Stop Trying To Lose Weight
Here Is Why
Weight loss is on the minds of millions of women each and everyday. And not even the thought of weight loss but the obsession, the over-analysis, the stress of how much weight to lose or the reflection in the mirror.It’s a full time job – waking up thinking about how much you hate your body, actively restricting calories so you can change your body, then, of course, overeating because, quite honestly, that is the natural physical reaction to deprivation. It takes an enormous amount of mental energy to constantly have these struggles on the forefront of our minds.
And here’s the thing… the weight loss industry isn’t doing us any favours by continuing to sell the ‘band-aid on a bullet wound’ solutions to the problem. What happens when you give in and go on a diet? You may lose a few pounds while you’re in a heavy state of restriction but as soon stop the deprivation, you gain all the weight back plus more. This is the classic ‘diet/binge’ cycle that the weight loss industry capitalizes on.
Let’s talk about the term ‘weight loss’ for a moment. It’s human tendency to go find something after we’ve lost it. Weight is no different. You lose weight; then, you somehow find it once again.
The sad thing is, you’re unaware of why this is even happening, it’s much deeper than what meets the eye. Physical weight on the body is a representation of the emotional weight we are carrying. If we want to create sustainable, long term transformation in our bodies, we must look at the emotional side. Diet and exercise are external solutions to a very internal problem, which is why – they never work.
In our world, we are on a constant search for ‘miracle quick fixes’ that promise us we’ll be dancing around like the women in the tampon commercials in less than 30 days. Although tempting, these approaches will – in the long run – leave you feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and fed up. However, we assume we’ve not tried it ALL yet, so yet again we give in only to be disappointed by the results promised in the advertisement. This is where we start to create those deep-rooted beliefs that we aren’t good enough and don’t have a morsel of willpower to lose the excess weight we have been carrying around.It’s time to end your attachment to the struggle, end the uphill battle, the world of restriction and deprivation. Transformation in your mind and body must be accomplished through ease and flow, through love, not hate. It is imperative we take back our power and channel it into developing a deeper trust in our bodies. Seek trust in the deeper part of you, not the one that has let you down time and time again for several decades. Cultivate a deeper trust, from your body, from your intuition. You have access to internal guidance. Your body is more than capable of telling you what to eat, how much to eat and when to eat.
Our bodies trump our minds in terms of fundamental needs. Yet, in a world where logic is valued over intuition, we carry on with life pretending we don’t possess intuition, and are completely disconnected head and heart, mind and body. It is impossible to trust and to diet simultaneously – you must choose, one or the other.
We can’t think our way out of the struggle we have with food, it must be felt. We must feel it though, dig into the emotional weight, explore what is holding us back and truly process and release these emotions from a cellular level. Then, and only then will you have the unlimited capability to release weight from a place of love that is sustainable.
Stop being a victim to the weight loss industry. It’s time to truly step up for yourself. Decide your worth, and begin the inward journey of unlimited wisdom and guidance. Befriend your body – stop running from it. Allow it to work for you, for your Higher Self – not against it.
You’ve got this.
Samantha Skelly is the founder of Hungry For Happiness, an international movement to support women around the world who are suffering from disordered eating and body image issues. Hungry For Happiness creates online accessible and affordable recovery resources to those who are suffering in silence. Samantha was awarded ‘Top 24 under 24’ in September 2013. In 2014 she was a finalist as the ‘Best Emerging Entrepreneur’, and Hungry For Happiness is now nominated for ‘Best Concept’ by Small Business BC. Samantha Skelly aims to create a disruptive company in the eating disorder recovery space. Her vision is to create the largest and most impactful online resource to support those whose lives are negatively affected by issues with food and their bodies. When Samantha isn’t working on her mission, she is probably upside down practicing acro yoga, playing guitar, at comedy improve class or dancing salsa.