Lose Weight By Losing Your Focus On Food

October 4, 2018 Ashley 0 Comments

I’ve got this friend who says she’s desperate to lose weight.

And, hearing that “over half of weight loss has to do with diet”, she wisely began investing her energy into not just the gym, but what went into the kitchen, as well. It’s a great approach. And all the types of diets she passed the baton onto after that were relatively healthy. However, none of them seemed to yield results. Was it because she was cheating? Maybe. But the bigger, more likely cause was because of something I and the rest of her friends can more readily identify: focusing too much on food in general to the point where you eat too much of it. Everytime I check my Facebook feed, whatever she’s been feeding on recently is posted up there. Recipes. Cooking show clips. Memes about food. The thing is, no matter how healthy, excess grub puts chub on ya. And, if you’re overly focused on it all the time to the point where it’s the majority of what you share online, you’re likely eating more’ve it than you should. Whatever we constantly expose ourselves to, influences our lifestyle choices. I know, because I once had to put myself through home eating rehab for abstaining from vegan mukbang vlogs after gaining five pounds in a week. (They don’t call it food porn for nothing.)

(I’m already feeling triggered…)

So what’s the fix?

Simple. Yes, part of it’s to reduce the food focus. But that’s tough to do without a new focus to fill the hole where fantasy recipes once sang their siren song. So, instead, ask yourself this: “When I decided I wanted to lose weight in the first place, why was that?” Was it to run around after your babies or bulldog? Was it so you could actually enjoy exercise? Was it so you could feel more confident in public? Whatever those goals were, they were most likely things that would allow you to live a real life. One that’s balanced and happy. Not so that you could fantasize about snacks all day. Being stuck in an obsession – of any kind – is completely inconsistent with that. Thus, the trick is to begin that life now. Some experts call it “acting as if”. Act as if you’re already confident around others. Act as if you already enjoy that exercise you’ve started doing. Act as if food is fuel – the kind that powers your body; not the kind you light on fire, blowing up your whole diet and hopes and dreams, too.

In a way, losing weight is kind of like going through a break up. Do you get over him by obsessing over him (overeating)? No. You do it by getting out, living your best life, making moves, leveling up, and growing emotionally, professionally, or in some other way that has deep meaning to you. You find a way to fall back in love with you. Once you’ve got that, then you realize you don’t need that ex (of excess food) to fill in the gaps with snacks. Validation is a thing you yield everyday. It’s mined from your mind, actions, and interactions. And, as a result, you don’t need to overdo anything. Including food. In fact, you don’t even think about your toothsome nutritional needs as more than that – an enjoyable means to help you keep thriving.

(Like this chick – who probably had her boyfriend retake this pic five times)

So, go ahead.

Prep your healthy breakfast or suppers.

But then stow those stovetop obsessions and live.