When we want to lose weight, what we’re really after is a feeling.
Confidence. Freedom. Happiness.
Are you happier when you weigh less?
Let me share a story from Kayla, from the Fit + Vibrant Coaching Team.
“One of the most impactful conversations I ever had was with a counsellor back in 2013. I must have been twenty-four at the time, and, as I’m sure is pretty normal for people that age, I thought I knew everything. During one session, I insisted that when I weighed less, I was happier.
She challenged this theory. She asked me if it was possible that when I was happier in my life, I made different choices that caused me to weigh less as a result.
It took me at least five years to admit that she was right. When I look back, when I was happier – because of a combination of life circumstances, the thoughts I was thinking, and how I was taking care of myself – that was always when I was the lightest and healthiest.
This led me to work on changing my overall temperament over time. I started setting goals to take better care of myself out of self-appreciation rather than contempt and wanting to fix myself.
I started changing my thoughts so they were more positive and compassionate. Over time, I went from being someone who, in their early twenties, was pretty morose and cranky about most things, to someone who has an optimistic outlook on life and is happy most of the time. This doesn’t mean I don’t experience negative emotions. It simply means that my default temperament is enthusiastic and content. This has made a massive difference in my health and fitness journey.
Changing your temperament isn’t something that will happen overnight, but it can shift gradually over time with intentional action.
Maybe that looks like keeping a gratitude journal.
Maybe it looks like doing a nightly celebration of your wins from the day, however big or small they were.
It’s amazing how much these things can shift your state, and when we feel better, we do better. And then when we do better, we also feel better, and it becomes a positive upward spiral. I encourage you to look for ways you can experience more happiness and contentment and self-compassion in your daily life, and experience the impact it will have on your overall journey.”
-Coach Kayla
What do you think? Ask yourself, “am I happier when I weigh less? Or do I weigh less when I’m happier?”
-Tanja x
