This week the media was astounded as Georgia Davis, dubbed ‘Britain’s fattest teen’, was lifted out of her home by an heavy duty crane in order to seek medical attention. This brought much criticism and abuse to the lifestyle Georgia leads. But is it really just a case of eat less and exercise more?
If it were honestly that simple for everyone do we believe that the obesity epidemic would be as catastrophic as it is today? Rochelle Coulson, who is unfit to work due to her size and health, suggests otherwise. From childhood, Rochelle has over-ate whilst she struggled through bullying, unhealthy relationships and devastating loss. Is she the only person in the world to have struggled through these types of events? No. But is she the only person who has ever turned to food to deal with unpleasant and uncomfortable emotions? No. And she most certainly won’t be the last.
Not everyone may reach this stage of unhealthy behaviours but we are sure that there are many people who struggle with food addiction and abuse during times of strife. The stereotypical break-up is visualised with some trashy TV, gallons of ice cream and bottles of wine or a wild ‘lads night out’.
If your best friend turned to you and said ‘I am an heroin addict’, would you really reply with ‘Just don’t do it as much?’ It’s unlikely, isn’t it? Therefore, just because food is an essential to survival does that really mean that a person can’t be addicted to it? That they can’t understand why they keep eating? That they aren’t able to just stop binging, no pun intended, cold turkey?
We believe that when a person is going through tough or stressful times that food is often used as an escape. Does it solve the problem? No. But when you were ill as a child, were you brought food to make you better? When you saw parents come home from a tough day at work, did you see them reach for the wine bottle? Believe it or not, these moments can be programmed into our brain and many of us are taught at a young age that food or alcohol may in fact solve the problem, or at least mask it for a while.
If this sounds familiar to you, then we don’t encourage you to go back to your family home and blame your parents or guardians for your own issues with overeating. We do encourage you however to look at your patterns of over-consumption. When do you binge? When do you reach for the fridge? What are your thoughts? Feelings? And ask yourself, is food going to solve your problem? If the answer is ‘No’, then food is never the solution.
As we always say, change is hard. Especially if you have been used to a certain behaviour since a very young age. Our new weight-loss initiative Welcome Change Welcome Life is here to help.
Welcome Change Welcome Life isn’t just your typical ‘fad’ diet. It combines scientifically accepted nutritional guidelines with psychological techniques that can help you find the solution to your problems, without food. Many of you who have had weight problems before have lost weight at some point we are sure. But if you don’t find how to deal with your stresses and emotions without food, regaining that weight will always happen. It reminds us of the wise words of Albert Einstein, ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results’
If this all sounds a little too familiar to you then get in touch. Welcome Change Welcome Life’s first ever group is starting in Aberdeen on the 20th of May.
Regain your confidence. Regain your body. Regain yourself.
Get in touch now!