 ASK
OUR EXPERTS...
I am disciplined and successful in most areas of my life but just
cannot resolve my weight issues. What is the problem here?
By Nancy Anderson-Dolan of WiseHeart Wellness Services
The problem is that we see it as a moral issue or a problem of willpower.
The blame is often placed on overeating and under exercising because of lack
of discipline. Yet, the problem is actually much broader and more complex.
Simplistic views like this just cause further confusion. People then make an
effort, often a great one, trying to follow a diet or exercise plan and
either make little headway, or what success they may have doesn’t last. The
frustration and failure only add to the problem.
When the real nature of the problem - it’s multifaceted nature - is
considered, then a more useful plan of action can be formulated. Recent
research indicates that emotional and psychological facets are at least as
important as the purely physical ones of intake and exercise. Even with all
the new food programs, diets and products, there is an alarmingly fast
increase in obesity in developed countries. Attention needs to be paid to
all components of the problem. The best news is that when some of the other
issues are addressed, the food and eating parts become quite easy to manage!
Body awareness, emotional mastery and the ability to observe and change
thought patterns are necessary for long-term maintenance of health and
weight changes. As with most change, awareness is the first step. Practising
awareness of what your body is feeling is the best way to start unlocking
the wisdom within. The body can provide all the guidance we need to be
healthy if we will just listen. Take a moment, get still and simply ask what
you can do to eat more healthfully for your body. Often people get
immediate, specific information that is extremely helpful.
To consistently hear and apply, this guidance works with changing thought
patterns and emotional reactions as well. The best way to achieve the
awareness and then make adjustment of the emotional and psychological
patterns that effect eating is to cultivate a compassionate observation
stance. If the awareness is judgmental or controlling, the very information
sought is withheld from consciousness. Only an open awareness is a viable
tool, otherwise we censor feedback that embarrasses, concerns or scares us.
By accepting this feedback, we release the need to short circuit the body
communication with unhealthy foods or eating patterns.
For more details on healthy weight loss, please contact Nancy Anderson-Dolan
at WiseHeart Wellness Service at 403.685.0864 or visit
www.wiseheartwellness.com |
