Weight loss is the objective of tens of millions of Americans. Yet, only a small percentage of fat people seem able to lose the weight and permanently keep it off. Why is this? We are always hearing about the diets that people are on, and the workouts that they are doing. How come people are not losing weight as rapidly, or even with consistent success, as they should be?
Well, the answer is that too many people don’t know the proper techniques for losing weight permanently. They have been sold on fad diets, and on workout regimens that most of them are not fit enough or strong willed enough to sustain.
There are much smarter ways of approaching weight loss. The smart ways work, and they are sustainable. They are also easier to implement in your life than you likely think.
Food Is Not For Comfort
Alright…we all have our comfort foods. Well, most of us do. But the fact is that food is not for comforting. It’s not for stress relief. While it should taste great, food is for energy and the sustaining of health. Period. When you feel hungry, your body is simply telling you that it is in need of a energy boost. It’s not in need of relief from emotional stress, except for the emotional stress of needing energy.
If you eat comfort food, it should be eaten as fuel for the body, in addition to comfort. So, how can you better handle stress without the need to eat (which leads to overeating and frustration with weight loss)?
What about listening to music? What about dancing to that music? If you play a musical instrument, you could play something for yourself for relief. You could read some chapters in a great book, or read some poetry. Even more than reading, you could write out your thoughts and feelings in a journal, or do drawing. You could play a mentally challenging video game, including possibly electronic chess on your computer. Walking is one of the greatest stress relievers.
And…so is more intense exercise.
Exercise Is Not Punishment
You cannot punish your body and expect to sustain an exercise regimen. A “workout” should actually be a “pleasure outing” for you. It’s not a punishment for having committed the sin of eating something with sugar in it. This is no “mea culpa” whipping. Exercise is great, and you should be looking forward to it.
Exercise is necessary for significant weight loss. It can be done as a replacement for comfort eating as a relief from stress, but it should never be done as self-punishment for eating.
Focus your mind on how much better you’ll sleep, how much more self-confident you’ll feel, how much more energy you’ll have, and how much less stress you’ll have from exercising. You can also focus on the adventure you’ll have. Don’t focus on the weight loss aspect of exercise. And yet, you can know that your exercise efforts will indeed help you lose weight permanently.
So, there you have it. Two myths dispelled. Two obstacles to your permanent weight loss overcome.
