How to lose weight and keep it off

How to lose weight and keep it off.  Its funny I would choose this title but I have struggled with obesity my entire life.  Its a family issue of overeating and emotional consolation.  However I think I finally have found the true way to lose weight and keep it off forever and I am about to embark on that journey.  There is truly not one way for every person.  Dr. Amen in his book The Amen Solution discussed the brain scans of patients with chronic addictions to food and substances and confirms there are real issues going on in people who over eat in an addictive manner.

I have believed that I was a failed person with no self restraint because I could not control what I was eating.  People who don't have this issue think it's just in my head or a lack of will power.  That is really a mean statement because people with an addiction to food are often doing this behavior against their will because they are struggling with fear, pain, self esteem and emotional issues.

So how am I discovering the true way to lose weight and keep it off?  Resources Baby, Resources.

First I considered my spiritual practice and its tools.  I considered my family, friends and what has worked for them. Then I went on a self discovery journey to dig deep into why I self inflict torture to my soul by over eating and came up with simple self hatred and self destruction.

Our minds are out to destroy us anyway possible, its our internal enemy with mean messages we hear in our minds over and over.  "Your too fat, ugly or stupid for anyone to want you or like you.  Where in the world do we get these horrible internal messages?  We were obviously told this some time in our life from someone we believed.  Likely we felt that way because someone hurt us.  Now how do we recover?

My theory is we over eat to give ourselves comfort.  We may eat because we are bored, lonely, feeling anxiety or because it's simply what we have do with the life pattern we created. Barry Sears Ph.D. says Fat is toxic and obesity is a cancer.  This I believe because I know me being over weight is a cancer to my soul that eats away at my self esteem.  I just want to curl up and die with shame and self loathing at times.

This is not a normal way to live and so we must learn to love and accept ourselves so we can heal.  For me I believe my overeating was taught to me growing up.  When our family had an issue or fight we went out to eat. Our lives were largely focused and centered on the family meal. Where were we going and what were we eating.  If dad had been misbehaving he made it up to the family with candy, ice cream and pizza so its a live style I adopted.

I want to learn how to lose weight and keep it off forever.  I hate being fat and loath myself for these un-controllable desires. If your not a food addict I likely sound pretty pathetic but if your like me and you struggle with over eating, self esteem and misery of the soul you know just how real and hideous this disease of the mind is.  

This week I feel like I really have hit rock bottom and am ready for help.  Of course I reached for God, a girl friend and my mother. This entire shift was all because my baby sister had recommended a book "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise L. Hay.  She was given the book by a friend who cared and knew it would help me with my struggles and strongholds.

The book basically helps you leave your past behind and erase the mental thought patterns you may be repeating over and over. For me it was fear.  I grew up abused and could not get past my failures in life.  Despite a great church, wonderful co workers and family who reach out I pushed them away because of my own low self esteem. I am ready to break these patterns and free myself from the weight and the heart ache.

If you are interested in my journey please join this blog and subscribe.

I have a story to share and some tips that released me in about 3 days.

I am opening up my heart and allowing God to heal my mind.

Love Julie