The Secret of Permanent Weight Loss

Most people do one of two things when faced with a weight problem. We look for ways to by-pass the problem by looking for quick fix solutions. Alternatively, we repress the problem by trying to ignore it or put the blame on things that we claim are beyond our control such as genetics, hectic schedule etc

Both the above happen because we lack real deep understanding of  “why” we want to achieve a particular weight goal. This “why” is made up of 2 parts namely the utilitarian and the non utilitarian parts. The utilitarian part of weight loss is pretty clear such as looking good, feeling energetic, being healthy and living a long life.

The Non-Utilitarian Part of Weight Loss

The non utilitarian part of weight loss may not be that clear at first. These includes love, truth, compassion and joy. Now most of us would probably be asking what has love, truth, compassion and  joy got to do with sustainable weight loss. Looking at it superficially we probably will not see the relationship but if we take the trouble to find a deeper understanding, things start to become clearer.

Love and Weight Loss

Lets take love for instance. We all know that we cannot give what we do not have and this also applies for love. So we must love ourselves and that means taking care of ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. If deep down we do not genuinely love ourselves, this may become a potential barrier to correct weight loss. The earlier blog on the 4 levels of love elaborates this point well.

Understanding Weight Loss

Truth is another area that is largely neglected because understanding truth requires effort. Henry Ford rightfully pointed out that “thinking is the most difficult task, that is why so few people do it”. There is tremendous benefit in a deep understanding about the truth of correct weight loss because it leads to effortless self-discipline which is sustainable. For example a 1-year-old has to be prevented from sticking his finger into the wall power point because he lacks an understanding of its risk. However an adult displays effortless self-discipline because of deeper understanding of the risks of sticking his finger into the wall power point. The 1-year-old may not like being prevented because it is an externally induced discipline but this is not the case for the adult. The fundamental difference is  externally induced discipline is a form of prison which is usually not sustainable but effortless self-discipline that grows from deep understanding is a form of freedom and is usually sustainable. So if we want to make self-discipline more effortless and therefore more sustainable, spend some time understanding the truth about correct weight loss.

Compassion

If we have compassion than we are able to place ourself in the other person’s position. We can feel the emotional and financial strain that our loved ones may have to go through should our health be compromised due to being overweight. We can feel the sadness that our children feel because we cannot run and play with them.

There is a kind of joy in accomplishing a task through our own effort which no quick fix or repression can ever bring. We start believing and respecting ourself. There is also joy in knowing that by our efforts, we are becoming a source of comfort for our loved ones by being healthy and energetic.

Make a Life, Not a Living

For some of us, just knowing the utilitarian part of why we need to lose weight  is adequate to get into action and maintain them. However for the rest of us knowing the utilitarian and the non utilitarian parts help in moving us to action. The utilitarian part helps us make a living but it is the non utilitarian part that helps us make a life.

All pictures courtesy of stock.xchng