Day: February 10, 2022

As many people embark on the journey of weight loss, we often forget one very crucial aspect of that journey, our innate health. We get fixated on a number, focusing on losing weight via all kinds of different diets while we forget to truly tune into ourselves and our bodies and listen. Listen to what our body is telling us. Our bodies have an amazing ability to adapt, change and heal all on their own. Our bodies are greatly intelligent. And we greatly underestimate it.

Suffering from headaches? Reaching out for that pain killer again and again may not be the solution to the problem in the long-term. A headache is a symptom, not the root cause. We need to learn to treat the root cause or else we will forever be band aiding our health.

The point I’m trying to make here is that sometimes weight gain can also be a symptom rather than the main issue at hand. While we are trying to lose weight, we should focus on our health more than anything. Focus on simply feeling better. Increasing energy. Healing our metabolism. Decreasing inflammation. Healing the gut. Balancing hormones. Improving sleep quality.

A weight loss mindset is more about image. The primary motivation is to fit into an idealised image of beauty. Food plans are primarily based around restriction, deprivation, and short-term use to achieve desired image. Restriction triggers the body into survival-like mode lowering metabolism.

A body under stress in survival mode will not lose weight. It will hold onto every ounce of fat until it feels comfortable and safe enough to lose some. If you are feeling like you are doing everything right, tried all the diets on the planet and still can’t lose weight, the likelihood of you concentrating on the wrong symptom is high.

Nutrition should be fun. If it’s not you are doing it wrong. I’m not going to sugar coat it. If you are truly nourishing your body, it will feel amazing. Your food is your medicine. It will heal you. It will give you energy. It will balance your hormones. It will heal your gut. It will improve your sleep. And in the end, it will allow you to lose weight.

Weight management is about improving health, not about weight loss, by focussing on eating better, being physically active and sleeping better.

While weight loss may occur, it is not the primary endpoint.

It’s more about wellness with the primary motivation being to create a healthy body. Food plans are designed for lifelong eating that supports our bodies and maintains their desired weight. There is no end point as creating a healthy lifestyle lasts a lifetime. The focus is holistic as in how you feel: mind, body, spirit.

A quick way to do a gut check is to ask yourself some simple questions:

• Can I live/eat like this for the rest of my life?
• Am I treating my body with respect and doing things that are loving for my body and mind?
• Am I sacrificing my health and risking illness in order to achieve my desired weight goal?
• Am I equating my self-worth and self-esteem to a number on a scale or a pair of jeans?

Through Weight Management you can enjoy your life without suffering through miserable diets by teaching you a new way to live happily. By establishing healthier habits you will achieve the benefits of weight loss and come to realise that this new way of living is far better than the old one.

Sarah Koenig

Weight Management Practitioner

Your Home of Health