Well Hiya!

bethanyweathers

Hey there. I've been using the app for a while but this is the first time I have been on the website. I'm afraid to weigh myself, but I have a vague idea of how much I weigh. I'm more concerned with clothing sizes than weight. Currently, I am wearing a women's 18, but I would like to get down to a women's 10 or twelve. I am studying abroad next January and I'd love to be down to that size by then.

I'm a college student at the university of Missouri who for most of my life used food to cope with things in my life. I'm at that age now where I have to actually take care of myself, and I'm tired of never having dates or being able to feel pretty. I'm doing this for me, and no one else. If anyone has any tips, please let me know I'd love encouragement!

JulieF11

Hi Bethany,

I want to share with you what I have shared with others just starting out.... Doesn't matter what you did before, it's a new day! You are ready to do it the right way, but in order to do that you have to learn to be easy on yourself. It's key. Calories consumed is obviously super important, so you want to dig and find out why and if you are really hungry. I have learned to be okay with feeling my emotions, and that has been a huge help.

I am really hard on myself, too hard. I had a ritual of standing, just staring in the cabinet and then feeding myself comforting choices, my fall backs, when I didn't want to "feel" anything. I had heard people say that I must be emotional eating, but I disagreed. "I just want that comfort food cause it tastes so darn good" I thought to myself. I couldn't pinpoint what I was thinking about since I got hyper-focused on finding the right thing to eat, and then eating it... then I was so guilty feeling after eating, that I couldn't focus finding the problem or issue either. Lately, I've been praying that I recognize my "hyper-focus" and relax, try to figure out what the underlining thing I'm thinking about is...

At first, I had to make something up that "might" be bothering me, now, after practice, I know right away. I can "feel" these uncomfortable feelings without turning to food for comfort. It's not as bad as I thought, actually facing my cruel thoughts. I'm way to hard on myself. What other people say doesn't hurt me so much anymore... and feeling discouraged about my choices from time to time is okay, I'm still me, I'm still trying and I'm proud of my progress. I no longer "binge" because I'm no longer packing away my frustrations. That's why I used to only be able to diet for short time periods... Eventually, my emotions got the best of me... I couldn't hold all that baggage without exploding. Now, I recognize myself as being okay. The choices I make are pretty good for the most part, and sure I'm make mistakes, but I am okay with being me. I am a giving, loving person who does the best I can.

I hope this helps. I wish you success... and success will come when you are willing to face and "feel" your own harsh, critical thoughts that you may be hiding and packing away while hyper-focusing on "giving" to others (I am the ultimate volunteer), or "standing in front of the cabinet staring" or eating high carb and/or fat foods that give comfort. We naturally turn from pain, including painful thoughts. Allow yourself to "feel" uncomfortable feelings and you'll learn they aren't as bad as you may have thought.

You ARE in the right place now. You can do this. We are all here to help each other.