Let’s Call a Ceasefire on Weight Loss.
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By Cara Perch.
Have you ever noticed that weight loss is always described in military terms or as something to win?
A few clicks on Fitness magazine’s website quickly provided me with many perfect examples. Take a closer look at newspapers, magazines and commercials — the war theme is everywhere.
• “Beat the odds, and your genes, with these strategies to lose weight and keep it off for good.”
• “For years you’ve been told that saturated fat is Public Enemy No. 1 in the battle against obesity and heart disease.”
• “Researchers now believe that it’s best to tackle exercise first.”
• “Losing weight is a precise numbers game, so you can’t really afford to loosen the reins too much.”
• “The story of how she conquered her emotional eating habit.”
• “Daily weighing is a winning weight-loss strategy.”
• “Gaining more than five pounds over a week is a red flag.”
• “Score a stronger core.”
• “Burn calories and blast fat fast.”
• “Tone your trouble zones.”
• “Fit women whose flab-to-fierce successes will inspire you.”
• “Don’t let these 12 bummers sabotage your spring or summer fitness plans.”
• “The Seven Day Fat Fighting Menu.”
• “Expert advice on how to fight your body’s natural chemical slowdown.”
• “Battle to the finish line with our head-to-toe top picks for performance running gear.”
Common metaphors shape the way we perceive the world.
By using these terms, we imply that weight loss is a struggle, one that requires you fight your own body to win. They also dictate the solutions we think are available.
If losing weight is a battle, we choose strategies like obeying superiors (fitness experts), relying on willpower to fight obstacles (cravings and fatigue) and dehumanizing the enemy (berating ourselves for being fat). In our society’s war paradigm, we only view self-care as a means to stay motivated and have the energy to continue the fight.
At first, I wondered if I could use conflict resolution terms and techniques to create new positive metaphors. However, I realized that by doing so, I am acknowledging that a conflict existed in the first place and that it may arise again in the future. So I settled on a completely different metaphor.
I am not at war; instead, I am caring for a newborn baby. Look at how drastically this changes my approach:
Discerning over Obeying.
Instead of relying on external experts to tell me how to win the weight loss battle, I listen to my own body’s cues. Babies cry when they are hungry and stop when they are full. They know the exact amount needed to feel content.
I will remain mindful while eating, and alert to my body’s sensations rather than trusting the latest fitness industry leader or shocking media headline.
Health over Weight Loss.
Instead of making weight loss something to win or lose, I remove it altogether from the priority list. Babies are seeking contentment, not a certain physique. By listening to their body, their weight will fall where it should for optimum health.
If I place health and contentment above all else, my weight will naturally fall to its intended number, which may or may not fit society’s standards. It is a side effect, not the goal.
Support over Coercion.
Instead of using willpower to push through discomfort, I will pay attention to what is causing the discomfort and tend to it in a positive way. When babies cry, it is usually one of four things — they need food, sleep, cuddling or a diaper change. Before parents begin to tell the difference between these needs, they try each one until the baby is content.
I will try all of my self-care options (more sleep, time with friends, more exercise, etc.) until the issue of willpower resolves itself.
Natural over Processed.
Instead of choosing modified diet foods, I will choose unprocessed and organic as much as possible. A mother’s milk has what a baby needs; the closer to its original form, the better. However, it is not always practical. Mothers may pump breast milk or supplement with formula, depending on the situation. I will be flexible in my food choices, yet strive for pure, natural forms of food.
From now on, I will remove aggressive military terms from my vocabulary when talking about my health. I am not attacking, fighting, battling or trying to win the war on my weight. I am nurturing, nourishing and caring for my body.
Yawn! Time for a nap!
*****
Cara is a business writer by day, and a poetic wanderer by night, searching for her authentic voice through metaphors. She believes that metaphors help us navigate our own metamorphosis or enlightenment, and that by consciously putting the idea/concept/problem into another context, we are often rewarded with new insights and/or a sense of comfort. Find more of Cara’s work on ExploreMetaphors.
{Your body just knows.}
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