Weight Loss and Mindfulness

Hi Everyone,
I think it is true that some individuals have a more natural tendency to exert a degree of self control and self discipline when food choices are presented. There is clinical evidence that this tendency can begin at a very early age and often means that the individual has a good sense of when enough is "enough" or when it is okay to delay gratification for something "better". Sadly, I am not one of the people, at least at this point in my life and therefore need more external guardrails and controls to assist me in the self-monitoring. I do not see this as a character flaw or as a terrible part of myself. Just a learned response system that doesn't push me over the line of self-control. I think starting this thread and reaching out to you as well as inviting you to share your stories/experiences may be part of that...so thank you. Tavistock Toad, your nephew is on track to live a healthy and balanced life. Knowing when to not eat more chocolate...at the age of 4...is very cool and should be reinforced. I'm learning that skill decades later. That's life.
I broke yesterday and had a Turkish Delight. Think I was feeling a bit down and sad regarding some matters with work and family. Oh well. Will start a new day today. I have lost 5 kg and just completed a 6k walk so I will get my mojo back. We are all perfectly imperfect.
Have a great day.
It's Sunday in Australia. Beautiful outside. Make every moment count.
S

I think weight management and honest approaches to weight loss are rather simple and straight forward. This site tries to make it sexy and exciting. Nothing wrong with that except it denies the reality that each of us has to look deep into ourselves and find the strength, discipline and courage to face the demands of behavioral changes over a long period of time. At first we can feel inspired and highly motivated. And then, inertia sets in and we can easily drift back to old established and automatic patterns of eating.
I think it’s important to stay focused and mindful of our choices and decisions and not let the “lazy” brain and strong temptations lull us back to the rut of poor choices that we have been bogged in for years.
Let’s keep moving forward and make each choice mindful and deliberate. We call do this even if it takes time and patients. It’s worth the effort.
Take care
Shel

MarkW...great examples of Mindfulness. Our brain is capable of such amazing feats. I am learning that we have the capacity to make great choices and can change our life's direction at any time. I think we have to become aware of what we truly want for ourselves and make ourselves clear and focused. Eating can default into an automatic set of responses and we have to work hard to remember what we are trying to achieve.
We all can do this.

We all learn from an early age how to manage our mind and body. There is a relationship between how we think about ourselves and what we "do" to and with ourselves. Food is just one example of this outcome of the relational truth: my body-my mind. Spend a little bit of time every day and meditate on the physical you. Learn to love and embrace your body and offer it support and reassurance and let it know that you are now going to look after yourself with care, intention and consistency. This is what I mean by conceptualising the notion of having a relationship with yourself.
What do you think? I would be interested in your ideas.
S

You are a good writer. Funny.
I wonder whether the dieting paradigm we embrace turns us into religious fundamentalists. There is no one more righteous than converts.
I like Keto because it seems to offer speedy results and it’s challenging to stay in “Ketoland” given all of the rubbish I tend to enjoy chomping on. I may reconsider my zeal. Quite likely, we need to have a balanced diet but not as restrictive as the Keto lords decree. I’m at the halfway mark in my quest for the healthy body and I’m going to start loosening the K-chains. Wonder if I can still colour between the lines with regards to good choices? Tired of being a yo-yo.

I can think of at least two reasons why some people want to share their epiphanies. Firstly,one may have a desire to share good fortune ( or good ideas) with fellow human beings and promote well-being. I would like to think this is a positive aspect of our humanity. As long as it does not become judgemental and forced, it might serve as a way of expanding knowledge and experience as, unlike my first wife, most people can't know and be an expert on everything.

The second reason might be more in line with your reflection. There is, perhaps, an innate insecurity in many of us and consequently, there is strength in numbers and we look for validation and reassurance when we consider what we ought to believe. The tragic side to this is how beliefs morph into judgement and rigidity and how human beings manage diversity.

Thank you for sharing your private achievements with regards to your food choices. What do you think has helped you the most in the choices you have or are making?

I love the idea of mindful eating. Perhaps this orientation allows us to not just enjoy the qualities of the food itself, but the satisfying outcomes of healthy ingredients being utilized effectively by our amazing digestive equipment. I try and remind myself that each morsel of food I eat will either move me towards or away from good health. We don’t have to be zealots. Let’s go with just responsible, reasonable and honest.