Day 4–100 Days To A Healthy Relationship With Food
Why we should aim for health gain not weight loss
Weight loss is a term that has been around for decades. It should be re-expressed in a more positive way.
Words matter.
Loss / Losing / Weight — these are all words that evoke negative connotations. The word weight can make you think of a burden, something that drags you down. Loss is linked to pain and losing makes you feel like a loser.
Think of the TV programme ‘The Biggest Loser’. It hides behind the double-meaning of the word, but it is effectively calling overweight people losers.
That’s not OK.
Knowledge
My company does creative consultancy — a few days back I gave a talk to a corporate senior management team. One of the simple creative theories I introduced them to was ‘Reverse’.
This is where you take what usually happens, and flip it 180. It’s meant to stimulate fresh ideas one or two iterations away from the literal opposite, but sometimes the first pure flip works.
Let’s try it here.
The opposite of “weight loss”, would be “weightless gain” which doesn’t quite land. But “health gain”, that does make sense.
According to a Harvard affiliated director of preventative cardiology, there is no doubt that it is more healthy to not be overweight:
“The latest science is quite clear that excess weight can carry considerable health risks, including a higher risk for heart attack and stroke.” — Dr. Jorge Plutzky, Brigham and Women’s Hospital”
And according to the 2017 OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) report, excess weight and obesity is expected to be a growing problem for at least the next decade:
“OECD projections show a steady increase in obesity rates until at least 2030 Obesity levels are expected to be particularly high in the United States, Mexico and England, where 47%, 39% and 35% of the population respectively are projected to be obese in 2030.” — OECD Obesity Update 2017
Given that current efforts to get people to lose weight are clearly not working (because the numbers are going up, not down), isn’t it time for a re-brand?
How many people would find it easier to gain health than lose weight?
It’s a more positive vision, an easier thing to share with people. There is less shame attached.
I know there’s shame in being overweight — I’ve felt it.
I’ve felt it when I have told people I’m trying to lose weight.
I’ve felt it even more when, inevitably, my latest attempt to lose weight has failed and someone has asked me how my plan is going.
Eating in a way that achieves the twin aims of a healthy relationship with food and a healthy weight… requires effort. I am feeling that right now. Only 4 days into my ‘100 Days 100 Ways’ project. I am trying to undo over 3 decades of unhelpful eating.
It makes me feel better, and makes it easier to stay on track, when I think of this project as gaining health.
Progress
I’m still on track. But I can feel the honeymoon period of starting a new approach starting to wear off. That’s OK. I expect this to test me. Other thoughts were more helpful. For years now, I have weighed myself every Friday morning, but tomorrow, I won’t. I wrote on Day 1 about how weight loss (I mean, health gain!) should be about progress, not numbers. So I want to stick with my plan, stick with my process, and judge how it’s going not by numbers on the scales, but whether I am persevering. At the end of the 100 days I can weigh myself and use that as part of my assessment of the project as a whole.
This is the therefore the most important question: Am I continuing to do what I set out to do? So far, the answer is yes. Weighing myself tomorrow will not help me make it 5 days out of 5 — sticking to the plan will.
4/4/100 (Number of days into project / number of days goals met / total days in project)
Why I’ve chosen16:8 Intermittent Fasting
Be responsible about food and weight management. Research a healthy weight, and healthy methods of weight management for you physically and mentally. Remember, you are not defined by what you weigh. I am not a nutritionist.