Loving the WEIGH you are
The weight loss industry is HUGE. I just did a quick Google of the topic and found that we’re talking over 72 BILLION in the US alone. We’re talking a lot of protein shakes, keto diets and unused gym memberships. But yet obesity rates continue to climb.
This is a personal issue to me as I have struggled with maintaining a healthful weight since my 30s. Prior to then, I was one of those annoying people who could eat pretty much whatever without gaining.
Then babies came along. And pound by pound, the weight would creep back on despite hitting the gym most days and a healthful diet. To make matters even more frustrating, my fibromyalgia symptoms began to interfere with my exercise plans.
Que to the Star Wars battle scene music. Most women are already at war with their bodies from a very young age, thanks to the media bombarding us with body shaming images and messages. This struggle with my weight and chronic pained only escalated my unhappiness with myself.
When I was 40, I lost 50 pounds with Weight Watchers. I felt great. But yup…pound by pound, it crept back on. Especially because the fibro became severe in my early 40s.
This past year, at the age of 56, I hit my all-time highest weight. I was miserable. Through mindbody work, the fibro no long impacts my daily life so I have still kept up with exercise. But the real wakeup call came when my blood pressure was seriously elevated at a checkup. It scared me into taking action.
After looking at my failed attempts with the fad approaches, I decided to go back to Weight Watchers – now rebranded as “WW.” It worked for me before, it’ll work again, I reasoned. I joined online and found a WONDERFUL community of men and women.
I found folks who’ve lost 400 pounds and those rejoicing that they’ve kept 15 pounds off for good. I met people who need to lose 300 pounds and others like me – over fifty years old, with about fifty pounds to lose.
One of the first posts I read on the forum shortly after I joined was from a woman who posted “I took this goddess body out for a walk today.” Her smile lit up my screen. And was she a twiggy? No.
I immediately “followed” her on the forum. Her comment about her “goddess body” was another wake-up call for me to begin regarding my body as the holy precious gift that it is NOW. Not when I lose weight. Not when I can fit back into a certain size. Now. Right now. Over fifty with fifty pounds to lose.
As I’ve reflected on this weight loss journey once again, it is reinforcing some bigger life lessons.
First – there are no quick fixes in weight loss. Or in ANYTHING that is important. We want to throw back protein shakes, go on a drastic diet, fast intermittently, ANYTHING that promises quick results. Sure, you may have a quick response but the results are not sustainable. You will likely gain back the weight – along with a few more pounds. This was my experience as well.
Second – Negative self-talk and berating yourself will only set you up for more heartache and failure. Your body is taking in everything you think and say. If you’re calling yourself unkind things – it hears it all. Pay attention! If you wouldn’t say it to a loved one, don’t say it to yourself.
Third – Will power will only take you so far. Willpower often arises out of the ego. And that’s not bad – it’s just that, like the fad diets, this approach is hard to maintain. Especially since it is the ego stirring up unhappy comparisons. (Is my butt that big? What size is she wearing? Etc…)
Fourth – Struggling with weight (or any health issue for that matter) is an INVITATION to TRANSFORMATION. Get curious about the behaviors not serving you well. And most importantly, learn how to LOVE YOURSELF. You have a GODDESS BODY! Treat it with the love it deserves for housing your beautiful sacred soul.
I am excited about the things I am learning – the twentyish pounds I’ve lost so far are just the icing on the cake. (And yes, you can eat cake on the WW plan.) This journey is truly about more than losing weight – it is transformative.
Hey if you’re interested in exploring WW, here’s a code that will give you one month free to check it out. I sorta like it because it will give me a month free too!
