Have you lost weight only to gain it again? Or gotten discouraged about how hard it is to lose weight and give up because it’s so dang hard?

I was chubby. Overweight. Tubby. I was also unhappy, unfulfilled, sad, and numb—something was missing in my life and I turned to food as the answer. The best I knew to do was to eat… and plan my eating… and then reward myself with food. And when I wasn’t eating, I was thinking about eating! I would comfort, bribe, and numb myself with food.

And then I got sick of being fat and decided to get thin—and I lost the extra pounds, but I still wasn’t fulfilled. I was still fantasizing about the comfort of food—planning my meals, thinking about what I was going to eat next.

The Source of The Issue

It was then that I discovered my weight wasn’t the issue, my life was. I discovered that I was hungry, but it wasn’t just for food. My unmet yearnings were the real problem—my yearnings for comfort, to belong, to matter, to make a difference, to love and be loved. It was only when I finally made a conscious choice and commitment to living a satisfying and beautiful life that I really made the shift.

When you make this commitment, when you dedicate, you’re able to change your definition of who you are and what makes you happy. It isn’t just about the weight anymore, it’s about the bigger picture—who you want to be and where you want to go. This bigger commitment keeps you going when you’re tempted to eat that candy bar or binge on those French fries rather than meeting those deeper yearnings.

Feed Your Soul

Now, I eat whatever I want—I don’t just dine on carrot sticks and sprouts, but I eat real food, including a hot fudge sundae on occasion! I don’t need big huge portions because I am no longer trying to fill what felt like a gaping, empty hole inside me. Because I am meeting my yearnings—my hunger to love and be loved, to connect, to matter-I’m not substituting good food for a good life. While I enjoy a good meal, I don’t think too much about food because my desires have shifted. And, my weight is a non-issue! I am thin, and my weight is constant, and I feel good in my body—it’s my body. I feel free in a way I could not have even imagined before!

I am happier, more fulfilled, more creative, have more joy, passion, satisfaction, love, and energy. But, it’s not because I am thin. It’s because I changed the quality of my life, and then I became thin. As I changed my life, I didn’t lean on food to meet all of my needs. Instead of reaching for food when I am upset or when I have feelings I have great, new alternatives—hugs, good talks, belly laughs, spontaneous goofiness—which are so much more fulfilling than the food I instantly grabbed in the past!

Dedicate yourself to things that bring you comfort and love! Grab a hug, meet with friends to do an activity together, or even rearrange your routine to fit in meditation or a stroll down the street. Meet those needs and nourish your body, mind, and spirit and you’ll find the weight you want—as you find the life you want.

Blessings,

–Judith

Do you want to have more comfort and love in your life? Download Two Free Chapters of Transformed! The Science of Spectacular Living and learn how following your yearnings can get you all of that!

Learn more about Wright Living’s Life Coaching in Chicago, Self Development Courses, and Relationship Courses.