A large part of changing your life is recognizing the issues and understanding them. More so than brute forcing change simply because you know it’s right (for example, eating healthy, getting exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight). Once you see an issue clearly, you can’t help but naturally resolve it. Why intentionally make a mistake that is clearly laid out before you? This is why small iterative changes through recognition may be an optimal strategy for achieving your goals. You don’t need to go on a diet to lose weight, you need to understand why diet and exercise are important. You need to recognize when you’re being weak and become aware of your cravings. You need to recognize that your body has to process and recover from rich sugary foods just like it does from a night of drinking. Once these things become apparent, you will naturally adjust your lifestyle, even subconsciously or inadvertently, and lose weight as a result. The first 15 pounds of your 20 pound goal might be “free” simply because of your expanded awareness of the connected issues to “losing weight”.
Note: “Once you see an issue clearly, you can’t help but naturally resolve it” does not mean, “I’m overweight, I need to shed some pounds” or “eating unhealthy and not exercising enough has led to me gaining weight recently”. These are not clear understandings. These are shallow statements made by someone who does not understand the depth and complexity of the world. An example of seeing the issue clearly might be: understanding how foods are processed by your body and seeing the differences between organs treated with a healthy diet and exercise versus organs treated poorly. It may involve exploring a body simulator in VR that leaves a lasting impression on how amazing these complex systems are. It may involve research into vitamins and supplements, experimenting with different exercise routines, stretching, and yoga. It may involve meditation, countless books and lectures from experts in the field. It may involve personal observations of the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle and anecdotes from friends. All this, among many other related insights, eventually connect to form a neural map that enlightens you about this particular issue in your life. You suddenly see yourself accurately in the territory and realize what’s at stake. The conflicts and challenges you faced suddenly seem trivial and the answer obvious. It is at this moment that 15 pounds freely shed themselves because you are naturally and unambiguously inclined to simply correct your lifestyle. This is what I mean by seeing the issues clearly.