We all want happiness in life. It really doesn’t matter where you come from, how much money you have, what neighborhood you live in- what you ultimately want in life is happiness. You want to feel good about yourself, the people around you and you want to feel positive and optimistic about what life has to offer.
If you’re reading this, then it’s also likely that at some level you believe that losing weight will help you get closer to your happiness. You want to lose weight because you believe it will bring you closer to being happy.
Happiness can be a bit of a tricky topic, though, for 2 reasons:
1. It’s such an individual thing, and means something different to everybody.
2. Because very often the things that we think will bring up happiness in reality will not. They might even bring us greater frustration and unhappiness.
When it comes to understanding and mastering the connection between weight loss and happiness, I have found that there are three different things you need to look at that can really make the difference. You may have found that just one of the three will apply to your situation, or elements of all of them may be necessary.
1. Courage- Sometimes there are some significant emotional issues that stand between you and losing weight. I particularly find this to be true among people who have a lot of weight to lose. Ultimately, what you need is courage to face these issues. Finding this courage and working through your issues will bring you so much closer to not just the health and body you want, but true lasting happiness.
2. Discipline- You may have a strong drive to lose weight, but you just don’t follow through. Maybe you’re good for a few weeks or a month, but then you lose your focus. Developing discipline to stay focused on your goal can get you over the hump and on track to the weight loss and happiness you desire. You don’t have to go after all bad habits at once- in fact, it’s probably not a good idea to do so. But it is a good idea to start gradually building your discipline for focusing on one or two things at a time.
3. Self-acceptance- Sometimes the things we think will bring us happiness in actuality will not. Be careful that you don’t get caught chasing perfection. Sometimes we think losing those last 10 pounds will make us happy, but then we think it’s something else that will do the job. I’m not saying don’t go after the last 10 pounds, but be careful that you’re stuck chasing after goal after goal thinking each one will bring you happiness only to find they don’t. What may be necessary is to work on your self-acceptance, and accepting yourself as you are- not endlessly chasing a sense of perfection that doesn’t exist.
The relationship between weight loss and happiness is something we go into in depth in the Point Of No Return Program. We are currently offering the first two weeks for free. You can learn more here.
Currently I use the lap counter on my $35 Timex/Target watch to keep track of how many portions, bites, sips, or moments of satisfaction that I experience during the day. Each lap is 10 savored moments - so far today at at 56 laps.
For me each time a tennis ball clears a net or I stretch an arm or shrug my sholders is likely to be such a moment.
I handle negative feelings by creating a positive - rather than feel that I must immediately change myself or change the situation or change another person.
I also make enjoying these moments of all sorts - without cataloging them - my top priority. - Not any outword success!!!
Will I lose weight doing this? I was down about 6 pounds after a few days. I don't think I can do this without using this method to live my life with joy - right now, or within a few minutes.
A point here is that I can seek, and find, these satisfactions for periods where I delay eating.
Posted by: Dick Brandt | August 09, 2010 at 12:18 AM
There is definetly a connection between happiness and wieght. I was in a bad relationship, and very stressed out and i gained a bunch of wieght. I tried to lose wieght by counting calories and doing 1 hour cardio workouts. I did this for 6 weeks didnt miss a day of working out, and this was on an elliptical trainer. I also never went over 1400 calories. I didnt lose a single pound. And noticed no change in clothes ect. A few months ago i broke off the bad relationship of 3years i was in. I am a very hard worker, and used to be anal retentive. I decided that once the evening hit it was my time and work could be saved till the next day. I met a very nice man and am happily dating him, but im taking it slow and im only seeing him once or twice a week. Instead of looking in the mirror and saying your fat you need to lose wieght i made myself find things i liked about myself physically. And i went out and got clothes that made me feel good. And i havent bothered to wieght myself what so ever. I am extremel happy. Without changing my diet, and without doing any exercise routines i have lost over 20 pounds in less then 2 months. I was wearing xl shirts and size 14 pants and now i am wearing medium shirts and size 12 pants. Do what makes you happy people, appreciate what you have, appreciate yourself and make yourself feel sexy. Think to yourself i am beautiful or handsome all the time. Work hard, and play hard. Play with your kids, go for some walks cause its fun. Avoid stress, and know when to give yourself me time, to do whatever makes you happy. You'll drop wieght without doing needless exercise routines, and without dieting. They key to everything is make yourself happy, make others happy.
Posted by: Sarah | July 31, 2010 at 04:08 AM
The thing that always was hard for me was self acceptance. I will be happy when I am thinner or I will be happy when I have a better job. I will be happy when I have more friends. You can plug in just about anything. But I am lerning to really love myself for who I am and also learning that happiness comes from helping others and reaching out. I have about 15 to 20 more lbs to lose but I can say right now I am happy. :D
Posted by: Tammy Talbot | June 11, 2009 at 06:30 PM
I am a happy person, but I will be happier when I can find beautiful clothes that look great on me and that make me feel good about myself. Losing weight allows me to find those clothes and feel those feelings. When I am overweight I lose my self confidence about my appearance and although that might seem shallow, it does impact me. Losing weight isn't going to change my overall happiness, my intellectual abilities or my current friendships, they have nothing to do with my weight. But losing weight can impact my ability to attract new people - clients, friends that could mean new business which would mean new profits and that would make me happier. When I am fat, I feel unattractive, I feel angry with myself. When I take action to correct my eating problems I feel good about myself, I lose weight, I look better and I respond to the world better. My happiness comes from within me, what I put out to the world comes back to me.
I stopped "dieting" two months ago, I changed my eating habits and what I do now is "normal", not a diet. That small psychological change has made a big difference in my life. I eat fresh vegetables, fruits, a small amount of brown rice, small amounts of low fat poultry, fish and occasional lean red meat. I don't eat processed foods, artificial ingredients, dairy, fruit juices or starchy foods as my body can't handle them. I feel better, I look better and I've lost twenty pounds in two months. Am I happier? Absolutely!
Posted by: Leslie | June 11, 2009 at 01:10 PM
I just want to be able to take of my shirt without embarassment. What would my life be like if I lost my weight?..........It would be as if a giant weight was lifted off my back....like the biggest TO-DO was checked off my life's list of to-dos. Seriously, imagine there is a mental task list I have and everyday the top item is to lose weight and I never get it done. It just sits there blocking all the other to-dos I want to get to. Very frustrating.
Posted by: RPM | May 14, 2009 at 11:43 AM