Can someone please help me with this?
 

I really want to get rid of all this weight. I feel so icky and get annoyed at myself sometimes for being so fat. Everyone calls me fat at home and I just really want to let it all go. I know this isn't really spiritual but how do I do this. I have been adding changes to my diet but I completely want to change what I eat and do on a daily basis. I get this urge to exercise but have you ever felt this block in the way. This block just doesn't seem to leave me. It feels very heavy and i’m not sure what it is. I think all this weight might be emotional because I started gaining it when I was around 9 and during that time I went through really horrible stuff. I’m going to try tai chi because I've heard it's really good for weight loss and watching what you eat. Some days I just binge eat anything in front of me then afterwards I feel so tired and even more annoyed at myself. I truly do want to let this all go. I just feel really lost and I know this is difficult for me cause before this spiritual awakening, every year, I would lose this weight and I would but I would gain it all back after a few months. I've been drinking a lot more water now and including more fruits into my diet by drinking smoothies. I would really appreciate it if someone could help me or advise me please

Hi blossomingsoull97,
I'm not an expert by any stretch, but here are my two bits.

If you're not already, try talking to a therapist about your weight and your concerns about emotional eating.

Also, think about consulting a nutritionist. At its base, weight-loss is about math -- how many calories you take in against how many you burn. Almost any food can be part of a healthy diet: it's all about balance, variety, and portion. Dieting shouldn't be torture.

Of course, above this basic level there is the complexity of the mind: your personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, self-image, motivations, and so on. Changing established patterns is insanely hard, as anyone who's tried to get rid of a bad habit will know. Sometimes we need the help of someone else to give us a boost. In this vein, joining a tai-chi group sounds like a great idea. You might also check out mediation or yoga classes in your area.

Self-help books can also be inspirational and provide motivation. Maybe some other members can offer some good suggestions. One is <i>Change your mind, change your life</i> by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione. It's older, but still good.

Good luck and hang in there!

I'm sure you can find an online group to connect with for support. It just seems to me you are all alone with this huge project.

Two years ago I went through the same situation

The only way to lose weight is to have a negative calorie balance: to spend more calories (metabolism, physical exercise) than you put in your body (food, drink).

To lose weight doesn't matter if you eat healthy or not. Surely, eating healthy is better for your body, but it has no bearing on weight loss.

I have direct experience with loss weight. I read a lot, and I applied it on myself very successfully.

You have to write down all you eat and drink, with calorie estimation for each. You should also weigh yourself every day, about the same time, in the same conditions, both to monitor your progress, and to verify that your calorie estimation is correct. You'll see haw salt in foods influences your water retention.

You can find food and drink calorie values on their package, or in manay places on the internet.

Your individual calorie balance tipping point varies from one individual to another (age, sex, activity, metabolism, health, etc.). If you weigh yourself and count calories, you'll figure out what's your individual tipping point, and the more negative your calorie balance from that point, the faster you'll lose weight.

You can healthily lose 2 pounds a week, for a lengthy period of time. Any claims of faster loss can't be backed by fact. To lose 2 pounds a week, you have to have a negative balance of 1000 calories daily. If your tipping point is 2000 calories, that means to intake only 1000 calories per day. If your tipping point is 1600 calories, you have to intake only 600 calories daily.

Fruits are high in sugar which is both high in calories, and unhealthy. Whoever tells you to eat more fruits, that's healthy, doesn't know what they're talking about. You can have 1-2 servings of fruits a day, no more. You should supplement vegetable intake, because they're low in calories and have high volume (are filling). Eat healthy fats because they're healthy and because they cut your appetite. Drink water (flat water; no bubbles, and especially no sugar). Smoothies are definitely wrong for you, and for weight loss.

Eat enough fiber.

You can't lose weight only exercising. Exercise is good for health, but you can't compensate overeating with physical exercise.

Aerobic exercise is good for your heart, but totally inefficient for weight loss. Anaerobic (e.g. with weights) exercise is better, it develops muscles, but still it isn't enough for weight loss.

You have to have a strong will to change your eating habits, but it is doable. If you're depressed, or have a feeble will, you have to work on that too.

But again, bottom line: you have to eat and drink less !!!

Scientifically demonstrated:

for every negative balance of 3500 calories you will lose 1 pound of weight (in body fat)

Good luck!

Your first step was to decide to do something. Your second step was to ask for help. Now: do it!