Inspiring Weight Loss
Using Your
SoulCollage Cards

I don’t know about you, but it seems that I have struggled with weight loss my entire life. When I was a teenager, I was always worried about my body image, continually weighing myself and obsessed with pounds gained and pounds lost.

Diets and dieting are as familiar to me as hair conditioner and face moisturizer. I have tried them all. Weight Watchers. Atkins. Low fat. Low Sugar. Low Carb.

Does this sound familiar to you? I have been successful at weight loss; I have been unsuccessful at weight loss.

The weight has gone and it has come back. Many, many times.

When I turned 40, weight loss got harder and harder. When I hit 45 and was diagnosed with breast cancer , I succumbed to overeating to give myself comfort and to exert some semblance of control over my life and the chaos that was happening to my body, mind, and spirit. Needless to say, I gained about 30 pounds in the last five years and my body image has suffered because of this. When my treatments were over, weight loss seemed about as possible as flying to the moon.

Weight Loss and
Intuitive Eating

When I was in my 30’s, I read several books on intuitive eating for weight loss , all by Geneen Roth . I found myself fascinated with the idea of weight loss that came from these three tenets:

• eat only when I’m hungry
• eat what I really want to eat
• stop eating when I’m full

But there was always some emotional strife bubbling just under the surface of my being, and I continued to find myself eating when I wasn’t hungry, and continuing to eat when I was already full.

When I began therapy three years ago, weight loss was one of my goals. My therapist has been working with me all this time on the concept of intuitive eating, and on the concept of believing that I am enough, and accepting myself as I am. Her unconditional acceptance and support has made a really big difference in my quest for weight loss, and I have seen my eating habits begin to change, really change.

Weight Loss via SoulCollage®

So I began consciously collecting images that reflected to me some of their voices:

• The Heavy One
• The Slender One
• The Inner Critic
• She Who Devours
• She Who Pauses at the Refrigerator
• She Who Practices Self-Nourishment

I chose to honor these voices, even the darker ones, because I really believe that the process of SoulCollage only works when we accept the shadowy sides of ourselves along with the bright.

At this stage in my life, I am losing weight very, very slowly (ie: I went down one pants size from last summer to this summer!). However, weight loss now seems like an attainable goal to me, because I am paying attention to living my life as authentically as I can, and instead of cringing whenever the Inner Critic starts yapping at me, I (most of the time) am able to tell her to "Back off."

Here are the six SoulCollage cards I made to honor these parts of myself, and the I am the one who… exercise that I did for each one:

SoulCollage
Weight Loss Help:
The Heavy One

Who are you? I am the heavy one, the one who shuns lightness, who fears losing weight.

I am the one who badgers you into eating when you don’t want to eat, who feels uncomfortable in her own skin, who smiles on the outside but is mad as hell on the inside.

I am the one living a small life in a big body, who doesn’t like anything about my body.

I am the one who has used food for comfort and companionship for so long that I don’t know how to do without it.

I am the one who is all wrapped up inside, who is hiding, covering up, closed in, can’t see why people love me when I’m so heavy on the outside, heavy all over.

I am the one who has been heavy for so long, I’ve forgotten what my authentic body feels like.

I am the one who is afraid of losing weight, becoming lighter. What will happen to my relationships if I do?

I am the one who believes this intuitive eating stuff is rubbish. I can’t give up chocolate and cookies and coffee frappes and chips and cheetos and macaroni and cheese. I can’t and I won’t so I won’t let you have your weight loss. What will I do with the emptiness if I don’t eat those things whenever I want them?

It is my voice that urges you to have that candy to help you sleep, to get the popcorn at the movies even though you’re still full from lunch.

It’s my voice telling you you’re lonely when maybe the truth is that you’d rather be alone.

I am the one caging you into this heaviness with steel bars of guilt and unworthiness.

I am the one who wants to stay heavy because that is what I’m used to.

I am the one who fears hunger, who fears that I will be so hungry, too hungry, and that I won’t be able to satisfy that hunger.

I am the one who gains comfort from eating sugar and fat, and would rather do that than sit still with my sadness or fear or anger.

I am the one who wants you to give up this silly notion of weight loss because I’m afraid of letting you live such a big life. Afraid of letting all that joy into our life. Afraid that if we do, it will all be taken away from us. Better to stay heavy, in this small life, than to let ourselves have what we want (the weight loss) and then have to do without it.

What do you have to give me?

I give you protection from disappointment, protection from failure.

How will I remember all that you have shared today?
You will remember when you find yourself eating when food isn’t what you’re hungry for.

You will remember when you see someone who is also struggling with weight loss.

SoulCollage
Weight Loss Help:
She Who Devours

Who are you?

I am the one who shoves food in automatically without paying attention. I am the one with the big jaw, the big mouth, who opens wide, who cannot get enough.

There is not enough food in the world to satisfy me because it’s not my stomach that’s empty… it’s my heart, my soul, my life.

I am the one who hoards food so I won’t ever run out.

I am the one who is afraid of not having enough.

I am the one who sneaks food when no one is looking. When you’re not looking.

I am the one who eats for distraction because I don’t want to/cannot look at what’s happening on the inside.

I am the one who acts from a place of emptiness, of scarcity.

I am the one who never gets enough, who never has enough, who never is enough.

What do you want from me?

I want more. More words, more color, more walks in the woods, more playing with children, more sitting and watching the ocean waves. More spirit. More truth.

I only give myself too much food because I want more of these other things.

What do you have to give me?
I am the dark side of abundance.

I give you the belief that you can have more. More is what you deserve. More words, more color, more time doing what you love, more joy.

How will I remember?

When you think of the words MORE and ENOUGH.

When you find yourself devouring food when you’re not hungry, when you’re already full.

SoulCollage
Weight Loss Help:
The Inner Critic

Who are you?

I am the one who criticizes everything you do, who keeps you awake at night questioning everything you’ve done during the day, who scowls up at you and stops you from doing whatever brings you the most joy.

I am the one who thinks you are fat and ugly, who questions why people should cherish you so much.

I am the one who pops up from the septic sewer of your mind and offers nothing but sludge to slow you down.

I am the one who says no you can’t, no you shouldn’t, why bother, what will everyone think.

I am the one who draws big X’s in the shadowy dirt of your mind.

I am the dream crasher.

You can have what you want, you know. Your dreams are yours for the taking, but not as long as you give me this much power.

What do you have to give me?

Well, sometimes I do have good suggestions. Like when I tell you it’s time to get a haircut, that chapter 6 is too long, or to use this word here instead of that one.

What do you want from me?

I want you to stop giving me so much power. I want you to pay attention and notice when I am out of control.

I want you to decide when I’m being helpful and when I’m hurting you.

How will I remember?

When you have that sinking feeling inside of not being good enough, then you will know that I am out of control.

SoulCollage
Weight Loss Help:
The Slender One

Who are you?
I am the one who is slim, slender, the portrait of you at your natural weight.

I am the one whose clothes fit comfortably, who feels light and healthy and free of heaviness.

I am the one who eats only what she needs.

I am the one who listens to the inner wisdom voices so that I feed my body and take care of my body in healthy ways.

I am the one who listens within before she eats.

I am the one who comforts herself with soul-filling pleasures like scented baths and foot massages and lit candles and good books and walks in nature.

I am the one who is strong in body, mind, and spirit.

I have been in hiding until now because The Heavy One and The Critic have been given too much power. The Heavy One and all her fears, has been “driving the bus” for way too long and you have only just begun to notice this. I am still here, though.

I have patiently been waiting for a reversal of power and I believe that that time is now because you have called me forward, invited me to speak, given me a voice.

I am the one who is truly your best, healthiest, most vibrant self.

I am the one who names and honors all of my hungers, who takes pleasure in eating, in walking and dancing and swimming and working out.

I am the one who loves her body and who finds pleasure in moving her body.

What do you have to give me?
I give you a newer, lighter, freer body.

I give you your deepest wish for weight loss.

I give you a deeper, more truth-filled sense of yourself.

I give you your dream.

What do you want from me?
I want you to slow down, to take your time with everything, including food.

I want you to pause, to listen, to take the time.

I want you to go within and listen to your body.

I want you to ask your body what it truly needs and wants, right now, in this moment.

I want you to trust your body and to give it what it is asking for in any given moment.

How will I remember?
When you see food that you like but you know you aren’t hungry for it in that moment.

When you pause to ask your body what it needs.

SoulCollage
Weight Loss Help:
Self-Nourishment

Who are you?
I am the one who knows how to nourish myself.

I am the one who drinks deeply from the bowl of life and never worries about the bowl being empty.

I am the one who takes care of my body with good food, and cares for my mind and my spirit with rainbows, light, and colors that ache with beauty.

I am the one who easily and loudly says, “I’ve had enough.” “No thank you, I’m full.”

I am the one who is grateful for what she has, who isn’t frantic about having more. There is no desperation in my voice, only peace, wellness, grace and contentment.

I am the one who is comfortable with my true self, comfortable in my own skin, who wants to see her true self healthy and thriving and whole.

I am the one who puts good, beautiful, whole things into my body, my mind, and my spirit.

I am the one who delights in taking care of myself.

What do you have to give me?
I give you the gift of taking care of yourself.

I am the Slender One’s sister. We walk hand in hand. She does not exist without me, and vice versa.

What do you want from me?
I want you to be willing to give your body what it truly needs.

I want you to open your body, your soul, your mind, to all means of nourishment.

I want you to make self-nourishment a daily practice.

How will I remember?
When you walk through the produce section of the supermarket.

When you search through your cookbooks for a recipe to make for dinner.

When you are looking at the menu at a restaurant.

SoulCollage
Weight Loss Help:
She Who Pauses
At The Fridge

Who are you?
I am the one who pauses in front of the refrigerator instead of mindlessly pulling something out and eating it.

I am the one who isn’t upset when the fridge is empty because I know I will always be able to feed myself exactly what I want and need.

I am the one who is content to sip a cool drink and think about what I really want instead of making myself want what is in front of me.

What do you have to give me?
I give you moments of pausing before you feed yourself.

I give you the knowledge that you can always provide yourself what you need, what you want.

I give you the question, “What do I really really want and need, right now?”

What do you want from me?
I want you to slow down.

I want you to take time before you eat, to allow space between the hunger and the satisfying of that hunger.

I want you to know that nothing bad will happen if you wait a few minutes before you eat a meal or a snack.

I want you to pay attention to what your body needs.

How will I remember?
Whenever you stand in front of your fridge, you will remember this suggestion to pause, to wait, to ask, to provide.

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