3 things I wish I’d known when I was overweight

If you're anything like me, you may have mixed feelings about clicking on a post with this title. For visionaries who are committed to changing the world, it can feel frivolous to worry about things like extra weight. But the truth is, this can be a huge energy suck for even the most focused person-on-a-mission.

Like it or not you live in your body full time - you deserve to feel at home in it! To feel powerful, strong, and fully alive. If you’re uncomfortable in your body, unhappy in your clothes, shifting to look smaller in photos, or avoiding them altogether, are you really showing up the way you want to in the world? 

Yeah. Probably not.

I've got no problem admitting this: I used to feel like I was at war with my body. That it was constantly failing me, and getting in my way. I had a history of eating disorders (tried ‘em all during adolescence, loved them like best friends). As an adult, I would vascillate between feeling powerless and ignoring my extra weight, to panicked that I had to change it RIGHT NOW, or else everything that I wanted in my life would never materialize. And that’s a long list of dreams to put on hold - I’ve got a lot of work I want to contribute to the world, and I want to help a lot of people. 

It’s a special kind of pain to want to serve our cultural collective, and not feel welcome to do so until there’s less of me. Know what I mean?

I know I’m not the only one to feel this way, and I wanted to share the discoveries along our detox journey that changed the way I feel about my body, forever. 

These aha’s helped me come to peace with the extra weight, and also helped me to finally release it:

1. Your fat might be saving your life.

Herbicides, pesticides, microplastics, heavy metals, air pollution… these are tremendous burdens to place on your body every day, and unfortunately, there’s no getting away from them at this point. Americans went from 10 toxins per cell in 2008 to 500 toxins per cell in 2018. That’s too much for your body to handle without help. It wasn’t designed to process all of these chemicals, and when your detox processes can’t effectively escort this stuff out of your body right away, your body does the next best thing - it stores the toxins in fat and bones, as far away from your vital organs as possible. For many of us, that means packing on extra pounds until our bodies finally get the conditions they need to show the toxins out. (Also? Your brain is fat, babe. The toxins are getting stored in there too.)

2. Your junk food cravings aren’t yours. They’re made by the bad bugs.

Biofilms and parasites thrive on processed, high carb, high sugar foods, and dairy. It makes total sense to crave the bad stuff, because those bugs all have different life cycles and are dependant on you reaching for the next sugary processed carb, or they die. These bad bugs excel at secreting toxic poo that changes your thinking, and sends messages to crave bad foods. Your own body is actually on your side, and is craving nutritious, easy to digest dirt candy (veggies and fruits) that will help you thrive. 

Unfortunately, the bad bug populations have gotten out of control, because these parasites can tolerate and house the scary toxins, performing an important short term support role for your body. This can be confusing because it feels like your body is betraying you with these cravings, but it’s really the parasites in this symbiotic relationship with you. #itsnotmeitsmyparasites

3. This has become too big a job for your body to detox without help.

Your body is incredibly intelligent, resourceful, and downright f-ing brilliant. 

However - modern life has created a set of circumstances that make it very difficult for us to safely deal with the toxic onslaught, let alone maintain an ideal weight. (A 2016 study published by Obesity Research and Clinical Practice shows that you’d have to eat less, and exercise more to maintain the same weight of someone your same age in the 80’s). We’re overwhelmed by pollution, our circadian rhythms and brain waves are constantly interrupted and messed with, which further limits our bodies’ ability to build our detox enzymes and effectively rest, digest, and repair. It just ain’t gonna happen without some active steps to safely support your body.

Looking back, I’m so grateful for that extra 35 lbs that have now melted away. I had serious mental and emotional problems that came with all of that toxicity, but if my body hadn’t been able to pack on extra weight to house it, I can only imagine the further damage that would have happened to my body and my life. Those heavy metals would have hurt my brain further, and those microplastics would have thrown my hormones off even more. It’s hard not to write this without tearing up over the relief of finally feeling truly grateful for this flesh and blood home of mine.

Not only do I love how I feel in my own skin today, but I’m thrilled with my level of focus, my emotional resilience, and my ability to create. To truly feel like myself again. I hope my story helps you appreciate your own body, and feel a little bit more at home in that glorious, imperfect meat sack of yours. #loveyourmeatsack  (I know, I know! #thehashtagpolicearecoming)

If you want to learn how Michael and I detoxed, hop on our list for regular tips / jump on our upcoming webinar with us. We love to share what we’ve discovered. It saved our lives, but more than that, it restored our quality of life and helped us get back to who we truly are. We want the same for you. 

Xoxo

S