The Most Powerful Weight Loss Factor
Someone who has struggled with their weight probably knows what it feels like to be uncomfortable in their skin and disconnected from their body. They may have tried many different weight loss methods to no avail and end up feeling worse than before they tried because somehow, the feeling of self-loathing quickly sets in after another failure. But what if we have been approaching it all wrong? What if instead of focusing on the feeling in our bodies, we have simply become consumed with an end result that never arrives?
That is the missing piece; eating the foods that raise your physical energy and vibration helps you begin to understand what it means to feel good deep in your physical body. When you focus on how you feel in your body each day, the game changes because feeling and being well is the name of the game. And spoiler alert: it happens a lot faster than you’d expect!
You don’t have to reach your “ideal weight” or pant size before you feel it. It can happen in just days. The secret is high-vibe plant foods. It is eating things that were grown with sunlight, water, and thriving soil. And eating as much of them as possible. This secret should come as no surprise, but sadly to most – it probably does. Shockingly, the idea of loading up on foods potent in vitamins and minerals hasn’t been adopted by everyone sooner.
*But then we wouldn’t have the multi-billion dollar diet or pharmaceutical industries*
Those valuable nutrients in fruits, vegetables, and other plant foods create feelings of satiety, boost energy, and help bring mental clarity. And making changes is much easier than you might think.
Vegans have gotten a bad rap in recent years. I believe that’s because it is easier to hate something you don’t understand because it seems unfamiliar or weird. When you look at the issue closer, it’s hard to find a reason why wanting to move to a vegan diet would be considered a bad thing. Those who transition to a plant-based diet tend to do so with their health, climate change, and animal welfare in mind. One of the selling points for me initially was that vegetarians and vegans tend to have much lower body weight and BMI than their meat-eating counterparts.
At this point, it is no secret that most Americans struggle with weight or obesity. Currently, almost three-quarters of the adult population is overweight, with one in every three people over the age of 20 being obese.
As someone who has struggled with my weight and health, I can honestly say that I didn’t get that way from eating too many fruits and vegetables. For some reason every other diet method appealed me – fasting, diet pills, fad diets, laxatives, withholding food, expensive cleanses and detoxes – you name it, I’ve tried it. Within a few days to a week, I was back to my habit of over-snacking and binge eating while watching Netflix. There was one fundamental principle that I didn’t yet understand, and that was – if I didn’t feel good in my change, it wouldn’t last. As simple as that.
What I didn’t realize is that the goal is simply just feeling good. And obviously, it didn’t feel good eating fast food in my car on my way to work. It didn’t feel good to reach for something sugary because I had a stressful day; in fact, I often felt worse. It didn’t feel good to wake up late with a cloudy mind after having a few too many beers the night before, feeling slightly nauseous and dehydrated. My body didn’t feel good, and my mind did not feel good.
So many times, I would find myself stuck on the cycle that went from excitement about adopting a new diet and then getting a high after it worked and I got quick results. The high was always followed by a rebound when I gained all the weight back and started to feel low and worthless again as I wondered why I could never make anything stick.
It wasn’t as though I put too much pressure on the way I looked; it was more for me about how I felt in my body. It was hard to go after what I truly wanted in life when I constantly felt heavy, foggy, and ready for a nap. It was as though no matter how much sleep I got, I could always sleep more. Even when I was awake, I was in a haze and not really living. I didn’t know why I was so young, and I felt so shitty.
My parents taught me how to eat relatively healthy growing up, but I don’t think I ever understood how good our bodies are designed to feel. When I first started my vegetarian journey six years ago, it was initially more about the weight loss, though the other benefits sounded nice, too. I was just so obsessed and focused on the weight that I thought I would give it a try.
Little did I know, weight loss was just a side effect of going plant-based and become one of the less important outcomes. My sleep improved tremendously; I had more energy and just felt lighter. I picked up a yoga practice that became one of my favorite parts of the day, and my favorite was that I had a new glow about myself. I felt more confident than I had in a long while, and I just felt good in my body.
It became an experience to test new recipes and find healthier ways to eat my favorite foods. My taste buds adjusted so fast that I don’t even remember the transition being painful or feeling like I was deprived of anything. It was quite the opposite. The decision to adopt a more plant-based diet snowballed into the rest of my life. I learned to introduce so many new foods and regularly eat many things that lower my risk of disease and sickness down the road. I wish I had discovered some of these things sooner or that we were all educated on the effects on optimal nutrition on cognitive function, physical performance, and mental well-being.
I finally understood the real reason I struggled with weight loss, and it was that I wasn’t informed of simply how good it feels to eat a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that give my body vitality. And that gave me my life back. I understand what it’s like to feel disconnected from your body and to feel hopeless about ever having control over your weight or diet. With a few small changes and steps towards a different way of eating, your body will begin to heal itself, and you will likely see other areas of your life improve, like your sleep, sex drive, and mood, to name a few!
For anyone apprehensive about transitioning to a plant-based diet, it is one of the best things you can do for your quality of life, mental health, and weight. And what do you have to lose? It is okay if you are still struggling to figure out what works for you; it is part of the process. Now do yourself a favor and research all the amazing benefits of consuming more plants and phytonutrients. Your health is in your hands, and it is up to you to educate yourself. Remember, it is about feeling good in your body each day. Learn to listen to your body, she is amazing and she knows best. And check out this post about a Pegan style diet (the baby of the vegan and paleo diets – permalink). Give the plants a try, and your body will thank you!