There are many things in life we cannot control and here are some examples: The weather, our genetic composition, how others respond to certain situations and when the pandemic restrictions will be lifted entirely.
There are other things in life that we can control: What clothes we wear, what television program we watch at night and what we pick up with our hands/fork and place into our mouths.
Let’s focus for a minute on that last example of what we can control: What we pick up with our hands/fork and place into our mouths.
If weight loss/control is a matter of placing the food/drink items into our mouths that are most compatible for success (proteins, vegetables, water) and avoiding the food/drink sources that derail our efforts (carbohydrates, lots of fruit, fats, alcohol) WHY is 70% of our country overweight/obese when all of us have control over the “what we place into our mouth” thing?
Clearly, although on the surface, it appears that control is “ours to have”, many, many people struggle with controlling a seemingly “controllable” situation. Due to physical, chemical, psychological, social, cultural and other issues we often have great difficulty controlling the intake of foods/drinks that we know should be avoided as we attempt to shed/control weight.
It is important for all of us to take a step back, focus on the concept that we CAN control our eating/drinking actions and if we cannot do this on our own, the help of medications, psychological support, peer support groups and other professional help may be utilized to repossess the control we all strive for.
How important is control concerning long-term weight loss success? The answer is VERY.
