In this season of The Biggest Loser, families of four tackle obesity in the home. But are changes to the contestants’ food and exercise regime enough?
Food and exercise education is not enough to heal families with chronic weight struggles, says leading Australian weight-loss motivation expert Kylie Ryan, who has helped her clients lose up to 48 kilograms using techniques such as coaching, hypnotherapy and NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming).
“I see clients all the time who have developed an unhealthy relationship with food due to some kind of family stress or trauma. Working through these issues together can not only diminish reasons why they turn to food for comfort, but can help repair relationships as well,” says Kylie.
While a healthy diet and exercise are key to gaining and maintaining a healthy weight, making goals as a group will build motivation and encourage accountability.
Here are five of Kylie’s top five tips on how families can achieve their weight-loss goals together:
1. Commit to each other. During your weight loss journey there will be moments of highs and lows, so it’s good to know who is prepared to have your back and support you.
2. Share your gratitude. Make a point of sharing your gratitude with – and for – each other on a daily basis. This will put you in a good frame of mind and give you something to talk about other than weight, and is a great family-bonding exercise.
3. Have patience. Baby steps are key, and while it may take some time to notice a difference in your body, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture.Take the time to celebrate small wins with each other and be proud and supportive of all positive changes.
4. Practice forgiveness. Letting go of old baggage is going to make a big difference to your outcome, especially if your weight issues have stemmed from family stress. Now’s the perfect time to let it go for once and for all! Forgive each other, and most importantly, forgive yourself.
5. Let a coach guide your group. Sometimes families can’t see past their own issues which will keep them trapped in a negative mindset, particularly towards each other. Group coaching can help alleviate these family problems, and NLP/Hypnosis is especially effective for families, as it can eliminate the root cause of the negative choices without blame or re-living stressful events.