Could it be the third brownie? Perhaps it’s that second helping of gooey lasagna. What about the fact that you are standing guard at the buffet table eating just one cracker and cheese appetizer at a time, but with the frequency and consistency of an assembly line robot? Surely these actions are not contributing to your weight gain? Yes, they probably are, but at a deeper level, your excess weight may have very little to do with food!
In recent years, scientists such as Bruce Lipton, PhD, and Candace Pert, PhD, have alerted us to the actual physiological changes that occur in our cells and our bodies as a result of our thoughts and emotions. It makes sense that our fat can start with fear, anger, or an unwillingness to let go of emotions and thoughts that affect us on a physiological level.
People who are exquisitely sensitive, who feel more deeply and experience other people’s emotions as their own, often have quite a struggle losing weight and keeping it off. Could it be that the wonderful quality of empathy, which allows them to truly feel other people’s pain and express compassion, is a major factor in their weight problems?
Feeling too much is all about the ability to sense the world beyond your own personal boundaries, and becoming overwhelmed not just by your own feelings—we all know about that—but also by feelings that don’t belong to you, that are “out there” in the environment. Although that ability to connect can be a great asset, it can also make you fat.
So what can you do, right now, today? Move. I’m not talking about joining a gym and working out for hours each day. (Thank goodness, right?) Start by not sitting all day long. You must move to move the energy—you will not experience the relief from empathy overload when you are sedentary. Just spending five minutes walking or exercising outdoors can improve your mood.
Movement is especially important when you’re feeling angry or anxious. Try just a short, brisk walk, a quick swim, some yoga moves, or enjoy a few minutes spent dancing vigorously to your favorite songs. , Strong emotions dissipate more easily when you move your body. Physical exercise is proven to improve the emotional well-being of everyone, as it releases the excess energies accumulated throughout the day.
Love and Blessings,
Colette Baron-Reid
Intuitive Counselor
Hey Colette,
On 12/12 I had a realization about this topic. I fell down one day then was on our driveway for about 20 mins as I tried to get up, then was up about 80% of the way, and fell again before my father came outside to help me. When I was on the ground the second time, I used my left side more than usual and tried to incorporate it in getting up, though I ultimately failed and skinned my hand (I do this yearly), I saw all this “dis-“ability stuff as a product of radiation damage 11 years ago as like a game show where the right (able) side was showing the student (left, limited side) how to climb the mountain in order to win prizes.
The point of all this is that next year I will be getting poison in the left arm to loosen it up and get in some good potential reprogramming therapy or biofeedback or something. This gives me a year of renewal and I realized the left side limits me so much from my weight issues because it limits my potential, but that was the goblin that was telling me it’s useless. After learning the first piece about learning to speak your truth, which is can be taken a couple of ways since it kinda created an “every man for himself” outlook, which has actually been something that’s leading me in the right direction. It’s an interesting concept to ponder, and works with bowling also.
Much love to you these holidays!!!
xoxo
…e
Love to read this. Gave me lots of new thoughts and ideas to my weight loss battle. Just waiting that finally someone here in Finland realizes this kind of mental metods too. So, many thanks to you Colette and a huge hug <3
HI Marita! well thank goodness for the internet so people from everywhere can hop on here and take classes and learn about this. Eventually I will make it over there in person! Sending you much love. Stay tuned for more xoox
special young man.. you are not disabled.. just given wonderful opportunities for self awareness so you can become the great teacher we all know you are becoming. Thanx for sharing your story here. I send you all my love and of course you know I will be cheering you on. BIG HUG oxoxoxo
Hi Colette!Merry Christmas! I am very anxious to get your new book,I struggle with this every year at the holidays..seems the weight is down earlier in the year but then nearing Xmas when emotions are high with everyone,I become a sponge and puff up even though I am super busy & running around,,I am trying some of your methods( Himalayan sea salts,etc.) and really hope to maintain so I can wear my fav jeans,lol.
Thank you for all you do for everyone,you are an inspiration,Love & Light,Stacy Xoxo
Hi Colette..
Yes to all.. I’ve always known for myself and my clients who also are empaths with weight/eating/body issues that moving the energy out was one of the most important Daily Essentials. Moving physically as you recommend and also moving energy via writing seems to be another powerful way.. scooping out the emotionally stuck/stagnant energies in our bodies to another “container” (a journal, paper, whatever). Like draining a little off the top, from all that we pick up and carry.
Sending so much love for you.. and your work in the world,
Lisa
YOu will love the book and we will be holding classes too ! in the book there are some really great methods that are proven to work ( if you do them regularly) – journaling, moving, the salt baths, IN-Vizion, EFT and more! join us on the JumpStart class ( its free)
hi Lisa, hope you had a good holiday. Writing is a key component of the plan although we journal in very specific ways to teach people how to separate out the energies ( you should get the book 😉 LOVE your analogy of scooping out the emotionally stuck energy to another “container”.
So happy for your insightful post. xooxox
Dear Collette,
thank you for sharing this. I could not agree more… in all my work and personal experience I have come to see that weight is not necessarily about what you eat — after all some people eat a lot and don’t gain an inch – but about how you hold on to everything, how you deal with everything.
To me the key is self love and being able to accept that we’re all unique and different and therefore our sizes will vary … society has come up with ideals but they are not necessarily matching our own Selves.
I deeply appreciate you shedding light on the connected issues when it comes to weight.
Happy 2013
Peace & Love,
Natalie
Happy holidays to you too..was grateful for family and friends.. always. Of course I’m getting the book (!) and helping you guys on the promotional thing. Although we have different skill sets, I think we share a lot of the same beliefs and similar techniques…
I know the book is going to be a runaway success.
Been talking to so many clients lately who are on the verge of some of their big breaks and all of the ambivalence around being seen/more powerful/coming out in a bigger way.. So many themes related to all of the weight issues. Am hoping we get to compare notes some day.
With much love,
Lisa
It;s great to hear that your holiday was good. So happy you’re excited about the book too especially since you work in this field. By the way there will be a special one module training in IN-Vizion(r) for coaches and therapists and other practitioners in April. You might consider joining us!
I am finding the same thing with my clients.. so many poised at the end of the diving board.. ready set.. hmmmm….maybe scary? pass the cookies?
I found this to be quite interesting, I was aware that we use food as comfort when we are down or even when we are happy or excited about something. I was not aware that those who are sensitive and take on other people’s emotions can have a difficult time with their weight. Food for thought. Thanks for sharing this with us.
I read an excerpt of the book and was quite shocked when I saw..the person Colette describes, symptoms..was and is me. I am still having a difficult time but it’s true. I did lose a lot of weight prior to this but still struggle around my stomach..it’s like it won’t budge. Someone mentioned that the area of feelings is the solar plexus chakra..aka your stomach and I thought I wonder if that is why I still am carrying weight there to protect myself. I feel very exposed now and it seems I feel more..a lot more. It’s hard at times not to grab chocolate or cookies..or something else to make me feel better..soothe me because sensitive and feeling is not something people around me get at moments. I am put down a lot for being so sensitive and that I need to toughen up but I can’t. I really want to invest in getting this book because no one has mentioned how to lose weight for people who are empathic, clairsentients, sensitives..that’s an entirely different ball game. No wonder diets for the most part don’t work when perhaps unconsciously you feel that you need the extra weight to feel safe. As I said it’s a daily struggle to adjust to my new form and also wanting to cover up and wear baggier clothes. It seems I pick up very intensely on sexual energy from men and other people in relationships and it’s pretty confusing and upsetting. I’m not sure how to deal with it all but I hope to invest to get this book as a new year resolution and read.
Everything you’re talking about is addressed in my book and will continue to be discussed this year on my website. I hope you join us also on my Jumpstart class – it’s free and we have an awesome community private forum on FaceBook xooxox
I will make sure to get your book sometime this week and also check you out on Facebook. Thanks Colette. I definitely need a support system to help me cope with this since no one would get my perspective.
we are here to help. Check out our free Jump start class too some of my trained coaches are on there to help out as well as 30 people who have been through the program successfully who just came to help you new guys!!
Lisa you don’t need to toughen up at all, rather you will learn how to distance from your overwhelm so you can be the wonderful sensitive person that you are but manage it ! We will always be this way …this book will help you for life….
I have had a weight problem for the past 15 years or so. At the moment I weigh double of what I should, which is bad! I have never had any serious problems with my weight as I watch my diet closely and only use quality fresh products in my cooking (I hate frozen stuff and cans!). I don’t have snacks of any sort or junk food in my house and I certainly don’t eat between meals. I have always been a relatively active person – up until now.
I do admit that movement has become an issue in the past 3 or 4 years though. At first it wasn’t but the weight kept piling on until I finally started to tire out with the slightest movement and kind of “gave up”. Today, even walking is an issue and I’m tired of this.
Most of my health problems are related to this weight problem, but I wonder what your book has that is different to the rest.
I’m tired of people saying “diet and exercise” – it’s so easy to do – but how does one explain that the problem lies in my head and not my kitchen? I’m tired of visiting doctors that love to pile pills on me together with a 1500 cal/day diet and say “do it and when you’re done, settle for what you get”. HUH??? How am I supposed to feel pleased with that???? Why do doctors KNOW that psychology and abuse can influence weight problems and yet don’t ever recognise it, helping us get solutions for those problems?
Only once before in my early 20s did I find myself gaining weight – 20 kilos overweight – due to the psychological “pressure” I was enduring at the time. Amazingly enough, when I decided to say “enough putting up with this”, my weight was off me within a month and a half! No diets, no exercise, nothing! I just literally melted away!
The difference between then and now is that this time the “enemy” is within my own house, I have two children and the pressure is constant. Also, I don’t have the means to take on the decisions I need to make. Actually, the decisions are made, I just need to pull them through!
I started with the A Course in Weight Loss but somehow got stuck half way through. Probably the Ego working up on me, so I admit I should continue to follow it through. How is your book different to this one?
Finally, my most shocking experience was when I got into the car on a friday, buckled up my belt – which was loose – and went off. The following monday I followed the same process, but this time I couldn’t buckle up my belt without feeling stapled to the seat. Nowadays I use an extension belt. How does one gain that much volume in two days???? (and not lose it!). Again, doctors say everything is fine, everything is “normal”. ARGH!!!
I am an empath – that I have no doubts about. I am very sensitive. I can understand how your book can help me in this area, but how can it help me when food is not the problem?
Thank you!
well honey my book is not about the food! you really should read it xooxox
i will get your book, i had breast cancer 2009 eat well now i am eating too many sweets its crazy i am so inconsistent, know better but eat bad have a belly it is so bad after cancer
Barb you can do it plus you don;t have to go it alone. We have a large private FB group and many to be there with you. Sending you BIG LOve and oodles of hope.. it’s real .. not a diet, not a lose 20 pounds in a week.. its slow loving true transformative and real..with real results.. xooxo
Colette, Is my recent weight gain due to my empathy? I feel like something changed in me over the past two years and I have gone from a size 6 to a size 2. Now last year I went from a size 2 to almost a size 10. I am ordering your book, but I am wondering why this is happening all of a sudden. Any advice?
sure sounds like it..you def need to read the book and join the free class to get your feet wet then when you feel you;re ready to take the plunge we will offer you some awesome classes and tools! one step at a time