Why Is It So Hard?

A group of friends and I went to lunch last week. The topic of discussion was Why is losing weight so simple yet so hard? It’s simple in that losing weight is easy when you follow a simple formula: eat less and exercise more. When calories consumed are greater than calories expended or burned, weight gain is the result. It’s also simple when you begin the process slowly. I suppose you could compare it to this analogy: you will be more likely to catch a rabbit if you sneak up on it slowly. Our eating habits are like that rabbit – the faster you try to change them, the more resistant they become to being changed. For behavior changes to become permanent, they need to be made slowly.

So why is it so hard? I think it’s because we try to change too quickly or because we don’t address the underlying reason behind the weight gain. If we use food for emotional comfort, and we don’t uncover the cause of our discomfort, it will be very hard to give up what we think makes us feel better. Food seemingly calms us when we are feeling discomfort, but it is never a solution. The solution is to find the “burr in our saddle” and remove it. Each time we “feel” the need to reach for food when we are clearly not hungry, we need to stop, look at the situation, and ask ourselves this question: What feeling am I resisting?

Here are a couple of triggers to think about:

• Social anxiety – perhaps you are in a room with people you don’t know. Eating gives you something to do besides talking or listening. Something to think about: others feel the same way. Possible solution: just listen to the conversations around you without feeling the need to say anything. Just be present.
• Frustration – bored at work, feeling stuck, want to be somewhere else. Eating gives you an excuse to take a break. Perhaps you feel that just sitting there and thinking – or resting your brain - might make you look like you’re lazy. Possible solution: have affirmation cards handy and read them. 

What is one thing you could give up today that would make a world of difference in your quest for a thinner you? How about giving up all sugary sodas? How about giving up the idea that you have to finish everything on your plate?

Remember that every journey to the attainment of a great goal begins with one small step.