Stop Bowing Down to the god of Weightloss
Before you make that new year’s resolution to lose weight this year, ✋🏻 stop and read this!
First off, losing weight isn’t the enemy here. Let me start by saying that. The enemy here is our ability to become addicted to…well, anything really!
You wanna lose a few pounds so you can chase your kids or to be a little healthier because your physical is showing some scary things, by all means, go for it! But do not…I repeat…do NOT allow weightloss to become a god you lose your identity to.
Don’t let it be the measure of your success. Or the instrument with which you judge and compare everyone else. Don’t allow it to have so much power over you that you have to ask its permission to eat a single bite of anything.
I saw a “news report” the other day about how a celebrity lost 100 pounds! “Wow!” I thought. But the very next thought that popped into my head was, “But is she happy? Is she actually healthy?” Sadly, many times (for celebrity or non) the answer to that question is no.
Many folks that have “lost the weight” will tell you that it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Know why? Because when you just focus on peeling away the skin and fat, you still uncover the person that you are underneath. (Wherever you go, there you are.) This is why we can’t bow to the god of weightloss. We need to go through a process. And sorry not sorry to all the fad diets, exercise equipment, health & fitness coaches and everyone else whose “time to shine” is coming…but this process is NOT a one-size-fits-all. So before you go buy the latest trend promising you’ll look like a Kardashian when you’re done…let’s talk about some things your “Getting Healthy Strategy” should actually include:
- A routine physical. Yes, with your doctor. And if you don’t have one that will listen to you and respect your goals, find a new one. Ask for labs to check your vitamins and minerals. Get your heart and sugar levels checked. Get your thyroid checked. You need this info before you get going or you could be running in a hamster wheel and go nowhere.
- Schedule time with a therapist or counselor or spiritual leader. Do. Not. Skip. This. Step. (Wherever you go, there you are.) It’s vital that your healing journey is not just focused on a physical approach. You need to heal spiritually and emotionally as well! Many times when you begin to tackle this area, you may see some habits change and some goals you had become more achievable. Some folks actually lose weight just from this process! The body has amazing ways of protecting us from our hurts and traumas. Adding a few layers of fat for protection is actually one of them.
- Find something physical that you ENJOY doing…and then do it! And when that gets boring, try something new! It really is that simple. And I don’t mean keep buying those weird “As Seen on TV” gadgets. 😂 I mean try walking. Try running. Try flag football. Try indoor winter sports if you live in a cold northern climate. Love to dance? Perfect! There are TONS of dance instructional videos out there for free on YouTube. One day you can dance salsa…the next you might just feel like some yoga or gentle movement. The important part is to stop treating your body like a workhorse and start listening to it. Begin to develop your intuitive sense so you can hear what your body is asking for that day. Honoring your body through this process will give you more peace and happiness than shoving it into a gym every day will. (Again, gyms are not bad. Nothing is bad until we abuse it or use it to abuse ourselves.)
- Settle on a nutrition plan that is right for you and your body. No more fad diets. You need to go through the process of learning what YOUR body needs. Not what your neighbor needs. Not what the latest trend is. Not what you think “might work this time”…but what YOUR body needs. Also, it’s important to note that weightloss cannot be your measure of success. Folks dealing with anorexia lose weight but we know that’s not the healthiest way to do it. Figure out what YOUR measure of success will be. Is it feeling your clothes fit better? You’re feeling stronger? You can push the stroller a few blocks without getting winded? You decide! Refer back to the lab work and decide if you need some supplements, if you need to set a water goal, and implement realistic changes over time that get you closer to where you want to be. Eat to be nourished…not to curb shame. Eating disorders are real, and sneaky, and many folks actually struggle with them and don’t even realize it. You have food, food shouldn’t have you. Focus on getting in as many “high frequency” (aka living food like vegetables and fruits!) as you can so you can build your immune system and support your digestion. But again, know your body! If you can’t eat certain veggies, find ones you can. Your body, your rules.
- Go to bed. I mean it. 😂 Get some good rest. Make yourself a priority in this area. Your immune system (and every system in your body!) requires this rest period to rejuvenate and heal. Your body and mind do a lot of hard work and processing while you sleep and if you never sleep, your body can’t do what it needs to do. If you have trouble with sleep, perhaps some of the above steps, followed consistently over time, may help improve your sleep. If not, explore what is causing you to stay awake at night and reach out for help in the appropriate area once you have discovered the root. You deserve rest, friend.
I hope you hear my words and my heart here as I beg you to create a “Getting Healthy Strategy” instead of a weightloss plan. Wellness is an equal parts wheel. Everything has to be balanced for it to move properly. If one part is out of sync, the wheel can’t move…or it can’t move as far and as fast as it could have. If you want to lose weight and get truly healthy, this is the true work you need to do. Embrace yourself as you are…love who you are. You are absolutely worth this healing journey!
Blessings and wellness and health and happiness…
~Nikki
