I’m sure everyone has heard about Dr. Oz testifying before the US Congress regarding comments made on his TV show about some products being “magic weight loss cures.” During his testimony, members of Congress scolded him for purporting that these products are miracle cures or quick fixes for weight loss stating that it misleads the American public. I don’t disagree but I think Congress was making an example of Dr. Oz that can apply to companies and people who claim to have the magic cure.
I have to ask myself what the true motivation is for people to lose weight. Is it to look better, avoid disease, contain healthcare costs for obesity related illness or to be healthy? Maybe it’s a combination. However, the way in which most people go about losing weight through starvation diets, extreme exercising, drugs, supplements and radical surgery isn’t working. Yet, there are more and more claims that these types of approaches are the next miracle. In fact, the diet and diet related industry is a $50 billion a year enterprise yet we still seeing rising obesity rates. Additionally, 98% of people who go on a weight loss diet gain the weight back (plus more) within 1 year.
There is something inherently flawed with either the motivation or the way in which we attempt to shed weight. Clearly we need a different approach, one that is uniquely tailored to the individual, based on self-love instead of self-hate and includes uncovering the emotional reasons for over-eating, maintaining macro nutrient balance, high quality food and joyful movement. This is how the field of Eating Psychology approaches weight loss which is considered the secondary result of exploring the emotional factors. It’s a kind and gentle approach and one that succeeds in helping people create a joyful life and healthy mind, bodies and souls.