Obesity is much more than just an accumulation of body fat. Studying obesity from biodecoding can help identify its connection to emotional blockages, unresolved traumas, or unconscious patterns that manifest in the body as a form of protection.
What is Biodecoding?
Biodecoding is a therapeutic tool aimed at identifying the emotional conflict behind an illness or physical symptom. According to this discipline, the body does not “make mistakes,” but uses symptoms as a symbolic language to express repressed emotions or traumatic experiences.
When it comes to obesity, biodecoding suggests that weight gain may be related to a need for protection, fear of scarcity, or the need to “retain” something in life, whether it’s security, love, or stability.
Possible Emotional Causes of Obesity According to Biodecoding
Every person is unique, but there are recurring patterns that may be related to excess weight:
- Emotional Protection:
- The body generates a layer of fat as a “shield” to protect itself from emotional wounds, criticism, or painful experiences.
- This may be linked to episodes of bullying, emotional or physical abuse, or a childhood marked by insecurity.
- Fear of Lack:
- Obesity may arise from an unconscious fear of scarcity, whether it’s of food, love, or financial security.
- This fear could stem from experiences of deprivation during childhood or a family environment marked by uncertainty.
- Retention of Unexpressed Emotions:
- Fat may symbolize unexpressed emotions, such as sadness, anger, or frustration.
- Instead of processing and releasing these emotions, the body “stores” them as extra weight.
- Need to Be Seen or Accepted:
- In some cases, obesity may reflect an unconscious need to occupy a larger space to be noticed, validated, or accepted.
¿How to Approach Obesity from Biodecoding?
Biodecoding does not replace traditional medical treatments but can complement them by addressing the emotional root of the problem. Here are some steps to explore this connection:
Biodecoding complements a balanced diet, physical exercise, and support from health professionals.
Identify the Emotional Conflict:
Work with a therapist specialized in biodecoding to uncover the possible traumatic event or emotional pattern related to weight gain.
Recognize and Release Emotions:
It’s crucial to make space for repressed emotions. This can be achieved through techniques like meditation, therapeutic writing, or emotional therapy.
Change Thought Patterns:
Often, obesity is linked to limiting beliefs about the body, food, or self-esteem. Reprogramming these patterns can make a significant difference.
Adopt a Holistic Approach:
Case Studies
The Case of Alfredo
Context
Alfredo, a 35-year-old man, had been struggling with his weight for years. Although he had tried multiple diets and exercise routines, he always ended up regaining the weight he lost. This cycle of frustration made him feel demotivated and guilty, thinking that his problem was simply a lack of discipline. However, after a conversation with a friend, Alfredo decided to explore biodecoding to understand if there was something deeper behind his obesity.
Origin
During his first session with a biodecoding therapist, Alfredo recalled a key episode from his childhood. At the age of 10, his parents faced severe financial problems, and the family often ran out of enough food. During those years, Alfredo frequently heard his mother say, “We have to save every crumb, we don’t know if there will be food tomorrow.”
Additionally, Alfredo realized that he developed an emotional relationship with food during that stage. Every time there was abundance on the table, he overeated, fearing there wouldn’t be another opportunity. That fear was deeply engraved in his subconscious, leading him to accumulate “reserves” in his body as a protective mechanism against scarcity.
Emotional Awareness
As Alfredo began to reflect, he understood that his weight problem was not an issue of laziness or lack of willpower. It was his body trying to protect him from an unconscious fear he had carried for years. The therapist explained that his obesity was a “biological solution” to an unresolved emotional conflict: the fear of lack. Alfredo realized that his mind was still living in that state of childhood alert, even though his current financial situation was stable.
This realization was a revelatory moment. For the first time, Alfredo stopped judging himself and began to see his body as an ally, not as an enemy.
Healing and Overcoming
Alfredo’s healing process focused on reprogramming his mind and releasing repressed emotions. Together with the therapist, he worked on:
- Releasing the Trauma: Alfredo used breathing exercises and therapeutic writing to express the fears from his childhood. He wrote a symbolic letter to his 10-year-old self, reassuring him that he was now safe and didn’t need to keep accumulating weight as protection.
- Changing Limiting Beliefs: Alfredo practiced positive affirmations, such as “I will always have what I need” and “My body is strong and reliable without needing to accumulate weight.”
- Adopting Conscious Habits: Instead of eating out of anxiety or fear, Alfredo learned to ask himself, “Am I really hungry, or am I seeking emotional comfort?” He also incorporated meditation as a way to connect with his emotions instead of suppressing them.
Over time, Alfredo noticed that his relationship with food changed. He stopped overeating out of fear and started enjoying his meals with mindfulness. His weight gradually began to decrease, but most importantly, he regained confidence in himself and stopped carrying the emotional weight of the past.
Alfredo’s story reminds us that the body always seeks to protect us, even when we don’t understand it. Through biodecoding, Alfredo transformed his obesity from a physical obstacle into an opportunity for emotional growth, healing deep wounds that had accompanied him for years.
The Case of Rosalva
Context
Rosalva, a 42-year-old woman, had noticed that her weight began to increase significantly after a difficult divorce. Before this stage, she had never had issues with her weight. However, in the past five years, she had gained more than 20 kilos, which caused feelings of guilt and shame. Despite her efforts to follow diets and exercise plans, the results were minimal. Eventually, she decided to seek answers beyond the physical and turned to biodescoding.
Origin
In her first session, Rosalva explored her emotional history with the help of a therapist. Soon, a key event emerged: her divorce. For years, Rosalva had felt that her relationship was a refuge, even though it was toxic, because it gave her security. When her marriage ended, she felt exposed and vulnerable, fearing judgment from society, her family, and herself.
The therapist explained that her body, in its attempt to protect her, had created a “shell” of fat. That extra layer was not only physical but also symbolic, representing a barrier against emotional pain and the fear of being hurt again.
Rosalva also remembered comments from her mother during her childhood, such as: “If you gain weight, men won’t hurt you.” Although she had never paid attention to those words, Rosalva’s unconscious mind had associated weight gain with a way of avoiding harmful relationships in the future.
Emotional Awareness
The moment of clarity came when Rosalva understood that her overweight was not a personal failure, but a deeply rooted emotional response. Her body was not acting against her but was trying to protect her from the fear of rejection and the pain of a failed relationship.
This awareness transformed her perspective. Rosalva stopped blaming herself and began to see her obesity as a signal from her body to heal unresolved emotions, rather than as an enemy to be fought.
Healing and Overcoming
With this new perspective, Rosalva began an integral healing process: • Healing emotional wounds from the past: Rosalva worked on releasing resentment towards her ex-partner and herself, using forgiveness and acceptance exercises. She wrote her feelings in a journal, gradually releasing repressed emotions.
• Reconnecting with her femininity: Rosalva realized she had rejected her femininity, seeing it as a source of suffering. She began reconnecting with her body through love, practicing activities that made her feel good about herself, such as yoga and dance.
• Reconfiguring her relationship with food: She stopped using food as a tool to “fill emotional voids.” Instead, Rosalva began to eat mindfully, recognizing the real hunger signals and exploring other ways to manage stress, such as meditation.
• Building new beliefs: Rosalva adopted new positive affirmations, such as: “I am worthy of love and respect as I am” and “My body reflects my self-love and emotional strength.”
Over time, Rosalva not only began to lose weight but also regained her self-esteem. Her body no longer needed that protective layer because Rosalva felt secure within herself, regardless of what happened around her.
Rosalva’s story shows us how the body can be a mirror of our deepest emotions. Through biodescoding, Rosalva found a way to transform her obesity into an opportunity to heal her fears and rebuild her life from a place of love and acceptance.
The Case of Miguel Ángel
Context
Miguel Ángel, a 50-year-old man, had struggled with overweight since his youth. Although he had managed to maintain a more balanced weight in his 30s and 40s thanks to exercise routines, in recent years, his weight had increased considerably. Miguel Ángel described himself as a hardworking person, deeply committed to his family, but with little time for himself.
After several failed attempts to lose weight with strict diets and gym sessions, he began to feel frustrated. A friend suggested trying biodescoding, something Miguel Ángel accepted with skepticism but also curiosity.
Origin
During his biodescoding sessions, Miguel Ángel explored the emotions and events in his life that could be related to his weight. He remembered his childhood as the oldest of four siblings in a family with limited financial resources. His father, a strict man, constantly told him: “You are the oldest, you have to carry all the problems of this family.”
Miguel Ángel had internalized this message from a very young age. His unconscious mind interpreted his role as a responsibility he had to “bear on his shoulders.” The therapist helped him understand that his body had reacted to this mandate by creating an extra layer of fat, as a way to symbolically bear that emotional load and protect himself from a possible failure in his role as caregiver.
Emotional Awareness
The transformative moment came when Miguel Ángel recognized that his body was not betraying him, but was reflecting his effort to meet impossible emotional expectations. Overweight was not just a physical issue but a representation of his need to protect himself from external and internal demands.
Understanding this allowed him to release the guilt and, for the first time, connect with the emotions of insecurity and fear of rejection that he had repressed for decades. Miguel Ángel realized that his obesity was his way of “being ready for anything,” even when it was no longer necessary to carry those responsibilities.
Healing and Overcoming
With this new perspective, Miguel Ángel began a healing process that encompassed both his body and mind: • Releasing old roles: Miguel Ángel worked on letting go of the idea that he had to be the “support” for everyone. He practiced internal and external dialogues where he allowed himself to say, “I can’t do it all, and that’s okay,” and learned to delegate responsibilities.
• Reconnecting with pleasure and self-care: Miguel Ángel understood that he had postponed his personal well-being to prioritize others. He began to dedicate time to activities that brought him joy, such as walking outdoors and learning to cook healthy meals that he enjoyed.
• Healing his relationship with the past: Through therapeutic exercises, he forgave his father for the expectations placed on him and allowed himself to stop carrying his family’s problems. Miguel Ángel created a symbolic ritual where he wrote everything he felt he had to carry and then burned it, visualizing how he freed himself from these burdens.
• Reconfiguring his beliefs: He worked on replacing childhood phrases with positive affirmations such as: “I deserve to take care of myself” and “My worth doesn’t depend on what I can carry.”
Over time, Miguel Ángel began to notice physical changes, but the most important transformation was emotional. He learned to set boundaries, enjoy life without feeling guilty, and reconnect with his body from a place of love, not self-demand.
Miguel Ángel’s story teaches us how our beliefs and emotional roles can influence our physical health. Through biodescoding, he was able to transform his obesity into an opportunity to heal deep emotional wounds and live a lighter life, both physically and emotionally..
Final Reflection
Obesity, from the perspective of biodescodification, is not just a physical or nutritional issue. It is an invitation to look inward, to understand what message the body is sending us, and to heal the emotional wounds that may be weighing more than the physical pounds.
If you feel that the biodescodification approach resonates with you, remember that the first step towards healing is self-love and the willingness to explore the deeper emotions that define us.
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