The halo benefits of weight loss
My clients initially come to me for weight loss, but all comment that the halo benefits they receive as a result of losing the weight have far greater impact on their overall happiness.
The reality is that for many of us, the extra weight we carry impacts a lot more than just how we feel in our clothes. Our weight impacts our confidence, how we feel about ourselves, our relationships, mood and even our ability to concentrate and sleep.
I have been at my goal weight for many years now, but after a recent gastroscope and colonoscopy I found myself putting on weight, initially without any change to my diet.
What I have since learnt was that the procedure disrupted the bacteria in my gut, causing the initial weight gain and would have resolved in a couple of weeks had I just continued as normal.
However, I didn’t do that. Putting on weight without understanding why had me quickly feeling out of control and when I felt out of control I starting acting in a way to prove that I was out of control and this led to the additional weight.
My clothes no longer felt comfortable and so in turn I became more irritable, tired, frustrated and short tempered. My relationships were impacted, because I felt so down on myself. I had this constant voice in my head telling me I was hopeless and had no self control and so I kept trying to drown her out by eating.
Whilst I did not enjoy this process, it was such a great reminder of why I do this work. Why if the extra weight you carry does bother you, that it is important that you address it. As the impact of that weight has far more impact on you than just fitting into your jeans.
If you are anything like me, feeling good, or not good and out of control has massive impacts on all parts of your life. I believe it is one of the biggest sources of stress and suffering for so many woman and it also becomes one of the cruelest and most invasive ways we tell ourselves that we are not good enough.
I could have resolved my gut within 1-2 weeks post procedure, but not knowing what was causing my weight gain made me instantly feel out of control, and the feeling of being out of control when it came to my weight had me spiralling, reminding me of that feeling so many of my clients go through. Fortunately I was able to pause, create my plan and get my body working back as I should. I changed my thinking from, ‘I am out of control’, to, ‘this is just a problem to solve’.
Once I was able to reframe how I was looking at the problem, I was then able to start getting out of my own way and lose the additional kg I had put on. I also found that it was once I changed my mindset that I also noticed my agitation and frustration started to dissipate.
I was no longer yelling at other drivers whilst driving. I was no longer short tempered and getting angry in yoga class! But more than anything, I was able to quieten that voice inside my head telling me I was useless, disgusting and out of control.
Once I started thinking of my excess weight as simple a problem to solve, rather than a stick to beat myself with I was able to then follow a plan that had me lose all of that additional weight in no time.
So when you think of your weight, consider what impacts is it having on other parts of your life.
Write out a list and then think of that once sentence you repeat to yourself every time you think about your excess weight.
What do you tell yourself about your weight, what do you make your weight mean?
As this sentence is the real problem, it is the driver of so much of the actions you will take.
This week, notice when this sentence comes out and rather than engage in it, be curious about it. Question it, decide is it something you want to continue thinking, or could you start thinking about your excess weight in another way.
Is it like me, just a problem to solve, and the only reason you have your excess weight is because you haven’t quite found the right solution for you body yet?
