As I’ve written before, there are many factors that influence weight. Genetics, sleep, stress, hormones, disease, medications, our culture and our environment are all at play. That’s why it’s difficult to lose and maintain weight loss. While calories in / calories out has a role it’s much more complicated than that, otherwise we might all be thin.
There might also be hidden reasons why you’re not losing weight. It’s possible you have a belief that is in contradiction with the leaner body you’re working towards.
I know what you’re thinking. “Hidden reasons? Ridiculous. I really want to lose weight.” Of course you do. Maybe you want to earn more money too, or win a prized trophy. The principle is the same.
The trouble is we get used to our problems and it feels more safe or comfortable than changing or succeeding. We’ve adapted. There is an old story that says given the opportunity to choose our problems over someone else’s we’d choose our own. Why? Because they’re familiar and comfortable.
If you have been working on the same goal for months, or even years, and not making progress it could be that there is a part of you that is not quite ready to succeed. And you probably don’t see it.
There is often a downside to healing, so you self-sabotage. You make dumb mistakes. You do things that are against your best interests. You avoid and procrastinate or fail to overcome obstacles. You’re stuck. And you don’t know why. That’s because it’s likely subconscious. It’s just your brain protecting you.
It sound like this:
“If I lose this weight my friends will shun me.”
“If I lose this weight I will draw attention to myself.”
“If I lose this weight I won’t have an excuse for my lot in life.”
“If I lose this weight people will expect more of me.”
It’s part of our evolution to create safety – no matter what. So you’re a pretty smart cookie acting in your best interest – safety. Unfortunately it doesn’t get you what you want in the here and now.
If you catch yourself about to self-sabotage ask yourself, “What part of me does not feel good about succeeding?” Now you’re on to something. It doesn’t solve the problem but it certainly opens the door.