Most People Misunderstand How to Lose Weight. It Keeps Them Out of Shape.
You too, are you wasting time?
Do you have that friend who seems to stay thin no matter what they eat and how much or little they exercise?
I have a secret, and I’m a bit ashamed to admit it.
I am that friend.
More than that, I’ve always wondered why some people can’t lose weight while it’s always been easy for me.
Doubtful, I thought their weight gain was their lack of motivation or self-care. That’s because for me, staying in shape was effortless.
I have a habit of skipping breakfast and have my first meal at 12pm — not knowing this was intermittent fasting at one point.
I have been a vegetarian since age 12 and have been known to enjoy a nice cup of tea.
Those were my natural secrets to staying thin. I preached them loud and proud to anyone who asked for my advice.
I realized over time, that while those habits are in fact keeping me thin, they are doing so because of my effortlessness.
If you’re like me and have once fallen into the trap of comparison, read further.
What you may have not considered is a concept I like to call “swimming upstream.” Like a river, our lives follow a natural downstream flow; that is, if we let it. Swimming upstream is not only difficult and exhausting, but also wastes time and lacks sensibility.
Diet and exercise function the same. Working with our bodies and not against our natural tendencies is the key to feeling strong, sexy, and shedding pounds with ease.
How might you be swimming upstream in your weight loss journey? Consider these 5 factors:
#1: Genetics
According to a study, persistent healthy thinness, like severe obesity, is hereditary.
Thanks to a field called “epigenetics”, our genetic coding is not a death sentence, but rather a blueprint on how best to thrive.
Essentially, the study of epigenetics teaches us that you can turn the expression of genes on and off.
Fighting against genetics might look like:
- Unrealistic body goals
- Eating foods that inflame your body and cause chronic illness
- Ignoring past family history
Looking at your family, you can either decide to break the cycle, or continue to live in disharmony.
#2: Diet
With trending diets coming and going with the decades, it may be easy to get trapped in the “influencer” diet game.
Seeing “what I eat in a day” and “a day in the life with me” videos and articles is not an uncommon occurrence on social media.
In fact, I even wrote one myself.
Being a vegetarian, I understand that everyone’s body is different. I sympathize that this restriction might cause damage to someone else’s digestion, hormones, and mood.
When your body is under stress, you tend to hold onto, or rapidly lose weight as a physiological response. Neither of those are healthy, neither are sustainable.
Your diet should give you energy, make you feel vibrant, and be yummy. You may have to cut calories, yes. But you do not have to restrict yourself in enjoying your food.
Enjoying your food + making changes = consistent progress
Fall in love with the process of cooking. This may take time, but cooking your own food gives you the awareness of what you’re putting in your body. With that awareness you’ll be more inclined to make better choices without feeling like you’re starving.
Don’t be afraid to look at your ingredients list, either. Less is more. Harmful chemicals and excessive sugars cause fat and hormonal disorders.
#3: Exercise
We cannot all be Olympic athletes, and personally, I don’t want to be. Knowing what exercises are most effective for you is a key component to weight loss.
This isn’t to say you cannot challenge your body and push your limits further. Yet, enhancing your abilities by focusing on movement that is natural to you is more of a downstream concept; easier and effective.
For me, I love to dance. Dance brings me joy. I feel free, creative, and liberated, but also focused and deliberate.
Dancing keeps me in shape because I enjoy it. I don’t need to force myself to dance, there is no resistance. The body knows this, and the expression of that joy is seen in the natural musculature of my body.
Whether it’s the gym, cycling, or even pole dancing, find what movement makes you feel good and challenge yourself there.
#4: Hormones
Most of us are well aware of the influences of the patriarchy in our society.
Have you ever thought about how those expectations have made their way into the world of exercise?
Let me elaborate.
Men and women have very different hormonal fluctuations. Men are on a 24-hour cycle, waking up with new levels of testosterone every morning.
Women, on the other hand, are on monthly cycles, flowing through 4 phases over the course of 30 days.
You can read more about the difference in male and female hormonal cycles here.
This is why men are more inclined to strength training, heavy lifting, and omit more energy. Women can do all those things as well, but more effectively or ineffectively, given certain times of the month.
During certain phases of a woman’s cycle, it may be more beneficial to stick to lower-impact movements like yoga and Pilates. This is to avoid unnecessary stress and inflammation on the body.
Male or female, consciousness of our hormonal cycles can be pivotal for weight loss.
#5: Our Thoughts
This one may surprise you.
Our thoughts? What do our thoughts have to do with losing weight?
You need to examine your motives for losing weight and choosing certain diets and exercises. Without an awareness and consciousness of our intentions, we can get lost in the comparison game and create an up-stream effect.
Some questions to ask yourself are:
- Who am I doing this for? (Hint: the answer should be YOU)
- How do I want to feel in my body? (Sexy, confident, at peace, accepting)
- Am I coming from a place of love or hate? (Am I shaming myself into weight loss, or loving myself enough to treat my temple with the care it deserves)
More often than not, our negative thought patterns can be easily changed to create a more positive narrative about weight loss.
Affirm:
“I am the creator of my reality”
“I choose health, vibrancy, abundance”
“Taking care of my body feels amazing!”
Weight loss is a complex journey that requires dedication and a lot of self-love. To take care of our bodies, is to take care of our minds, is to take care of our souls.
Working upstream is the main reason I feel so many people struggle with weight loss.
We are all completely different beings. Be wary of advice that centers around what others are doing, what fitness fad is trending, and which body part of a woman is most desirable this year.
It’s important to create sustainable habits that give you all the endorphins and happiness you need to stay persistent on your goals.
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