subject: Dieting: Does It Make Us Happier? Or More Isolated? [print this page] Dieting: Does It Make Us Happier? Or More Isolated?
"Does it serve to make you feel more isolated or more connected with all of life?" ~Laurence Boldt, The Tao of Abundance
We begin dieting because we believe it will make us happier, more attractive, more full of joy--more connected with all of life. We spend hours, days, months, even years, trying to reach and hold onto that magic number.
When we reach that magic number, for three minutes, three months, or maybe even three years, we are still focused on calories and weight, desperate to maintain the weight loss.
How connected with all of life are we in these moments of trying to lose weight, of trying to maintain lost weight? If we take a close look, we realize that this desperate focus on calories and weight does not help us feel more connected with all of life, but instead makes us feel more isolated.
Sure, we might feel powerful in that moment we refuse to eat that extra bite, but then we realize our focus is on our weight and not the pleasure of the food or the good company at the table. Consider how sadly disconnected from life we become when not eating and weight are the focus of our day:
When at work, adding up calories to determine what you can eat for dinner, do you feel more connected with or more isolated from your work and your co-workers?
When on the phone with a friend, thinking about how soon you can get to your workout, do you feel more connected with or more isolated from your friend?
When dining with a partner, focusing on portion sizes and what is the healthiest thing to eat, do you feel more connected with or more isolated from your partner?
When disparaging your body, do you feel more connected with or more isolated from all of life?
Without a doubt, we lose connection when we are focused on calories and weight. Without a doubt, we feel more isolated from all of life. Our desire to be happier, more attractive, and more full of joy cannot occur in this isolation. The very thing we want and seek through dieting, we lose in the process.
The next time you find yourself focused on calories, portion sizes, and weight, stop and ask yourself, "Does this serve to make me feel more isolated or more connected with all of life?"
You will be better able to successfully manage your food issues and weight when you feel connected with life. It is entirely possible you will reach your goals much faster in the long run without dieting!
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