Credits: Social Media
Man loses 125 lbs by changing his mindset about food
A huge misconception about weight loss is that it’s “hard” to achieve. But those who have undergone a major transformation with drastic weight loss argue otherwise.
A man who lost 125 lbs, now using his journey to inspire others, says your mindset needs to change to see results, but letting go of one thing you’re most dependent on is difficult.
Change is possible with a healthy mindset
A lot of food choices we make are driven by emotions ruling us. Some days we crave chocolate to feel good about ourselves and a heady rush of dopamine. Other days demand a hearty meal like Costco’s rotisserie chicken or the Rosemary Cheese Parmesan bread.
Content creator Chris Terrell admits to his dependency on food in the past and the unhealthy relationship he had with his eating habits when he was overweight.
During his journey of weight loss, he realized the difficulty with weight loss wasn’t in the process itself, but it was rather an issue with the person’s mindset.
Chris struggled with his weight from the age of 15 until he turned 35 when certain life events propelled him to lose weight. When he finally took it up, he found it extremely difficult to “let go” of his attachment to food.
Until the transition, food had a strong grip on him as he always turned to it when he experienced overwhelming emotions. Emotional eating is similar to, but not the same as compulsive buying – the urge to spend money or buy something to fill an emotional void.
“I struggled with emotional eating. Food became my joy, my comfort, it became everything for me. It was used to enhance every experience, Chris said, as he called it his “drug of choice.”
‘Letting go is hard’, but not impossible
Just like many of us, Chris, too, struggled at first and a few more times later to fully detach from the unhealthy eating habits and occasionally slipped into it during his transformation. So, he knows it’s “hard” as the mind and emotions play tricks on you.
But, change is promising when you “let go” of your dependency on food to meet any unfulfilled needs. Indeed, you can’t drop a pant size only by exercising. A fitness influencer explains in detail the reason you can’t get rid of your paunch until you give up on unhealthy food habits.
Studies have shown that you can lose weight “naturally” by eating healthy – including more protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients in your diet.
While Chris doesn’t suggest giving up on food entirely, he encourages developing healthy eating habits while working on having your emotional needs met with other things.
After sharing a few positive affirmations, Chris continues: “You see until I was ready to do that my results were always temporary.” No matter how hard it is, “you should willfully let the food go,” he says.
If you or someone you know needs support, there are many eating disorder helplines in the UK here to help. Beat can be contacted at 0808 801 0677 while Mind’s contact number is 0300 123 3393. If you are based in the USA, you can call NEDA on (800) 931-2237.
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