Talk to most people about why they want to change their diet habits and they’ll tell you, “I want to lose weight.”
“Lost” and “losing” generally imply something negative. I lost my keys. I lost the game. I’m losing my mind. It refers to something we used to have, no longer have, and either want back or wish we could get back. So why do we use this same language to describe a desired change in body weight? Do you want to lose weight, but then find it again? Do you wish it would come back? Probably not.
But isn’t that what happens to many of us? We have been on various diet regimens and “lost” countless pounds. If you are like me, you have probably “found” most of them again.
Language is powerful. If we want to create a sustainable, healthy lifestyle for ourselves, we need to change the paradigm of what we have done in the past that has not been successful. It’s easy to chalk it up to some character flaws (I’m weak, I don’t love myself, I have no willpower, etc.). But to quote Einstein, “You can’t solve a problem with the same mind that created it.” We need to change our minds. Change our minds about how we view body weight.
These days, when people comment that I have “lost weight”, I tell them, “No, I sent it away. I don’t want it back.” Usually good for a laugh. But it is deeper, it is a change to the paradigm and the frame of language around weight management. A friend of mine speaks of “weight release”, to let go of something no longer needed. Kind of like a yard sale for body fat.
Changing body weight, reducing it for most people, is seen as the end result of a change in diet. Our society has a great deal of image and self worth wrapped up in body weight. But body weight is simply a barometer and consequence of our state of wellness. As such, changing body weight should be the barometer and consequence of living a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. It is no doubt fun to watch numbers go down on the scale. But it is even more satisfying to have a body, mind and spirit that is well-nourished, feels great and is in harmony with its environment.
How does your language around body weight impact your success in maintaining a sustainable, healthy lifestyle?
