Yes, the title of this blog is correct and NO mistake has been made.  You really CAN farm for weight loss!!  So firstly let’s explore what farming is so that I can explain how it can work for anyone wishing to feel better and lose weight.  According to https://www.thefreedictionary.com/farming, a simple definition of farming (land) is:

To cultivate or produce a crop on (land)

In order to produce a crop on land, you will need fertile soil, water and sunshine.  This will mean that, to produce the highest quality crop, the farmer will have to:

• Till the land
• Sow the seeds, making sure there is enough space for each plant to grow and spread without being suffocated by the plant next to it
• Feed it with all the nutrients the crops being grown need
• Make sure that the crops are sufficiently watered.
• Remove weeds as they appear
• Hire the right people if his farm is too big for him to handle alone

These are the things the farmer can control and if he takes care of them, the chances of the crops flourishing are high.

There are however things the farmer can’t control such as the weather conditions.  If it’s a cold summer, or the frost is late, or there isn’t much rain or sunshine, then the crops are likely to suffer no matter what the farmer does.

It is therefore very important to understand the aspects that can’t be controlled and those that can.  In some cases, the lack of sunshine can be dealt with by growing crops in a greenhouse environment where artificial lights can replace sunlight and of course, irrigation can take away the problem of a lack of rain.

However, if the farmer wants a good crop, he would not:

• Take out his frustrations about bad weather on his crops by not watering them
• Kick his crops if they were not flourishing as and when he wanted them to
• Pull out his crops if he was angry at a situation
• Stop feeding his crops because he was upset
• Feed his crops with things known to stop them from growing
• Feed his crops with things known to be bad for them

So, how does this relate to weight loss?  Simple really, if we can begin to see ourselves as the farmer that wants to produce a bountiful crop.  If that were the case, then, for us to achieve this, we would need to:

• Till the land
  • Look after our environment and change it if it is not a healthy one. If you dread going to work or coming home, this is a very clear indication that your environment needs your attention.
• Sow the seeds, making sure there is enough space for each plant to grow and spread without being suffocated by the plant next to it.
  • Take action each day by sowing the seeds of good habits. A regular five-minute walk, a commitment to eat our 5 a day fruit and veg and to regularly feed our mind with positive, inspirational thoughts.  Giving ourselves space to make mistakes but not giving up.
• Feed it with all the nutrients the crops being grown need
  • Continually surround ourselves with positivity, letting go of blame, forgiving ourselves and others.
• Make sure that the crops are sufficiently watered.
  • Making sure we find the time to relax, not feeling guilty for saying no, taking care of our needs and generously loving ourselves.
• Remove weeds as they appear
  • Regularly tend to things and people in our environment that are negative, hurt us or are a hindrance.
• Hire the right people if his farm is too big for him to handle alone
  • We should try and build a support network around us for when we are need of help and guidance. This can be in the form of family, friends, colleagues, positive role models online or self-help books.

Just like the farmer, we would also need to consider the things we cannot control such as:

• If we fall ill
• If those around us fall ill
• The loss of someone close to us
• The loss of a job
• Unexpected home emergency

When these things happen, just like the farmer, we will need to exercise some form of acceptance of what is and ease the problems as much as is in our control.  Know that sometimes, the crops may suffer but that you can always plant more seeds once the situation improves.  It’s also about letting go of controlling things that we cannot conrol so that for example, if we are ill, we allow ourselves to heal and recover before we begin our journey again, without a shred of bad feelings towards us.

And remember, the farmer would not:

• Take out his frustrations about bad weather on his crops by not watering them
  • Take out our frustrations about a bad event in our lives on us by mistreating ourselves. Instead of abusing and hating ourselves, we should look at the root cause of the bad event and process it from that angle.
• Kick his crops if they were not flourishing as and when he wanted them to
  • Be harsh on ourselves or hating ourselves when or if we fail. We should learn to forgive ourselves and learn from any mistakes we make.
• Pull out his crops if he was angry at a situation
  • Be unkind to ourselves because of a situation out of our control. If something bad happens to us, we should make it our business to be even kinder to ourselves than before.
• Stop feeding his crops because he was upset
  • Mistreat our body when we are unhappy by binge or comfort eating. Instead, we should allow ourselves to heal without self-judgement by approaching our life from a point of extreme self-care and self-love.
• Feed his crops with things known to stop them from growing
  • We need to be very mindful of what we put inside us and this is not just about food. We also need to consider what we feed our mind with (what we watch, what we allow, what we do etc.)
• Feed his crops with things known to be bad for them
  • We should remove ourselves from negative people and events as much as we possibly can. If we tolerate these people or situations long-term, our mental and physical health will suffer.

So, why don’t you start looking at your life in this way?  In every moment, if you are stuck and don’t know what to do, think like the farmer that wants to produce the perfect crop, what would he/she do?  I do this often and it really helps to make the decisions for me.

As with everything in life, balance is obviously the key.  Sometimes we haven’t the strength to do what we know is the best thing and we are left feeling guilty or bad about ourselves.  Learn not to fall into this trap and imagine that even though the farmer was ill and couldn’t tend to the crops that day, that he/she will be up again tomorrow to begin where he/she left off.  That way, the guilt and pressure do not build up and you also do not fall into the trap of giving up by thinking, ‘well, I didn’t keep up my commitment, so what’s the point of carrying on, I might as well just give up’.

If you keep ‘farming’ long enough, you will produce your bountiful crop!!  Get on those tractors people!!

Written by Sherry Taylor, Author of The Anti-Diet Lifestyle.