Do you struggle with your weight?

A good friend of mine, Cherish Saurey, recently wrote a blog post about how although her weight has fluctuated throughout her life, she has never actually "struggled with her weight."  She's discovered that struggles in other parts of her life have ultimately impacted her weight.  

Read through her post and/or the excerpts below and then share your thoughts in the comments to earn this week's Hot Topic points. 

In my life I have been average weight, then heavier, then lost weight and been average size again, become overweight, and obese, lost weight, gained some back, been obese again, and once again, am losing more weight. Some people might assume that I 'struggle with my weight', and most of us have heard this phrase countless times in our lives. I have thought about it, and this is what I have come to conclude: Although my weight has fluctuated significantly throughout my life, I do NOT struggle with it...My value [does] not decrease based on my weight. I may have struggled with overcoming bad food cravings. I may have struggled with whether or not I wanted to exercise. I may have struggled with letting go of negative experiences and feelings, but I don't feel like I struggled with my weight.

When I eat poorly, don't exercise, and harbor negative thoughts, I gain weight. It is that simple. When I eat healthy, take care of my body, and replace the negative with positive, I lose weight. My weight seems to be a direct reflection of OTHER struggles I may be facing, but the actual weight is not the struggle. I stopped 'trying' to lose weight. I stopped focusing on valuing my health. I went back to convenience foods and comfort foods that tasted good to me. It was easy to do, and it was easy to gain weight back. It definitely wasn't a struggle for me. I was still happy. I still had plenty of people that loved me for ME! (and I appreciate you all!) I tried to go back to a healthy lifestyle about a year or so ago, but I wasn't ready or mentally prepared. So I stopped. That wasn't a struggle either...When I finally decided I was ready to take charge of my health once again, it was just that: A DECISION. There were no doubts or struggles going on. Only HOPE and EXCITEMENT that I was finally ready to begin again...

We each have our own hardships and lessons we must learn in life. It is important to recognize them so we can use them to improve our own future. The past will repeat itself if we don't LEARN from it and make the necessary changes...Are the choices you are making today leading you closer or further away from that dream?...You were made to do great things! Once you determine where you WANT to be, you can then discover what you need to do to get you there...With each small step and each small healthy choice I make, I get closer to where I know I am meant to be. Do you tell yourself you struggle with your weight? That MAY just be a limiting belief that is actually keeping your body from letting go of the weight. Think about it. Our minds are MUCH more powerful than we realize!

by Cherish Saurey

Some questions you might consider commenting on...

  • Do you "struggle with your weight?" 
  • What circumstances do you struggle with in your life that may be affecting your weight or overall health?
  • Do you think that changing your mindset about what the real struggle is could have a positive impact on your weight/health?