Self-acceptance - a prerequisite for successful weight loss.
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Accepting and loving ourselves can lead to health. Catherine McMahon on Unsplash.
Women in their 50s+ who are continuously seeking the secret to weight-loss in a diet are often disappointed. They may blame themselves for failing to understand why they can't stick to a plan, or they may blame the diet.
I propose that successful weight loss, which includes maintaining your desired weight long after the fat comes off, requires a pinch of self-love, a bunch of lovability and a large serving of self-acceptance.
A willingness to visualize yourself changed is one key to success. If you do not see yourself as worthy or lovable, you may not even be willing to imagine yourself at a healthy weight. Ten to twenty percent of weight loss success is learning to choose what and how much food is healthy for your body. The other 80-90% is learning how to navigate in the real world with your brain focused on your health as a top priority.
My first exposure to the idea of self-acceptance was March, 1984. A sweet gentleman who was mentoring me in business handed me a book called How to Love Yourself. I was flabbergasted and embarrassed that the mess I felt inside showed so clearly on the outside. I thought I had been successful at hiding my abject fear of not knowing how to do the right thing. I hated myself and it showed.
I was 31 years old and had no self-confidence or self-acceptance. I was not taking care of myself – lots of eating and drinking and being frustrated with my choices.
Now, some 33 years later, not accepting ourselves is still a major issue for both men and women striving to grow and develop mentally and spiritually.
“Don’t walk through the world looking for evidence you don’t belong because you will find it. Don’t walk through the world looking for evidence you are not enough, because you will find it. Our worth and our belonging are not negotiated with other people. We carry those inside of us.”
The reason we don’t accept ourselves is still the same. Our Brain.
Some of us believe we were not loved and that we are not lovable. The reason I know it is our brain is because it doesn’t matter if we have been loved or not. Somehow, we believe we are worthless, a burden and that there is something intrinsically wrong with us. We have not learned nor practiced how to deeply value our lives and what we have to give.
A person with a healthy sense of self-worth and acceptance would naturally be drawn to healthy habits, don’t you agree?
“The beauty of adding food that heals, nourishes, and satisfies you deeply is that it will almost effortlessly shift your body and mind into a state where you naturally crave what makes you thrive and feel good.”
Look back at your life. If you always thought you were fat, is it true? Are you habitually critical and un-accepting?
Comparing yourselves to others and checking to see if you are accepted by the tribe is a trademark of our evolutionary brain.
In order to continue to evolve and survive, we must choose a healthy lifestyle. That includes our mental and physical health.
Our Brain.
Our Thoughts
Our Actions.
Our Habits.
How do you know if you are failing to achieve your weight loss goals because you don’t love or accept yourself? Answer these questions:
What is your opinion of yourself?
What do you expect from yourself?
What do you expect for your future self?
How do you talk about your past?
How do you talk to yourself when you make a mistake?
Once you evaluate your answers, I think it will be clear.
Creating a Mental Health Development Plan
Do you have a wellness plan? Is there a mental wellness plan connected to your physical wellness plan? Book 30 minutes for a self-acceptance and lovability development plan.