Leilanie Stewart

Vocabulary is key to weight loss. As a writer I know the value of words, so I also know the impact that using the wrong words can have on not just mentality, but motivation too.

In 2020, before I lost 3 stone/ 18kgs/ 42lbs doing a ketogenic diet combined with intermittent fasting, I had many negative things to say about myself. I often referred to myself as ‘fat’, ‘fatty’ or a ‘slob’. As I began losing weight, I started posting ‘transformation’ photos on my Instagram. At first I used tags like ‘fat to fit’, but mulling this over, I decided to use more generic or body-positive tags instead, so I removed anything with negative connotations.

Why? Because apart from the fact that negative self body image isn’t helpful towards achieving weight loss goals, how many other millions of people may be having their own weight-gain struggles and succumbing to self blame? A recent article about ultra processed foods on Wired indeed talks about how blame lies with governments and medics who promote cheap, heavily processed foods as healthy because, of course, they get paid cash incentives to do so. Is it any wonder why overweight people blame themselves, thinking they have no self-control when in fact society is to blame by feeding them highly addictive junk food?

Believe me, it’s a hard habit to break. I struggle with carb and sugar addiction and have to be conscious and mindful each day about making healthy food choices. I’ve mentioned this in earlier blog posts about doing the keto diet and managing my sugar addiction, but I’ll say it again for reference – here is my golden list of clean eating and fat loss: