By Rick Mautz
No one should ever be made to feel ashamed of their body, for everybody is a miracle of God. Everyone should be treated with love, especially those who have been bruised and wounded daily for much of their life because of their weight. Having addressed this important element, the answer is not to ignore this epidemic.
I am a health educator and a follower of Jesus with a desire to become more like Him. I struggle with the desire to help those that deal with constant pain related to body shaming but also have such a high risk of death from obesity. If I have an answer for them, I want to help without causing more pain.
Everyone is not meant to be whatever weight they are without considering the extreme health risks that come with this personal condition. The risks include a significant increase in the following: many forms of cancers, diabetes, heart disease, joint destruction, chronic inflammation, and vascular disease. There is an increase in death from all causes.
So how do we help reduce the health burden, both personal and societal? The answer is not body shaming. If that were the answer, no one would be overweight because there is lots of shaming going on. We don’t need more of that.
The answer is not a simple one as each person struggling with weight has put lots of energy into losing it already. However, our society doesn’t make it easy to make lifestyle changes: from food addictions, from the food itself, and the manipulation of processed food in a way that makes it even more addictive.
Food producers spend billions to make their product even more addictive, we are bombarded with attractive advertising everywhere we turn. We celebrate everything with very addictive foods. So, even when a person tries to lose weight by making lifestyle changes, there are so many obstacles to prevent their success. We need not add to their burden and should be supportive with love and encouragement without shaming.
With all these factors, it is easy to see why it is so hard to lose weight. And yes, food addiction is as real as any other addiction, with one major difference. With a drug addiction you just stay away from the drug and the people that are using it. What if you were, for instance, someone with an alcohol addiction and you must drink some alcohol every day to live, you would never break the habit. But with food, you can’t just choose to stay away from it. You need to eat daily. You are exposed to the “drug” daily and everywhere you turn.
When talking about health in general, that should be the focus rather than the weight itself. A whole food, plant-based diet is the most sustainable approach to achieving and maintaining a normal body weight. It will probably seem a little boring compared to the over stimulation of fat, sugar, and salt. If making that change seems overwhelming then start by just adding more fiber/water rich fruits, vegetables, and legumes without a focus on what you stop eating. Eating food in their more natural state rather than refined (potatoes vs French fries)
A source that deals with this issue well is Susan Peirce Thompson’s of Bright Line Eating. You can buy her book or, easier yet, watch her weekly vlogs (video blog) on YouTube. Her recommendations are very practical and helpful as they relate to an unhealthy relationship with food and provide a solution. I don’t agree with everything that she teaches but her understanding of the neuroscience related to addictions is very helpful. I would add to this information a relationship with your creator who is the source of all power who directed Paul to write, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Jesus treated everyone with love and compassion as he offered healing and the power to break the bondage that enslaved so many. He will use you to do the same today.
—Rick Mautz, PT MS, is RMC director of the Rocky Mountain Lifestyle Center. For more information, call (303) 282-3676 or click here to visit the Lifestyle Center’s website, and more material on this subject. Photo by Pexels.
