I won't deny that this approach can work - but at what cost? The truth for many of us is that there are specific reasons WHY we became overweight in the first place. And most often it's not because we're lazy or out of control; it's because we are unhappy, scared, or stressed and we learned how to use food to muffle those uncomfortable feelings.

Strict diets may appear to work for awhile, but they don't address the underlying causes for our weight gain in the first place, which means we will keep bouncing back and forth, losing weight, gaining weight, losing, gaining...potentially for the rest of our lives.

Rather than tackling the physical habits first, it makes sense to resolve the underlying causes of our weight gain first, which naturally shifts our physical habits too. Excessive cravings begin to fade away and we start taking better care of our bodies - rather than trying to beat them into submission with rigid rules and restrictions.

But how do we start this process of inner healing? How do we figure out why we gained weight in the first place, and what we need to do to let go of the excess pounds?

1) Tuning in

Most of us have become so disconnected from our bodies that we can no longer clearly hear the messages they are constantly communicating to us. One good way to remedy this is to begin "tuning in" to our bodies daily. This is as simple as sitting quietly and turning our attention inward.

2) Asking questions

The next step is to start asking questions to determine where we are out of balance and what needs to be done to bring us back into balance. Questions like these are good to start: Why do I overeat? Why do I crave sugar so much? How can I balance my eating habits? Which foods agree with my body, and which foods disagree? How can I boost my metabolism safely?

3) Listening to the answers

When we ask questions like this, our bodies will answer! The answers may come in subtle ways, like a feeling, a spontaneous thought, a fleeting insight - or we may be guided to a helpful course, book, vitamins or supplements, or other tools.

Whatever wisdom comes, it's important to honor it and listen to it. That's not always easy to do because it often requires facing fears or dealing with uncomfortable emotions.

For example, if your body communicates that you crave sugar to smother feelings of anger from a childhood abuse incident, you must then make a decision - do you ignore the insight and continue eating excessive amounts of sugar, or do you gather your courage and process the uncomfortable feelings so you can finally be free of them?

(For serious emotional issues, you may want to consult a qualified therapist to help you work through them.)

Beyond the deeper issues behind overeating, you can also consult your body's wisdom on day to day decisions. Mentally tune in several times a day and ask your body what it needs right now. Ask about the types of foods it would prefer to eat for vitality and strength, and even how much rest it requires. When you consult your body's inner wisdom, it will guide you to the solutions you need!

There are many benefits to doing this, the biggest being that your body will tell you what it needs to be strong, healthy and happy. And when your body is healthy, strong and happy - so are you! :-)