Recently I did a little survey of women who are working on losing weight. This was an informal survey with a small number of people, but it still revealed something I found very interesting.
In one question I asked, “What do you think are the top reasons you have lost the weight you have?”
Can you guess the top answers?
- 75% of the responses indicated diet change and/or exercise.
- The remaining 25% attributed it to support or consistency.
Probably not very surprising. But note, while we explore the next question, that the reasons given mainly point to actions we take.
Later in the survey, I asked, “What do you think are the reasons you are overweight?”
In thinking about the first question I mentioned, if you had to predict what the answers would be, it may be logical to guess that it is the opposite of what is helping them to lose weight, right? That the answers will indicate overeating, and under-exercising.
But this is not what happened.
- 46% of answers indicated that the reason was emotional eating/stress.
- 15% indicated sugar addiction
- 15% said hormones
- 15% said parents/childhood
- 8% said pregnancy
I found this fascinating. Why? Because the number one answer for why people thought they were overweight had to do with their thoughts and emotions. However, these same people said that the main reason they were losing weight was due to their food and exercise behaviors.
I feel like there is a gap that is showing here between thoughts and actions, and mind and body. Sustainable change in diet, exercise, and lifestyle only comes by addressing the root cause. In this case, almost half said their overweightness was due to dealing with their emotional states through food.
Changing our diet doesn’t change our way of dealing with our emotions and thoughts. But, finding new ways to deal with emotions and thoughts, can helps us to maintain a healthier diet and relationship with food.
We should consider giving credit and recognition to all the mental work that it takes to lose weight. As I’ve said before, it’s not usually about not knowing what to eat that is problem. If it were only a matter of education about diet, there wouldn’t be so many people still trying to figure this out.
The real key is understanding what drives us to have those behaviors that promote overweightness, and understand how to make the changes to shift our thoughts to ones that will promote our wellness.
Perhaps it’s just easier to explain our actions as opposed to our thoughts. But, we are doing ourselves and others a disservice if we don’t dig a little deeper with our answers. Perhaps, too, it is possible that those I surveyed haven’t all made the connections yet, and are tackling their weight loss by willpowering their way through. People can be successful in losing weight this way, but the question will be if they make mental shifts during the process that will help them to keep it off.
To note, I do think the other reasons like sugar addiction and hormones are real, and significant influencers that a healthier diet will help to correct. But, even with these physical reasons, there is an awareness of thoughts that has to come into play to help correct.
I am hoping that for me, by working on increasing my awareness, practicing mindfulness, and being kind to myself, that it will be the sustainable path. So far, it’s looking good.
What are your thoughts?
***
Leave a Comment