Time to Die for Emotional Growth

A Part of You must Die to Lose Weight

Not a physical death of course but the part of you that is hanging on to old habits, routines, beliefs and emotional patterns related to the way you take care of yourself diet and exercise-wise.

And, it may hurt a little!

If your brain were a computer then we could say that the subroutine for diet and exercise has to be deleted (die), and then upgraded or replaced with a newer, better version of the software.

A DIFFERENT YOU in ESSENCE

Always improving, always changing. Sometimes we look back at our younger selves and cringe with embarrassment at who we were, thankful that we are not that person anymore. That person is truthfully gone, dead in a manner of speaking.

We should be dying more often actually, as often as we can so that we never stop improving who we are. This ensures that life will never be dull or unfulfilling.

DIET DEATH

Dieting isn’t about simply changing what we eat. If we could do that with ease then we would have already and there would be no need for a death. We have to die because we have to BE ANOTHER PERSON in order to make that kind of change to where we are able to follow a new model for eating and exercising … AND … be able to STICK TO IT.

Generally what we eat is influenced by the following:

Habit – We have ingrained patterns of eating that may have been with us since childhood. And by now they are a big part of who we are, operating unconsciously and automatically, accepted as the way to eat properly.

Stress – People who experience more anxiety tend to use food as a salve or release from all of the tension they feel throughout the day. It works too, though only momentarily. Unfortunately, the foods that do soothe are also the ones that are the least healthy and cause people to gain weight.

Pleasure – If we’re bored or tired or just aren’t getting any excitement out of life we sometimes will find it through food.

Routine – Good quality food takes time and effort to prepare and if we have a busy routine then what’s easily and readily available (i.e. processed food and junk) will tend to be chosen first. Especially when it’s cheap.

So as you can see there is A STRONG inertial pull keeping us where we are. How we eat is tied in to so many different areas of our life that to change just it would mean changing many other parts of our lives along with it.

PSYCHOLOGICAL GROWTH

The change has to happen psychologically first, before it can happen physically. We know this because when we see a friend “finally” start to lose weight it’s because this time they were serious. They seem to have a bit more mental strength than they used to and have a drive to push past the cravings (or if they do cave they are able to get right back on the horse). You can sense it in them, that they are different and NEW somehow.

PAIN

The shift usually takes place after they’ve suffered with it long enough and feel a stronger need to change than to stay the same.

You’ll hear them say:

“This time is different.”
“I can’t take it anymore.”
“I’m fed up.”
“I’m doing this no matter what.”
“Something has to change now.”

What they are doing is taking a cue from the pain and frustration that they have endured, and using it to fuel their growth into a new direction. They are taking responsibility for their state and then making something happen.

STEPS TO DEATH

1- Become conscious of what’s going on inside you emotionally. FEEL the pain and angst about your current situation and let it come to the surface of your awareness.

2- Use this pain as fuel (energy/drive/motivation) to better yourself as far as your diet and activity level are concerned.

3- Next do this writing exercise. You need to be a new person and this exercise helps you become more aware of who you are and who you could be.

4- Figure out what type of diet is right for you. Keep in mind the nutrition aspect and also the insulin connection when choosing the foods that you will be eating long term.

5- Make it tasty and enjoyable. Take a couple of days to find recipes, think up and write down the different foods and meals that you can easily prepare and look forward to.

6- Become excited about the change. It’s not enough to know that you will be slimmer if you put yourself through this ordeal. You need more.

You need a STRONG FORCE to counter the STRONG PULL that is keeping you where you are.

Become resolute about putting in some effort into those six steps above and you will surely die into a different, improved person that won’t look back.

Do this often enough in your life and you’ll know what it is to feel alive.

You get much more out of it than losing a few pounds. Your whole life gets better as a result.

– Eating Love

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THE EATING LOVE GUIDE (FREE)

The Eating Love Guide has helped many people regain control of their eating patterns, resulting not only in weight loss but also better health and improved self-esteem. To read it online, click here.