Why do I keep panicking when losing weight?

I'm not sure if I understand. You..."panic" when you lose weight? Why? Knowing that you're getting a step closer to your goal/to being healthier makes you panic?

I have felt like this for a long time. I think (in my case) it is because I am used to a certain perception of myself, and when I start to change in my own eyes, and in other people's, I feel like I don't know who I am anymore. So much of my 'personality' is hung up in my weight, if I haven't got my weight to worry about, or feel bad about, or challenge me ,constantly, then who am I suddenly free to be ??? Scary thought - you would think you're be so happy, but it makes me feel quite insecure, as though I don't know who I am anymore. Having a 'weight issue' is such an intrinsic part of me now - unfortunately.

There is also the battle of feeling like you're worth it. So you've lost weight, you've achieved, you have got to the main goal in your life, but then the little voices start asking, do you deserve this? Maybe you're not this person... I feel like I am in an abusive relationship, in which I am constantly choosing to stay in. Which I am not proud of, If a real person made me feel like I made myself feel, I would stay away from them. So I don't know why I let myself believe all the horrible things I tell myself.

I am considering getting some help with this through cognitive behavioural therapy. As I am very aware of why I eat, and succeed and then fail again (2 weeks ago I was near goal at 9 stone 12, I have injured my foot, so haven't been able to run for 2 weeks, and have put on 6lbs - back to where I started!) But having an awareness is only halfway to solving it I think.

Best of luck to you, and if you find the magic answer, please let me know!

I'm no physiologist, but I like to analyse myself and you can decide it you're dealing with some of the same issues. I start freaking out when I lose enough weight that men start to notice me. Not that any one has ever said or done anything. Just looks in parking lots, shopping malls etc. It is so easy to hide behind the fat and not deal with anything. I think I use fat as a shield to keep from confronting things I don't want to deal with. As I lose weight and I feel stronger, more confident, sexier, more like a woman than a girl some part of me goes "Who are you kidding?" and the chow down begins. Clearly I need to work on my fear of having to be a "grown up" and take responsibility for myself and all that entails. I mean, I'm past 50 being an adult should not be an issue.

Good Luck keeping the weight off, I hope my comments helped. If nothing else, at least you can say, well I'm not as crazy as that lady! :laugh:

Why am I scared of losing weight? What is wrong with me? Why do I panic when my numbers get lower and lower? This is very strange!!

Anyone else have this problem? Or am I the only weirdo?!!
Thanks :laugh:

Well, I'm going to assume this is an emotional or psychological problem, since you use the language "scared of losing weight." It's not your body doing it to you, but your brain.

Soooo... what have you promised yourself that you'll do once you lose the weight? Because I know a lot of us do that. We say, "Once I lose this weight, I'm going to ..." So what was on your list? Is it possible that you're afraid of what you've told yourself is going to happen once you're skinny?

Because I'm there. I've been in this stupid on/off relationship with a workaholic. Guy works 100+ hours a week, never has time for me. I really love him, but about six months ago, I acknowledged that I have to move on. He's always going to be this great guy who just doesn't see me as a priority. Upon acknowledging that, I said to myself, "Once I lose the rest of this weight, I'm going to go back to dating. Find a new guy."

Boom. After successfully losing 30 lbs in a year, I hit a stall. Then I wasn't just stalling. I was regaining. I regained 12 of the 30 lbs I'd lost. Did that twice. I am FINALLY back to losing weight, because I realized that I was sabotaging myself because I was afraid of going back to dating. Even dating while skinny is a pretty traumatic, emotionally draining experience.

I finally had a breakthrough and changed the official line. I told myself, "Hey, you can go on losing weight. Once you reach your goal weight, you don't have to go back to dating. That's totally up to you. You can just lose the weight and go on reading and walking dogs in the evenings instead of meeting strange men."

Just like that the pressure is off. No need to sabotage myself, because I'm not on a weight loss race to misery. I'm just losing weight to be healthier. That's it. Nothing else.

So what are you afraid of, if you lose weight?

From your initial post, I was pretty sure you were going to end up concluding that it's a combo of using weight as a crutch/identity crisis of having trouble separating you from overweight you. I think this is very common in those trying to overcome something holding us back physically or mentally.

I think this is totally normal. This is the kind of problem where it can help a ton just to regularly speak to someone who will be impartial and talk out the uncertainties and insecurities, but I don't think they completely go away until you reach your goal and see how your life changes and doesn't change. I guarantee it will be for the better.

OMG, I can totally relate to this. My "fear" is getting below 200. I think the pressure (given to me by myself) of staying under 200 is what keeps me from getting to onederland and staying there. I recently made my husband hide my scale so I wouldn't get on it every single day. I was hiding it from myself until May 1st. I am thinking, maybe I should do away with it altogether and see if I just keep eating healthy and maintain my level of exercise and see what happens. I bet you I will get under 200, not even know it and get over it! Ooooooooo. Thank you so much for posting your question and for all the comments. I think I am having a real breakthrough here.
To the original poster, I hope you find out what your fear is and look at it straight in the eyes and find success. Let us know what happens!

I really needed to see this, too. I freak out when my image in the mirror changes a lot and it seems to change suddenly.

When I was out running the other day, I had this very clear thought: "this is who I am now." It was so strange! I do like the new me, but it's hard when you see yourself one way for so long and then you start making changes.

I've gotten better about seeing the big changes and running to food to "fix it back" but I think it's something that will happen less frequently as time goes on.

I'm so glad I found this old thread today. I have only been trying to lose weight (AGAIN!!) for a few weeks, and when I hopped on the scale (maybe mistake #1), I had lost 2kgs (about 4.5 pounds), so not very much (but a great start). And I think, oh well, that was nice, and go back to how I was eating prior, and not caring. I start to freak out about doing well. And I think it is that while I'm fat/obese, I can use that as an excuse for not doing things, rather than getting to a point where I might try and fail on my own without the weight. The mind stuff is definitely the hardest part of losing weight.

I want to lose weight so that I can have kids (I dont have a partner at the mo but thats not the biggest issue at the moment), and I want kids so bad, but perhaps I am terrified of being a bad mother, or it just not working out.

Ugh.

I only have a minute but just wanted to say that I agree and identify with a lot that's been said. I've always been on the heavier side. It's been who I am for so long that when I've lost weight in the past I've had a hard time dealing with it.

I get scared that I won't be able to maintain it. I look very different than I'm used to. People constantly comment on how I look better (did I look that bad before?). They ask me how I'm doing it, which I don't always want to talk about and it makes me feel pressured to keep the weight off even more.

There are a lot of psychological issues I guess. Afterall, many of us became overweight in the first place due to some kind of emotional issue. I always called it "eating my feelings"......