Physical transformation is much more related to your mental state than people believe, hence the reason most weight loss programs out there which focus on training hard and eating well do not show long-lasting results. It doesn’t mean this strategy is bad, it only means it's incomplete.
It's because of my own past physical and mental downfalls and experiences of self-worthlessness and eating disorders that I devoted myself to help guide my clients to a more positive place, to get to the point where they feel free from scales, measurements and comparisons.
Here is what I’ve learned from being on this path myself and with my clients.
Emotional connection with food
Have you ever gone through a successful body transformation plan and once it was over you struggled to maintain that lifestyle? Have you ever felt you should eat healthier, but you lack willpower?
This is because the secret of maintaining a healthy lifestyle starts with the mind. Our emotional connection with food is more powerful that than most of us realize. We find comfort and praise ourselves with food. According to a 2016 study, "increased sugar consumption has been shown to repeatedly elevate dopamine levels" in a similar manner to drug use.
Health professionals believe that this is one of the main reasons it can be so hard to stick to a healthy diet. Cravings are driven by your brain's need for a "reward" — not your body's need for food.
Why self-worth is critical for any change
The health industry, in my opinion, hasn’t fully tackled this yet. Empathy is a very powerful tool in the body transformation process. People feel they are stuck and judged by society and are looked down upon by people who are skinny and fit.
Self-love and self-worth are key to the inner motivation to do the hard things.
Loving yourself is hard, it’s a daily battle most of us face. But learning to appreciate all the little bits of your body and who you are will go a long way. When you start appreciating yourself with all your perfect imperfections then the physical aspect starts mattering less and less and ultimately your body and health will transform.
Just think about it, if you appreciate yourself for who you are and believe you are worthy of a better future, you will feel motivated to workout regardless if the scales have changed or your body is toned. Then, when it starts to change you will be even more motivated and will push yourself harder. It’s a cycle, a happy cycle.
