Most of what I do revolves around behavior change. The American obesity prevelance was more than 40% as of March 2020. If losing weight really is so easy, then why are we getting bigger? Losing weight is simple, it comes down to math, but it's not easy because it is behavior that drives us.
Late 2009-ish I was over 200 pounds. I would go get ice cream from Dairy Queen at least once every week after supper. I felt like a bottomless pit because I never felt full. I was hungry for something more than just food, although I didn't realize it at the time.
If you have found yourself mindlessly eating from a bag of chips while binging your favorite show, this is exactly where you need to be. Below is a step-by-step process to help you get the needle moving forward and stop living like a child who is seeking instant gratification and start living like an adult.
Therapy: I HIGHLY recommend therapy to everyone (seriously, we all have shit we need to talk through). Yes, this can get costly but so are the health care costs of obesity and all that junk food and the gas you're wasting to go out to eat and the cost of missing work due to a higher risk of illness and injury. You can look for a mental health professional that offers a sliding-fee. Many EAPs also provide assistance with mental health resources.
Identify one pattern: Maybe you're one of the many who eat in front of the TV; this is a pattern. Focus on one pattern and set a boundary around it. For me, I always got a large ice cream. I told myself no more large ice creams so I started to get a medium instead (eventually working down to a mini). Don't make this too much by thinking about all things you can change. Work on only one for the next few weeks.
Thought: There's an absence of thought while we binge on a package of Oreos. It sounds silly but bear with me, start narrating your actions. "I'm going to the fridge." "I'm looking for something to eat because I'm bored." This will help to bring you back to a present state of awareness. Trust me, I know this is woo-woo but it helps. Do this while working on changing up your pattern.
Add a healthier habit: Once you've been working on the three listed above, add a healthier habit to eventually replace the one you're working on. After slowly getting a smaller ice cream, I started to track my food. You can add in a short walk or change the snack to something healthier like baby carrots. Focus on this new habit for a month.
Let me know how this goes for you. And if you're not sure where to start, let's chat so we can figure out what pattern to focus on and what habit will be a positive one to add in. Full transparency, this is something I offer everyone for free. This call isn't a sales pitch and there's no expectation of us working together. It's a way for me to help you clear the clutter from your head.
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