Life After Success

Ksrnrgrl · March 2011

I've lost 140 pounds in all and have kept it off for two years by running, working out and when I get off track keeping a food diary. When I was 290 pounds I would envision myself thin and that would be the be all, end all. Now I'm dealing with the loose skin and body image issues that still need to be dealt with, those don't go away just because I lost all of the weight. Now there's just a new and different body image focus. Anyone out there with the same issues?

mikesell · March 2011

I am just starting out out 294 pounds so I am glad to her your success story. I would give anything to have the problem you have now. Congratulations on your success.

ChelseaRW · March 2011

I can respond only to the feelings of the body image issues. No idea where they stemmed from ...but even as a skinny teenager I was never satisfied with my body. Do you affirm yourself daily? It makes an amazing difference. Let me tell you that you look amazing...you are incredibly pretty! I hope that you overcome these "image" obstacles. Post those affirmations every place that you look at daily until you believe them!!!

Ksrnrgrl · March 2011

Thanks to the both of you! Congratulations on starting mikesell and starting's always the hardest part. ChelseaRW - I haven't thought of positive affirmations. That's a great idea. But I have thought of meditation. I try to remind myself when I become down on myself that I couldn't have run as far, jumped as high or done many of the things I do now. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't.

Ksrnrgrl · March 2011

It seems that with all of the advice to lose weight that not many people or organizations look at underlying causes which were/are for me body image and depression. They push the perfect body image and losing the weight but do you see many touting (sp?) post weight-loss counseling? The issues we had pre weight-loss are still there after post weight-loss. It's great that I lost all that weight but I still have to deal with the underlying issues.

kacarter1017 · March 2011

At one time I heard this and I think it is very true: "It's easy to get thin from the neck down, but difficult to get thin from the neck up." And as hard as we all struggle to get thin from the neck down only magnifies how truly hard it is to believe in ourselves afterward. Getting some counseling may be a good idea.

wanderingpilgrim · March 2011

I just read a great book that dealt with this exact issue. It was called " When Food is Love". It totally talks about what you're describing.

One thing I distinctly remember was how it mentioned for the reader to think about what factors initially caused the reader to start relying on food in the first place (or, what event occurred to stop the reader from taking care of him/herself?) Only when THAT emotional event is "worked through" and dealt with, can a person lose weight successfully (and by that, the writer meant not only according to the scale, but by growing in spirit and character while shedding pounds.)

If you want the author's name, let me know and I'll dig it up.

wanderingpilgrim · March 2011

I just read a great book that dealt with this exact issue. It was called " When Food is Love". It totally talks about what you're describing.

One thing I distinctly remember was how it mentioned for the reader to think about what factors initially caused the reader to start relying on food in the first place (or, what event occurred to stop the reader from taking care of him/herself?) Only when THAT emotional event is "worked through" and dealt with, can a person lose weight successfully (and by that, the writer meant not only according to the scale, but by growing in spirit and character while shedding pounds.)

If you want the author's name, let me know and I'll dig it up.

"When Food Is Love", by Geneen Roth. She also has a bestseller called "Feeding the Hungry Heart".

In a nutshell: Ask yourself: What event(s) took place directly before you began to overeat or stop caring for yourself?? THAT is the issue (not the weight.) Your weight is a side effect, or consequence of that deeper issue. Some people are able to lose the weight but feel they were duped by false promises. being thin doesn't satisfy. Dealing with the original problem is where a person finally breaks free!!!

Life After Success

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