Why does self-love determine your ability to lose weight forever?
After all, you have committed yourself to lose weight at one point or another. You have bought the books, meal plans, and gotten rid of all the “carby” products in your kitchen. You are going to be successful, right? After all, aren’t all of the things mentioned above half the battle right there? That is wonderful. However, how many reading this posting, actually think that this will equal success in weight loss? The truth is that many people go year after year, determined to lose the extra weight, but every year, they either fail or, worse, actually gain more weight. If these people started so determined to start a weight loss program, you might be wondering why they often lose hope and go back to their old eating habits? Well, simply put-it has to do with their reasons to lose weight in the first place. More often, they are being influenced by outside sources-family, culture, societal pressure, and even their partners tell them to lose weight. So, many individuals feeling this “outside pressure” will go on a food and exercise program-not because they want to, but because they think they “should.” Many times, a person’s friends and families are the biggest detractors for him or her achieving weight loss. Suppose, for example, the diet and exercise program goes against what is considered “normal eating” (food pyramid, Mediterranean diet, etc.). In that case, they often express their displeasure through verbal and nonverbal communication, lack of support, and questioning why they haven’t lost the weight if this lifestyle is so successful. Typically, some people, when receiving very negative comments like this, will often quit their current fitness/food program and revert to their old eating habits. Or they will continue with their current food program for a little while but eventually go back to their old eating habits and gain back all of their previously lost weight. The intent has to be for you and no one else. It can’t be for other people because you are the one who will be living with this choice-not them!
The bottom line is this: You have to remember that you are a fantastic individual and are worth the time to have fun, to eat decadent food, and try new, excellent exercises. Despite what we have been taught by society, it is okay to focus on yourself for fifteen minutes, half an hour, or more each day! It is essential to have fun and enjoy yourself every day. That is better than being worried about how many minutes you have exercised, the weight you have lost per week, or concerned about the weekly check-in at Jenny Craig. Doing things for yourself, enjoying eating fantastic food, and setting a goal for yourself where only you benefit is a good thing.
As a reader, you may be wondering, how do I know? Well, I know because I have, like many people, been doing yo-yo dieting on and off since I was thirteen years old. I have always exercised and eaten healthy. This was not because I enjoyed the whole process, the food, or all of the exercises trained to get you that “ideal” body. It was all about being attractive, fitting into a pair of jeans, dress, etc. Whenever I would try a new fitness program, the comments from so-called friends and then questioning why I wasn’t at the desired goal after a month hurt a lot. Their words now seem so silly, but they prevented me from achieving what I wanted the most- to lose the weight.
When I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, I needed to develop an exercise and fitness program for my overall health. I realized that it had to be for more than the desired number based on a vague BMI chart. It had to be what felt right and good for me. I have always liked walking on a treadmill while watching tv shows and movies and dancing. So that is what I did and continue to do to this day. I exercise for two hours a day, walking on the treadmill (or dancing to youtube online fitness instructors instead)-This gives me enough adrenaline to get through the rest of the day. I have always enjoyed kickboxing. At night, my family and I do that for an hour, doing the latest kickboxing video on Youtube.
I have enjoyed every aspect of this type of exercise and am less concerned about losing weight. Through the successful implementation of the lifestyle into my life, I have actually enjoyed my food. Before Keto, it was all about eating “low carb” or the Mediterranian diet, convinced that it was the only way to lose weight (yet at the same time, not knowing about the right level of portion control). However, on Keto, I keep my portions under control and still enjoy my food, where everything is delicious and decadent. I have always wanted to try this food but was convinced that it wasn’t “healthy” for me to consume. Now, I am excited to research new things like Keto Kit Kat recipes to Keto Chantilly Cake! After I started to enjoy the process, I was able to lose weight, to fit into a smaller size than I expected, from a size 12 to a size 8. What I have learned in summary is that for me, Keto equals self-love.
