The one thing that so many people, including myself, struggle with is weight loss and weight management. Many people have been struggling with their weight in 2020 because of the pandemic that was sprung upon everyone. There were a few bold individuals that took the time during lockdown to trim down purposely. Seriously, good for them. And as someone who struggles with depression, I can tell you that weight has always been a significant issue. I also have PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome, which is also a cause for constantly battling the bulge.

However, those who have depression are at a greater risk for struggling with obesity (and some go the opposite way and struggle to put on weight), according to experts. And according to WebMD, it is not really known whether or not depression causes obesity or if obesity causes depression. It really is one of those chicken and egg situations. In my personal experience, I can tell you that depression resulted from being overweight. However, if I was overweight and accepted by others and did not have to endure harsh criticisms, would I have been depressed? It is tough to say. According to Harvard Health Publishing, chemical imbalances are to blame for depression.

Then, this makes you think about this more. If you experienced trauma or being ostracized from being overweight (or for any reason) at a young age, mess up the chemicals in your brain? That is likely the case since your brain’s structure, and chemistry does change from experiences. According to NCBI, trauma does change your brain, and it does not matter how significant the trauma. Any trauma, even from being judged, bullied, and criticized, will change your brain, so it makes sense that alone can bring on depression. Therefore, if someone struggled with weight from a young age who was accepted by peers and family, they would not have a significant chance of ending up with depression (from that issue anyway). The expectations of society that influence how others treat you if you are overweight are to blame for the onset of depression.

The more depressed you are, the more overweight you become if your coping mechanism is through comfort eating as I can relate to that one well. It kills your self-esteem. However, eventually, you will get to a point where you will say enough is enough, start eating healthily, become more active, and find other healthy ways to cope with stressful events. That is when you will lose weight. And if you are prone to weight gain and comfort eating, you may be the type to rinse and repeat and yo-yo as I do.

I lost a lot of weight in 2018 and 2019 after a significant burden was lifted from me. However, I slipped back in 2020, and it is time for me to get serious again with it as it is no joke. Weight loss is not even for cosmetic reasons, for me, anyway. Well, maybe a little. I hate giving in to society’s expectations, that’s all. But I don’t want to end up diabetic like my father or have heart disease since there is a family history. And what does all of this have to do with the tarot? Well, I am talking about weight loss and the tarot cards today because seven tarot cards can represent weight loss. Let’s go over those right now.

Magician

The Magician

The Magician is the card that represents manifestation, innovation, and creation. It is easy to see how this card can represent weight loss. You are the one that decides to go on a healthy eating plan, and you create one. You may get help from a nutritionist, dietician, or Weight Watchers. However, that part is irrelevant. You are the one who is doing the work to eat healthily, restrict your caloric intake, and to become more active. And as you do that, you will end up losing weight. It is as simple as that.

Devil Reversed

As you know, the Devil tarot card is about addictions and a love for the material. You can easily imagine someone pigging out at a buffet (will they exist after the pandemic, that is difficult to say) when you think of this tarot card. However, when it goes into reverse, then you are breaking free from that. You are breaking free from bad habits and addictions. Therefore, you will end up going towards a healthier lifestyle.

That is the hardest thing to do because those addictions are difficult to break as they make you believe that they are the lifeline for you. However, once you muster up the courage to find that those addictions or bad habits are hurting you more than they help, then you can break free from the Devil. You can also develop healthy habits and coping mechanisms, which can most definitely lead to weight loss.

Seven Of Pentacles

Seven of Pentacles

The Seven of Pentacles is the tarot card representing investing in something and waiting for it to grow. It is frustrating to think of this card since you work so hard at something, and the results don’t come quickly enough. However, you know the saying that Rome was not built in a day. That is what this tarot card is about. And that goes for weight loss as well. The work and effort you put in today and keep putting in overtime will significantly lose weight.

The Pentacles suit represents anything physical or material. That goes for your body, health, and money, or possessions. You have a weight loss goal noted, and you know you have to attain that goal. It will take plenty of time and effort to get it, and you will as long as you physically and mentally support it.

Strength

Strength

The Strength tarot card is quite obvious as far as how it can represent weight loss. That is because it takes strength that you have within to stay disciplined to lose weight. You see some cookies at the supermarket as you go grocery shopping, and you also see a chocolate cake. It takes so much strength and willpower to not give into buying it. You should be at the supermarket’s produce area anyway, and it takes strength to stay there and not stray from it towards the junk food area.

If you are invited to a party or a get-together, and there is a bowl of chips or junk food, it also takes strength to either stick to a tiny serving of it or not eat any of it.

Two Of Pentacles

Two of Pentacles

The Two of Pentacles is all about balancing and prioritizing. You constantly have to balance the healthy foods you eat from each of the food groups. You must make sure you consume the correct amount of protein and healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and other complex carbs. Working on a weight loss plan really is a balancing act.

The idea of weight loss is to create a calorie deficit but not unhealthy or defeats the purpose. In other words, you must stick to the recommended calories based on your activity level to keep your metabolism functioning properly. If you decide to increase your activity on a particular day, you will want to increase your caloric intake.

Chariot

The Chariot

When the going gets tough, the tough get going, and nothing stops you when that happens. The Chariot is striving towards something no matter how emotionally difficult it is, which describes weight loss. When you are experiencing and unexpected hardship during your weight loss journey, you will be tempted to throw in the towel at times. You will want to give in to your temptation and eat a bag of chips or a box of cookies in response to heavy emotions.

However, the Chariot shows that no matter how strong your temptation happens, you know that you cannot do that if you want to achieve your goals. As difficult as it would stay away from your temptations, you will find it within to do that, so you don’t lose your battle with the bulge.

Star

The Star

The Star is the card of hope, faith, and inspiration. It would be best if you had plenty of that when you embark on a weight loss journey. That is what will keep you moving and going, and the one way to keep the faith is by participating in weight loss forums and reading about success stories. Read about weight loss success stories from people who had more challenges than you do as you will see that nothing stopped them from losing weight.

Battling weight is something that some people are fortunate enough not to know about, but it is a never-ending battle for those such as myself. If anyone knows about the constant struggles, it is me!