Here's something you've probably never heard before—losing weight as a goal by itself really
doesn’t motivate anyone. Why? Because it’s not big or deep enough, and the desire to lose weight is
not a human need; it’s just a response to the result of a poor lifestyle.
We are motivated by our:
- Sexuality
- Desire for love
- Desire to live
- Desire to protect ourselves
- Desire to experience pleasure
- Desire to avoid pain
Chances are good you’ve punished your body with enough extended stays in diet traps that your
motivators have lost their ability to compel you to diet or to “stick with” that kind of torment. This
is actually a good thing! Don’t worry for even a minute that this means you don’t have the
“willpower” or “discipline” necessary to lose weight. What it does mean is that you finally gave up on
something that wasn’t working. That is a sign of intelligence and psychological health, not a sign of
insufficient motivation or weakness!
There isn’t enough motivation in this world to make you successful at eating smaller
quantities of foods that don’t serve you or promote your health. Eventually they will make
you sick and get the best of you.
So instead of focusing on weight loss-only, let’s start making health and a successful lifestyle your
goals. The weight loss will come naturally as you pursue those larger, better goals.
Most people think improving their lifestyle is difficult. Being diet-trapped is the difficult part!
Initially, getting out of diet traps and into a successful lifestyle requires some effort, but only
because there’s a learning curve. It’s not a constant, endless test of will that will never work
(like a diet); it’s an energizing, fulfilling process. You are getting your needs met. And you
benefit from increased energy right away, which more than makes up for the effort you’re investing.
“We are designed to follow our instincts in this process, and to eat to
satiation as often as possible, without getting too little or too much.
The natural result is a body with adequate reserves but no excessive
fat that results in physical compromise. ... But our mechanisms of
satiation can work properly only if we eat foods consistent with our
design...the solution is not to learn how to eat less than desired, but
rather to eat in a way that’s appropriate for our species.”- Alan Goldhamer, D.C., and Doug Lisle, Ph.D.
Once you start eating a nutrient-rich diet, you will no longer fight your basic desires to eat and be
fulfilled. You transition from foods that sabotage you to foods “consistent with your design,” which
truly nourish and nurture your body, will feel and taste great.