Unconscious Programming and the Societal Struggle with Obesity

Brandon Epstein shares how people's subconscious beliefs are holding them back from achieving their goals

We live in a society that’s been set up to fail, but not on purpose. Take the obesity problem in the United States. Presently, about 70% of Americans are obese, but no one chooses to be that way. If you asked anyone who is struggling with obesity, none of them would say they want to be overweight.

But here’s the thing, they’re not making those choices consciously. They’re being driven by their subconscious mind, which pushes them toward habits and behaviors that lead to weight gain. They believe, on a subconscious level, that it’s easier or better to keep doing what they’ve always done instead of making changes.

On the surface, this might seem irrational. Why wouldn’t someone want to make healthier choices? Brandon Epstein addresses this very thing on Power Athlete Radio. His experience building a fitness business and working with people every day tells me different. People want to lose weight, be stronger and healthy.

But the problem goes deeper than just eating less and working out more. It’s not always about following a calorie deficit and getting to the gym. A lot of people are dealing with subconscious beliefs that are holding them back.

Brandon gives the example of mothers who struggle with prioritizing their health. Subconsciously, they believe that if they spend time exercising and focusing on their nutrition, they’re taking time away from their family. To them, being a good mom means sacrificing everything for their kids. So, they push their own health aside, even though they know they need to make a change. The fear of being seen as a “bad mom” creates an internal resistance to change, and that resistance keeps them stuck in the same unhealthy patterns.

People are stuck in a subconscious belief system without even realizing it. To break free, you’ve got to go deeper than just surface and go past the simple advice like “eat better” or “work out more.” One needs to dig into what’s really driving behavior. Modern life is fast-paced, and most of us are on autopilot. To make meaningful changes, you need to reflect on what’s really going on inside.

Close your eyes, think about what you want, and feel the resistance you’ve been avoiding. That resistance, that discomfort is the key to understanding what’s holding one back. Once it is recognized, a person can start working on it to make real, lasting changes.