I would like to preface this as; I am not a doctor of western medicine. I consider myself more in the arena of a philosopher and medicine woman or shaman. I pay attention to energy and the psyche of humans. The things underneath why humans do the things they do and even the metabolic processes that become affected by trauma and other experiences that shape our lives. I have over 2 decades of natural/alternative medicine under my belt, which I incorporate into my thought processes and conclusions. With that being said, this may be a side of weight gain you’ve never heard of, thus freeing you from the extra weight.

You don’t always have to eat “too much” in order to gain weight. The body largely determines what to do with the food based upon what condition your mental/emotional state is. If your nervous system is stretched beyond it’s limits, it may signal your brain to store the food because you are in danger and will need the resources for later.

Many sexual assault victims struggle with weight gain after their initial trauma. It is the body’s way of creating a cushion between oneself and others. It is the body’s literal barrier to keep people away or to keep oneself from feeling vulnerable. For some it is a way to “appear less attractive,” so that they are not a target again for another sexual assault.

I know how frustrating it can be to lose stubborn weight or to be confused as to why you are not losing the weight but the thing I would like for you to consider is your nervous system. If the internal system never feels like it is at rest and is giving signals to store, then you are going to gain weight and keep it on.

Diets are such a fad thing and have been for a long time. The food industries have made our foods more addictive and chocked full of chemicals and other byproducts that are not even food. They should NOT be passed as being safe for human consumption. All of these things are also an assault on our nervous system.

Additives, dyes and food byproducts are confusing to the body, making it difficult to decide which enzyme is needed to break it down and where to store of utilize it. Which in turn results in storing toxic materials in your soft tissues and fat or building fat. Auto intoxification can also be a prevailing malady of unwanted weight. Where the gut lining leaks back into the body and the soft tissues we well, causing an array of medical issues. Your GP unless studied in this arena will not know a thing about it. An integrative doctor might but most assuredly an alternative medicine practitioner. It is all that we study, is the old and trusted ways of nature.

The environment with which you live in is another factor. What are the triggers? What causes you to feel on edge? What sets off your nervous system? And how can you begin to make the decisions today to better support it?

Starting out slow in the morning is one of my favorite things. I like to keep unnatural light off or at a very minimum. I have been known to take my morning shower by candle light. I start out slow. I allow myself enough time in the morning so that I am not rushing about in order to do whatever is needed. I enjoy a somatic yoga session and work out every morning. I move with my body, at the pace my body needs. This isn’t about “what it looks like,” this is about what is needed and it doesn’t need to look any sort of way as long as it is what is best for my body.

Don’t eat more than you need. Don’t eat until you are stuffed, eat until you are not hungry anymore. So what if you need to eat 5 small meals a day. Just don’t over eat. The food will be there when you need it, there is no lack of scarcity with this way of life. Most importantly, love yourself. You may not look how you want to look right now but beating yourself up for it will not get the weight off faster. Love yourself in your process. Life is a process. Changing as your age changes and as your hormones change and as the landscape of the world becomes increasingly less safe feeling— we need to be resilient and change with it. We need to create our own safety.

If social media is driving you to stress eat, give it up or cut back. Delete accounts you follow that are all doom. Don’t snack, drink water instead or buy a tin of mints in the meantime until you adjust. Creating safety around your existence and around your body is most likely the biggest (aside form loving yourself) that is necessary to cultivate because it is such a driving force for all the darkness in this world, even with body image and body shaming. Body shaming is prevalent! Not just among women but also among men. It is NOT okay. But we also need to take care of ourselves and be okay with ourselves too.

I hope this helped someone today, the spiritual side of weight gain. If you want to learn more on these kinds of topics, I am well-schooled in Alternative medicine and am more than happy to share. Please drop a comment down below and share this with anyone you feel may benefit from it.

Blessings x