When it comes to losing weight, think about an iceberg.
What you see in the mirror, how you feel about your body, and even the number on the scale is all the tip of the iceberg. These are the things above the surface that you see and deal with every day.
So what’s below the surface?
Below the surface are the driving factors that are creating your struggle with losing weight.
Those driving factors are un-managed emotions, the habit of giving in to cravings, limiting beliefs about yourself, what you think about situations and what you are capable of.
It is also how you handle your fears, insecurities, doubts and failures.
So if you want to lose weight for the last time, you will have to look below the surface of the water to learn what is creating the results you are having right now.
And….what I want you to know is that what is under the surface all stems from your thoughts.
Here’s are a couple of examples of how it goes:
You follow your diet perfectly all week and then the weekend comes and you ‘fall off the wagon’ when you are out with friends. The thought in the back of your mind is, “I don’t want to miss out” or “It’s not fair that I can’t have that food.”
You fell off the wagon because of those thoughts, and because our thoughts create our feelings, you find yourself feeling deprived, frustrated, and maybe disappointed, so you give in and eat what you said you wouldn’t.
What happens next is you have thoughts like: “What is wrong with me, why can’t I stick to my diet. I will never lose this weight. I am such a failure.”
It wasn’t bad enough that you had that initial thought of not wanting to miss out, but then thinking you’re a failure creates even more negative feelings, like regret, shame, or frustration.
Those negative feelings will have you quitting every time on yourself, sending you spiralling down eating even more because at this point you are thinking, “What’s the point, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
But…. To someone else going out with friends this would not have sent them overeating because they have different thoughts and beliefs: “I don’t need food to enjoy my time out” or “My staying on my plan has nothing to do with missing out.” “I am worth not having that extra food!”
Another example is:
You having thoughts about yourself that have been there a very long time like:
“I am big-boned,” “I have always been overweight and will always be,” “Everyone in my family is heavy, and I am too.”
These thoughts are below the surface; you believe them to be true because you have thought them repeatedly.
Those thoughts because you believe them to be true will always sabotage your success with losing weight because how will you do whatever it takes when you genuinely believe that nothing you do to lose weight will make a difference because you are destined to stay that way.
If these are the thoughts you have every time it gets hard, that thought will pop up, creating the feeling of sadness which sends you overeating.
Every day this is what goes on in your brain.
You have thoughts from beliefs or from a situation that occurs that create a feeling. It is that feeling that has you reacting, and that is what creates the results of your life.
I know for me the way I reacted was that I ate!
To start making changes and not end up overeating, you have to become aware of what is going on under the surface.
The strategy I use with my clients is first becoming aware of your feelings because that is what is standing out more than your thoughts at the beginning.
Start today with every time you find yourself eating something off your plan, STOP and ask yourself the question: “What is it I am feeling?”
Then you name the feeling so that you can start to recognize which feelings send you to eating.
Do you find yourself eating off plan when you are:
Stressed?
Overwhelmed?
Bored?
Lonely?
Or it can be even when you are happy?
For most people, it is not just the negative emotions that send them eating but also the positive ones.
When you have found the feeling, and you can name it, start getting curious about how you are feeling before, during, and after eating.
Most people are so used to turning to food to fix or get rid of how they feel. Or thinking food will help them feel different but….
Food does not solve anything. When we overeat, it only creates more discomfort.
Once you become aware of this, you will see that food is not the solution!
You can see how powerful everything going on under the surface affects our weight loss. I love to dive under the surface with my clients because that is where the real permanent change happens.
If you would like to explore why you are struggling to lose weight and put a sustainable plan in place, book a free ‘Lose the Weight’ call here.
You are worth it!
Hugs,
Karen
Registered Nurse, Certified Weight and Emotional Eating Coach
P.S. Join my Facebook group here, where I help women lose weight for the last time by giving them tools and support to get to their dream weight and life!
