Why Losing Weight Won’t Help Your Body Image

You think losing weight is going to fix how you feel about your body image. But it won’t.

Sure, that initial rise of excitement when you zip up those smaller-sized pants can dupe you for a moment or two. But it quickly deflates when you think about ALL the effort it took to get there. And ALL the effort it requires to maintain that smaller size.

Focusing on weight loss is one of the reasons you have body image issues.

The scarcity mindset dieting requires is insidious. The constant black/white, all-or-nothing thinking. Repeatedly feeling guilt, failure and disgust about your body and your food choices. The negative internal dialogue that the diet mentality conjures leaks out into other aspects of your life.

You start thinking you need “fixing” in other areas.

You’re not confident enough.

You’re not focused enough.

You’re not disciplined enough.

You’re not…enough.

Maybe you pull back on following a specific diet program—in favor of balance and mindfulness. However you’re still under the influence of diet culture messaging. And now you’re gaining weight. Continuing to feel even more out of control, you think you need to start a new diet. Ultimately, you’ve romanticized that you were happier when you were intentionally losing weight. (Even though you weren’t).

Repeat.

This cycle will chase you for the rest of your life, friend. But there IS a way to stop focusing on losing weight as a means to happiness and acceptance. You can decide to heal. To accept who God made you to be. You can reject and un-learn diet culture. You can prioritize your mental health instead. Embrace your God-given intuition. Honor your body’s needs with Intuitive Eating. Learn body neutrality (then acceptance, then respect, then love) and give yourself grace. So much grace.

You CAN do this.

If you’re ready to actually heal your body image and stop the cycle, let’s chat. Sign up for a free 15-minute consult with me by clicking here.

You think losing weight will heal your body image, but it won't. These are the 6 ways you can actually heal your body image.

meridith
Meridith Oram is an anti-diet nutritionist at Love Yourself Towards Healthy where she helps chronic dieters heal their relationship with food, fitness and body image by ditching diet culture and finding freedom in their God-given intuition. Focusing on behavioral change and Intuitive Eating, Meridith helps her clients unlearn diet culture, stop negative self-talk and set wellness goals---not appearance goals. Follow Meridith at @loveyourself2healthy on all social channels.

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