When Weight Loss Leads to a Loss of Love

When Weight Loss Leads to a Loss of Love

By Daphne Cohn

When I was 18 yrs. old a 15-year-old boy called me “fat.”

I wasn’t. And I knew it. But it didn’t matter. I never forgot it.

We live in an externally based world. Where beauty is measured on the outside. Wealth is displayed. Strength is proven and being thin is an obsession.

When I first began working with women around health and wellness, every woman that came to me, no matter what her symptoms, wanted to lose weight. It didn’t matter if she had thyroid issues, or lower back pain or COPD, her number one concern was to lose weight. I understood. I’m a woman after all, and being thin is part of being beautiful.

So I helped women lose weight. And in the process, I helped them hate their bodies.

I didn’t do it on purpose. And I certainly didn’t encourage it. But by focusing on weight loss as a way to feel and look beautiful, I was helping women turn farther and farther away from their true beauty.

True beauty doesn’t change with the numbers on the scale. True beauty isn’t measured in your jean size. True beauty doesn’t need the lights off when you undress for bed. Because true beauty recognizes that you are a gift of the universe and there is nothing more beautiful than that.

It took me awhile to see this. It was a long process of learning to love and appreciate my own body – just as it is. I do not look like a model or an athlete. I don’t have an “ideal” build. I have flab on my thighs and a belly. It took me awhile to recognize that it’s beautiful.

And when I did, I stopped teaching weight loss and started guiding women to love and honor their body, to tune in to their inner knowing and trust the wisdom within. And I started teaching about pleasure. Because life is a gift and when there is pleasure, we are living the gift.

Does it mean that weight loss is bad? Absolutely not. Weight loss can be a sign of a body restoring itself to a healthier place so long as one attains it from a place of love and nurturing. We can love our bodies thinner. And we can love our bodies now.

I don’t get on the scale anymore (well, hardly ever) and I don’t encourage you to either. Feel your body. Notice all that it does for you day after day. Begin to recognize the strength that it holds, the dedication and the love. This is your body. And it’s beautiful.

Now when I think of that 15-year-old boy and me, at 18, I feel tremendous compassion. We live in a world that forgets real beauty. It’s up to each one of us to reclaim it and show every boy and girl just how beautiful we all are, just as we are.

Daphne’s Mini Bio:

Daphne Cohn is known as The Pleasure Nutritionist. She is a Whole Health Educator, Raw Foods Specialist, Nutrition Counselor and CEO of The Pleasure Nutritionist.

The Pleasure Nutritionist helps women make healthy habits pleasurable so that they have an energy soaring, body loving, delicious-food-eating, fabulously fun adventure.

Daphne lives in upstate New York with her handsome hubby and two beautiful children.

You can learn more about Daphne at:

Web – DaphneCohn.com

Facebook – http://on.fb.me/pleasurenutrition

Twitter  – http://twitter.com/daphnecohn

How Daphne Knows Jaki:

Jaki and I met at a mastermind group in Southern California. I was lucky enough to have lunch with her the first day we were there. A beautiful friendship was born. I adore Jaki and the work she is doing in the world. We continue to remain friends and support each other on our individual, and joint, paths.

Jaki’s Response:

I met Daphne and saw someone who had in her hands and heart the ingredients that anyone, male or female, would love to have. Her passion – ‘Nutrition’ – was not just about the food and drink that nourishes us, but the everyday actions that nourish our souls. Daphne made one particular comment “It isn’t about taking things out of our lives – but about adding things in”. In that moment I knew I had made a friend – I look forward to sharing the stage with her one day.

Simple Positive Steps You Can Take Now ~

In Gratitude

Jaki :)

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