How Trauma Affects Weight Loss

Today we're talking about trauma. If you want to lose weight easier, you need to understand how trauma affects the body. In this video, I'm going to share 5 reasons why the scale might not be moving and how I've learned to lose weight without all the drama. After watching, I guarantee you'll think differently about trauma and your body. If you're new here, I'm Fun Coach Tameka. I help people like me who've experienced childhood trauma learn how to heal in fun ways because, hey, I study trauma every day. You've been on a strict diet and exercise plan, but The scale just won't budge. It might not be your diet or exercise that's the problem. It could be unresolved trauma keeping you stuck. Third John one and two says, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth." God wants us to prosper in everything we do, especially in our health and soul, and is not surprising that those two were in the same sentence. Trauma triggers chronic stress responses, which leads to elevated cortisol levels. And fat storage, especially around the midriff. Catch my drift? So let's jump into tip number 1, stress management. Okay, so boom, struggling with the battle of the bulge? Listen up. Back in the day, I could drop weight just like that simply by hitting the trail for 2 weeks and running. Now that your girl is a woman of a certain age, running ain't cutting it anymore. I cried after running for 2 weeks and the scale was not moving until I realized Running was adding more stress to my already stressed out body. So I cut the running and started walking instead, and the weight started falling off. So assess your stress levels. If your workouts are stressing you out more than helping, it's time to pivot. Try meditation, deep breathing, or other relaxing habits that support your body instead of fighting it. Gentle and sustainable habits make a huge difference, especially if you have experience with past traumas. Tip number 2, slow down. You know stress impacts your health, but did you know it actually changes the way your body stores fat? So slowing down can transform not just your mindset, but your results. A lot of people think I'm super busy because they don't hear from me often, but the truth is I've become very intentional about where I direct my energy. I realized that when I was dieting— more like struggling— by myself, I was having a hard time losing the weight. Then I began doing things like incorporating time weekly to see people that are supportive, and the scale started finally moving. And I've lost more weight by spending time with supportive people than I ever could dieting alone, because when your body feels safe, you lose weight faster. So things like journaling, nature walks, and connecting with supportive people are my go-to ways to slow down. And if you don't have a safe community, stick around. I got something special for you at the end of this video. Tip number 3, think Think big, act small. You've tried everything to stay motivated, but your energy and willpower just keep disappearing. It's time to explore how trauma impacts your brain's ability to stay consistent. Trauma messes with the prefrontal cortex, the decision-making, and overactivates the amygdala, the stress response. Okay, so me being an overachiever and everything, I used to set these massive goals like, oh, I'm gonna walk 8 miles every single day. But then depression hit and I could barely get in 1,000 Steps in a day, so I switched to smaller, more manageable goals. My first manageable goal now don't y'all laugh at me now, okay? I'm this supposed to be a safe space. My first manageable goals was just adding twenty extra steps in my day, and I immediately crushed it. Just getting out of the bed. Then I moved up to like maybe let me do five minutes of dancing, and before I knew it, I was getting ten thousand steps in before eight a.m. How you doing? So start small, crush tiny goals that feel achievable. Then you'll build up momentum and without even realizing it. Remember, think big, act small. Tip number 4, stay in the mirror. Now don't cut this video off just yet, okay? It ain't that kind of party. Hang tight. You see others dropping weight easily, but your body does not respond to the same thing that they doing. So stop comparing yourself to them and start focusing on yourself. Staying in the mirror means focusing on Your wins, your progress, and your needs. My motto is my mood leads to my food, and you don't want to compare yourself. So pay attention to your body every day and celebrate the small wins. If you danced for five minutes or journaled your feelings instead of eating them, celebrate. Just don't celebrate with food. We are breaking the vicious cycle of turning to food as a means of comfort. Find supportive people. Food is not a support. System. People are, cuz ain't nobody got time for that. Tip number 5, soft talk. You've learned about self-discipline and willpower, but why does it feel impossible to stick to your goals during stressful times? It's time to reframe your self-talk and approach healing from a place of kindness. So here's how it works for me. Because I am a wellness coach, I've created a framework because I like people to be able to learn stuff easily. My self-talk used to be, girl, you better get it together. Why you can't look like Halle Berry? Like, I was comparing myself and being brutal. 'Cause Halle Berry probably got all kinds of people, places, and things to help her stay on track. However, I digress. But then I've created the soft talk method. So the first T is start with the truth. I don't like my weight. Then A, ask questions. Why don't I like it? Well, for me, I was missing out wearing my cute clothes. 'Cause look, your girl is a bit of a fashionista. L, listen. Listen to your body. My body told me that it was tired of me constantly putting it through the yo-yo diet and stress. And then the K is practicing kindness. So what did my body need? My body needed some TLC. So things like stop rushing through showers, dancing, embracing walking, not putting more stress on my body. That was a way for me to practice kindness. Then the weight just started falling off. And notice I said nothing about a diet, okay? Because that is not how it worked for me. I believe the weight fell off not because I punished my body, but because I practiced kindness. I was caring for my body. So reframe your self-talk. Start with the truth. Ask questions. Listen to what your body needs and practice kindness. Healing is not about deprivation. It's about care. So don't ditch the donuts. Yeah. Just don't turn to the donuts for comfort. That's what you need a supportive community for. Earlier, I promised you a way to connect with a supportive community if you didn't have one. If you're looking for a safe space to heal, click the link in the description to join my waitlist for my upcoming healing community. Also, I have a free downloadable workbook for you to heal your inner child. If this video added value to your life, be sure to like, share, and Subscribe. See you next video.