Stoic Approaches to Weight Loss
Insight, self-control, and a sense of duty
Start. Stop. Lose. Gain. Repeat.
If that song sounds familiar, you’re definitely not alone. It’s a common tale for most of us and no matter which dietary path we choose, we’re vulnerable to falling into this pattern. This happened to be my song for most of teens and 20s. Then, finally, the new dietary habits stuck enough for me to lose 115 lbs and keep it off. The first time I showed my before-and-after photos to someone, I was asked “So how did you lose all that weight?” That question was immediately followed by: “And please don’t say diet and exercise.”
It was my perception of what I was about to do that tipped the balance.
While that’s part of the answer, it wasn’t the key component in my winning formula. Obviously, I’d tried diet and exercise many times before and found myself right back where I started. So what was it about this time that was so different? It was my perception of what I was about to do that tipped the balance.
