The title of this blog can be understood two ways. We should all want to or care to be healthy. And most people hate being overweight and unhealthy. But the other way I want this read is that to be healthy we must care for ourselves. Care for our mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well being. And that being obese isn’t just about over-consumption or lack of activity. It’s more about the reason we over eat and fail to exercise. And that reason is that we, to put it bluntly, hate ourselves.
I’m not talking about the need to lose 10 or even 20 pounds. Modest weight gain like that can often be from simple changes in our lifestyle or health. Maybe we’ve changed jobs and now we’re more sedentary. We got an extended illness that changed our eating or exercise habits. Our metabolism has slowed from age and we have failed to make necessary adjustments to our eating and activity in order to control our weight.
But for those that have had a lifetime of weight battles, or over the course of a few years have steadily increased in weight to the point of obesity, there are underlying reasons. Simply put, we do not care enough about ourselves to be healthy. And if we don’t care for ourselves, it means we hate ourselves. I know, that sounds harsh. And it should. Because the way we treat our bodies that leads 
to obesity is also harsh. In fact, it is so harsh it is as if we are punishing ourselves. Think about it. The food that is supposed to be a reward (and that we have deluded ourselves into believing is a reward) is actually killing us. Obesity is causing daily pain and discomfort. It is increasing our chance of cancer and heart disease. It keeps loved ones from being close to us, both physically and emotionally. We are unable to enjoy things in life that others with full mobility and stamina can enjoy. What reason would we put our bodies through this other than we don’t really care for ourselves?
Here’s some questions you should ask yourself to see if you fall into this category: Look at your day and your eating habits. How often do you eat because you are physically hungry? When you eat, is it more than 500-700 calories in a sitting? Do you graze and snack multiple times between larger meals? Do you eat more when you are depressed? Do you justify having ‘just one more’ serving? Do you feel happy while eating then depressed when you’re done?
Taking time to enjoy a book
What about other aspects of your daily routine? Do you take time to daily do things you enjoy that are healthy? For instance, is there time set aside each day to find a quiet place to read or meditate. Do you take 10-15 minutes a day to take a bath without distraction, or enjoy a small project like scrapbooking or some other project? Do you think you deserve to have alone time just to be with your own thoughts? Do you feel selfish and guilty when you do something nice for yourself? Evaluating these questions can help you realize whether you truly care for yourself or not. And if you do not really care for yourself, you will never become permanently healthy.
So here’s a couple simple exercises to perform if you want to change these hateful, negative patterns: First, write down 5 positive personality attributes you possess. This exercise will be revealing. Because your level of difficulty in choosing just 5 attributes will reveal how you really feel about yourself. I’m certain you have many, many more than just 5. But if you are challenged to come up with just these few, it indicates how little you really care for yourself. But work through it. Take your time but commit to following through. Secondly, commit to providing yourself 10-15 minutes of self-care everyday! It doesn’t have to be elaborate, but it should be healthy. This means no TV, computer or facebook time. Sorry. These are not inherently healthy. Do something that will bring peace and tranquility for those few minutes you have set aside for yourself. If you feel guilty, acknowledge it but don’t give up. Remember, you will better serve your friends and family if you are happy and healthy.
This is not a quick-fix method to health. You will not lose 5 pounds a week by introducing more self-care into your life. But if you continue hating yourself fat, you will just go further and further down the road away from health, contentment and fulfillment. But once you make this positive change in your life, the other changes necessary to losing weight will not only be easier to make, but will even come naturally. And they will be permanent.
So instead of hating yourself fat, care for yourself enough to be healthy. It only takes 10 minutes a day to start down this positive path. Start today.
