Thinking FAT, brain not changing with body shape.

santd

You know, weight lose isn't just about losing weight. I think the reason why I've never been able to keep my weight off, is that I've never paid attention to the way I think about myself. I think, I still think FAT. As I've carried weight nearly all of my life, except for the 4 times I lost weight, I think psychologically we are all programmed in a certain way, that we call habit.

After losing considerable amounts of weight in those 4 times, this time I'm so aware of the above.

....and as usual as soon as I fit unto size10(UK), and look a bit better, my diet goes to through the window, and i never get to the target I set myself. That's usually around 20 pounds left to go. As my body has very rarely been this weight, those last 20 pounds (I believe, mean nothing to my subconscious mind), but its now driving me mad, because I want to get to my target.

After last Christmas I have played around with my weight loss, and gained 7 pounds and taken it off a few times. I know I'm worried about putting it all back on, and I feel as though my weight loss situation is like being on holiday, and I've got to go back home soon to being fat again.

Does anyone else have this mental block, I know this is something I've got to address, to be able to stay on my holiday, and allow this feeling to become normal, and home. I know my mind has not adjusted yet to being slimmer (18 months now), how long will it take. For example, I still look at doors and gauge whether i can fit through it!!!!!

committowalk

The advice I have seen is:
1. Give it time. Especially if you lost weight quickly, your brain/thinking takes time to catch up to your new size, especially if you've been overweight for a long time.
2. Take pictures. Put before & after pictures up places where you will see it often. This helps you "see" the new you.
3. Keep logging and exercising. If you still have weight to go, stay focused. If you hit goal weight, keep logging with the same determination you did while losing.
4. Set new goals. Maybe switch your focus away from the scale and focus more on other aspects of a healthy life. Learn a new sport, set a new fitness goal, build more activity into daily life (not just "workouts"), really focus on a balanced diet, etc.

irishblonde2011

YES!!! I am the same once I can squeeze into a uk 10 and about 20 pounds away from goal I give up. It's crazy it is like stopping just before the finish line in a race. This time around I have been working on the mind side of weight loss as well been reading some good books(think slim is one)
Be interested to see what others have to say...

jmparis65

Dropping from a 3X down to a men's large, I can tell no, you are not alone.

There is a technical name for when your body undergoes some serious physical changes, it takes your mind sometime for it catch up.

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-body-dysmorphic-disorder

The first time I was into this current size, I went shopping for new clothes and in my mind, I'm picking things off the rack and thinking to myself, "is this really going to fit" well it did but I couldn't wrap my mind around.

It will get better, only some time, then you will begin to see yourself as you really are when you look into the mirror

JesterMFP

Kind of curious as to what size you're aiming for if you're in a UK size 10 and wanting to lose another 20 lbs? (Both OP and irishblonde20) I'm a 10 now, and don't think I could actually lose another 20 lbs, not of fat anyway.

I do understand what you're talking about though. This is the first time as an adult that I've been a healthy weight, and I still feel enormous a lot of the time. I can relate to feeling like you're "on holiday". I do have this horrible feeling that all this is only temporary, and weight gain is inevitable. I don't know what the answers are! I'm hoping that with time, my brain will catch up to what my body looks like. I've heard other people say that who reached their goal, and then eventually started feeling as slim as they really were. I also agree that taking photos can help, and comparing them to ones where you were bigger.

And for me, logging/counting is still definitely a must.

santd

I've read the artical on dysmorphic-disorder, and that's not me! It was a good read, but I'm defiantly not that. I'm something, but probably more confused with my self image, as I'm so used to my image being fat. I think if the brain has been conditioned with thinking fat for so long, it takes time to re-program it.

Then comes the hard bit, keeping slim.............it never ends