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Being 'fat', 'obese' or 'overweight' is not the end of your life. In fact, fat protects you in some ways, and isn't all bad.
Being fat or ‘overweight’ is not the end of your life. In fact, focusing all your health worries on size along is problematic.
I am a mind-body wellness coach. I enter weight loss clients’ lives when they are fed-up of diet and exercise advice. Here are some jaw-dropping statistics I tell them. Armed with this knowledge they are able to chart their own path to holistic health. As I love to say, weight-loss is a happy side-effect! (You can read more about this approach at the Health At Every Size movement site.)
There is more where that came from, so don’t be shocked just yet. You think ‘normal’ weight means the ideal weight giving you most longevity? A large-scale study by the CDC and National Institute of Health (NIH) found you are far less likely to die if you are overweight or even obese than if you are at ‘normal’ weight.
If the US was to redefine normal weight to mean the least chance of dying, about 78% of people presently called overweight and obese (by BMI) would be seen as having normal weight! Read more that in this NY Times article.
As you might have guessed, there is big money in scaring people that they may die because of being fat. (Go ahead, breathe and let that belly show). Till the mid-1990s a normal BMI was 28 for men and 27 for women. Then the powers that be decided on a new normal -25, for both men and women. Suddenly half of America was re-categorised from normal to overweight. And no, this was not because too many people between BMI of 25-28 were sick and needed to lose weight to be healthier. That range was actually quite healthy, with low risk of death. Apparently, it isn’t just illness which is big business. Re-labelling people so that more and more fall into the category of diabetic/obese is a HUGE business. Fear sells.
Couple that with lame advice that you can lose weight with diet and exercise, despite all data showing that less than 5% people on a diet keep their weight off. It is now well-known in wellness circles that you can only lose weight gradually. Weight loss starts naturally when you think, like and believe yourself to be, a fit, active and purposeful person. It needs a shift in perspective. It comes with developing tools for coping better with challenges, feeling purposeful and loving yourself. You can learn more here. Did your doctor tell you that fat on your belly is a hormone-secreting organ that keeps your stress hormone in check?
Most importantly, remember that God created people in different sizes.
Each of us has a size that is right for us. (See this WebMD article) But mine may not be the same as yours. We simply need to focus on healthy thoughts and behaviours. This is all that matters. Size doesn’t. Weight doesn’t. And if all these healthy behaviours do not shift the scales, do not despair! You don’t have to lose weight to have more health, energy and vitality.
Life is more than the pursuit of a tighter belt. Enjoy Life!
Top image via Pixabay
Garima is a psychologist, mind-body wellness coach, holistic weight-loss specialist, and author of many books. She recently won the 2019 International Book Award for her holistic health and happiness book The Body Nirvana: read more...
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