If you feel like you have done everything right, and the weight still won’t budge, or the idea of sticking to a diet long term feels impossible, you may have something deeper holding you back. I call it “self sabotage,” and it is your non conscious mind’s way of keeping your body in a state that feels safe. I know it sounds crazy to think that we might somehow believe that it is safer to be fat, but if you dig deep into these questions, you might be surprised with what you find.
- Do you have a friend or family member who might be jealous if you lose weight?
- Does this extra weight help to ward off unwanted sexual attention?
- Is there a time when you were at a healthy weight and experienced some form of trauma?
- Does food fill an emotional gap, loss, or emptiness in your life?
- Do you somehow feel safer being hidden by fat?
- Does extra weight give you permission to fail, therefore taking away the pressure to be perfect?
- Does a skinny body mean you will never be able to enjoy food or life again?
These are some of the many questions that could give you a glimpse into what’s going on in your non-conscious mind. If that part of your brain feels like it is safer to be fat, then no amount of diet and exercise will ever create lasting change. Believe me, I have tried! However, there is hope. When you can learn to recognize your inner self-saboteur and the messages it is sending you, those limiting beliefs can be addressed, childhood trauma CAN be healed, and weight loss can be easy!