Obesity is as a result of a lot of things such as eating disorder, depression, silent angst, low self-esteem etc. Food is not the only factor that causes obesity. All these factors contribute to one’s mindset that leads them to use food as the medium of comfort. Naturally, there is something about food that just feels like home, an acceptance for you. Most of the times, the food tastes good and it doesn’t run away from you, and is always available.
In dealing with obesity, one has to go to the root of the problem and that is the mindset. For patients like this, one should ask, “How can I help you? What is happening?” In this generation, everybody seems to go after their own agenda that another person is like a burden. When you start silencing an individual without the use of words but with attitude, ignoring and off comments, you open the doors to many other places that will cause one to feel rejection and pain leading them to find comfort or solace somewhere else.
To help change this situation, one is to ask themselves, “What am I doing wrong that is affecting my neighbor mentally, physically or even spiritually?” Obesity is not about lowering stress levels or feeding yourself the right food. It’s about changing the mindset. Read on to follow up more
1. Family history
Obesity doesn’t happen because somebody just had an overwhelming desire for food. It happens because something else opened a loophole and that loophole is supposed to be closed, and it could be closed with anything such as drugs, sex, food etc. Human beings are social animals and they were no designed to live alone. The sense of being alone, rejected and forgotten will lead to chaos in one’s life.
A person’s family is the first group of people that have a huge impact in the growth and well-being of that person. There are families in this world with strange stories regarding their children that will blow your mind. The poor financial status of the family, a divorce that left the child bruised and many other reasons cause young people to do things they wouldn’t do. Moreover, lack of knowledge on the importance of healthy living, leads to eating everything and anything in sight.
Before trying to convince a child and tell them to stop eating, ask them what the issue is and you are on the first step to getting the issue resolved. Knowing where they are coming from will open the doors to how you should deal with the problem.
2. The individual
After knowing the history of the individual, it is now the time to focus on them. Focusing on them means focusing on everything related with them, be it the family, friends or the bullies. How they feel about themselves? If everything was alright, what would they want to do. Listen to them, some may express frustration and anger and some might say that they don’t care anymore because time has gone ahead of them or that they have nothing to contribute to the society.
This is where you give them hope that they can actually impact a change in the world. That’s where the education of health and fitness begin, accepting their self as capable to do anything they want to do in the world. Most of the times, the answer you hear is that they want to change, and change begins when you begin to view the world differently and have hope that things can get better.
3. The journey of hope
This entails educating them on food choices and what their bodies can do if they are fit and healthy. Teaching them about why they should kill every doubt and embrace the future fearlessly by going after their dreams, by being fit and healthy. Learning to take “me time” by reading books and how to save and invest money into profitable means instead of going for food and other “needs”. Teaching them about being consistent on maintaining a diet.
Following them up to stand against the bullies, even if they are the members of their own family. Educating parents on avoiding favoritism and to embrace all their kids. Obesity can only be countered by addressing the root. If the roots are fine, the branches will blossom like it is spring.
Image courtesy of: townnews.com.
