Weight loss is a huge business with countless men and women struggling with obesity and overweight. Losing those excess pounds and maintaining that loss is not for the faint of heart. It requires dedication, commitment, a willingness to change, and the courage to look at the underlying issues that contribute to overeating, emotional eating, or choosing the wrong kinds of foods.
Transformational weight loss is about transforming your relationship with food, your body, and your Self. Ultimately it’s about transforming your approach to life and learning to truly nourish yourself on all levels: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
For some, it may be about transforming your state of health from “sick and tired” to “vibrant and energetic”. For others shifting from depression and low self-esteem to self-confidence and personal empowerment is the key. Weight loss is so much more than reaching a specific number on the scale. Transformational weight loss can take you from fear and stagnation to finding and fulfilling your life’s purpose.
Physical Transformation
My approach to weight loss uses a customized integrated system. I look at an individual’s biochemistry through sophisticated lab work and metabolic assessment forms that my patients complete when they come to me. I also evaluate their current nutritional status and eating habits. Patients complete a food and mood diary so we can see not only what they are eating and when, but how that food affects their emotions and their energy levels.
We may even do food sensitivity testing. Often people are sensitive to foods and don’t even know it because their symptoms are subtle or delayed or both. It may take up to 4 or 5 days for some symptoms to reveal themselves and by then you may not have a clue that it was the corn tortilla you ate last Sunday that is giving you the belly ache or bloat you are feeling today.
With these tools and information at your disposal, the path to lasting physical transformation is clearer and in many ways easier to navigate.
Mental Transformation
Using your mind to help you lose weight is equally important. Align your subconscious with your weight loss goals by visualizing your body healthy and at your perfect weight. This will help you make wise choices around food and exercise. Yes, your mind can easily help you make healthful choices instead of always thinking about hot fudge sundaes or pizza!
You mind can also help you to discover a deep appreciation for your body and develop a positive relationship with food. It is the power of the mind that lets you learn to eat without stress or fear so you don’t trigger the hormones that cause you to eat more and turn much of what you eat into stored fat.
Emotional Transformation
Discovering the feelings, thoughts, and stories you have around food that underlie the habits and compulsions that are sabotaging your health and fitness is one of the most important steps to weight loss.
Self-defeating thoughts and emotions can drive a person to overeat, causing more self-loathing and low self-esteem that perpetuate the cycle of overeating because you feel so bad about your self that you are driven to eat to try to numb out those feelings.
Compassion and patience can replace the angst and fear around food and eating. The more you develop a healthy relationship with your body and self, the more you will WANT to choose to take care of yourself by eating healthy foods in an environment that is nurturing and pleasant. This change in perspective helps you live life to the fullest without unhealthy habits or addictive behaviors continually holding you back.
Spiritual Transformation
The more you believe in yourself and the better you feel about yourself, the more capable you are navigating life’s challenges successfully and potently. You can rise above self-doubt by trusting in yourself. It is possible to transcend negative thinking and release unhealthy relationships and move into a state of peace and self-confidence.
Putting it All Together
When working with a client on weight loss, or any health issue, I individualize my approach depending on the unique needs and history of that person. It is never a one-size-fits-all approach. Each person’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual history is unique and must be taken into careful consideration to achieve success.
I love the one-on-one relationship I develop with each patient and find that the most successful are those that see me on a regular basis, checking in with me either in person or virtually at least weekly. Our interactions are not about judging success or failure, but more about identifying right or wrong behaviors and understanding where and how I can best support each person.
Success is not about reaching a specific number on the scale. It’s so much more than that. It’s about changing one’s lifestyle, internal belief system, and shifting negative thinking to compassion for one’s self. It’s about trust, and healing and feeling good inside your skin.
Sometimes the changes you make are big strides, sometimes baby steps are a cause for great celebration. And sometimes there’s a slide backwards, but all of this is part of the process. Finding success is all about learning from what is and isn’t working, and getting up and starting again when we fall short of our ideal.
Partnering for Success
My intention is to be your coach, your guide, your confidante, the wind beneath your wings! I develop life-long relationships with my patients so I can be there when they lose their footing, need a little assistance to get back on course, or just need to check in from time to time.
Change doesn’t come easy for most of us and old habits are sometimes extremely hard to break. We can all use a compassionate comrade to rely on who won’t judge us or fault us if we slip and fall. I hope I can be that someone for you when you most need it.
Rachelle Goering, MA, FNP 