with my grandkids.
If only…….
Do any of these sound familiar? How about all of them?
Have you ever stopped and tried to figure out how much of your life you spend worrying about what to eat, what not to eat, which diet or food plan will finally work and get you out of your misery and let you finally rest in thin peace? Hmmmmm…… did you notice what I just said? Rest in Peace? Have you thrown years away “weighting” until you arrive at a magic number on the scale to start living, when in reality you haven’t been living your life while you have it?
There’s got to be a better way!
What if I told you the truth, at least the truth the way I see it…We don’t have full control over our weight. We have some, of course, but many, many factors play into what the number is on that scale.
Personally I think that number is a reflection of the emotional baggage and pain that we carry more than the calories in and calories out routine we’ve been sold. Many of my curvy clients have had very rough lives. Many have been physically, emotionally and sexually abused as children or adults, had horrific losses no one should ever have to go through, repeated losses over and over, or simply don’t have a clue how to take care of themselves emotionally as a result of lifetimes of being beat down by life. I’m not making excuses for extra weight; I’m explaining how they’ve managed to cope with the pain in their lives by overeating their way through it. Thank God food has been there to get them through; plus physical weight to help feel safe and protected even when in reality it doesn’t really work that way.
One of my favorite books is “Eating in the Light of the Moon” by Anita Johnson. I recommend it to almost all of my curvy clients. One analogy Johnson uses to describe this idea is that if you were caught in a rushing, roaring river and a log floated by, you’d grab it and hold on for dear life. Eventually you’d realize that to get out of the river you’ll have to let go of the log long enough to get to shore. She says our overeating is like that. When we started overeating, we needed it to hang on to dear life in any way we could. Unfortunately, we haven’t figured out how to let go long enough to get to shore and figure out how to “do life” without the log.
So here’s my suggestion. Start “doing life”! Get out and have fun! Buy clothes that fit the body you have now that are fun and feel good. Enjoy the people you love NOW. Enjoy your body NOW. Appreciate Life. Period. Let go of trying to fix yourself with the latest detox, food plan, etc just to try to fit in. Choose to eat this or that based on what feels good to your body instead of what the latest diet guru says. Perfection doesn’t exist in this life.
Just live. Be Present. Be Fun! Be life. Just BE.
And let go of trying to Be something you’re not.
If you’re ready to let go of trying to be something you’re not and would love some help learning how to just BE and live your life now, I invite you to contact me for a free session today.