Punishment for Being Fat
mscrholder
Posts: 38 Member
Sometimes dieting feels like my punishment for being fat. Has anyone ever felt that way? If so, what do you do to beat those negative feelings?
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Replies
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I don't look at it a dieting
i look at it as rewarding my body
by feeding it healthy foods instead of crap.
If you eat healthy being fat will take care
of itself. same thing with working out. My
body deserves to be strong (:4 -
I do get frustrated to think that I might always have to analyze everything I eat, but my husband reminded me that it's hard now because it's the beginning.
That said, I do get upset that I have to be more mindful and make sure that I don't over eat so that I can lose weight. It's not always easy to make the right choices, but it gets easier over time.3 -
I don't look at it a dieting
i look at it as rewarding my body
by feeding it healthy foods instead of crap.
If you eat healthy being fat will take care
of itself. same thing with working out. My
body deserves to be strong (:
^^That^^2 -
Just like everyone else said - it's not punishment - it's treating yourself like a queen by fueling your body properly.2
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I don't diet. I just find better ways to cook things I like and I try new foods. There are a lot of recipes that are really good and healthy. Just have to be willing to spend a lot of time searching lol0
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Please don't think of a life style change like that. When the rest of the world is taking Diabetes meds, having heart problems and dying of strokes, you'll know why you chose to live YOUR life weight free, stress free, med free and far beyond those who chose to ignore what we already know.
Think of it as a gift to yourself for a better life.8 -
The way I do it, it really doesn't feel that way. When I was really rushing the weight loss it did. Now that I am just aiming for a 1lb a week loss, it really isn't bad at all. If you can just find healthy foods you like, it doesn't feel like punishment at all.0
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You all's comments are eye-opening. I definitely needed the encouragement and fresh perspective. Thanks a ton!!4
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I think of in an opposite fashion, fat is punishment for a bad diet.1
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I agree that what we are doing is not just "dieting", but trying to affect LIFESTYLE changes, with positive reinforement from friends as we go along. I gained my weight the same way as everyone else: poor diet, lack of exercise, and normal changes in metabolism with having babies and aging. A dozen of us at work are doing this together, and suddenly, the junk snacks have disappeared (though some advocare has appeared) and we are all in it together. I feel SO much better for making this commitment to myself. I want to set a good model for my patients (I work in healthcare) and for my family. I have lost the taste for alot of the junk, and with changing how I look at food, my whole family is benefiting. My husband who is not on this has also lost more weight than I have.0
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I don't look at it a dieting
i look at it as rewarding my body
by feeding it healthy foods instead of crap.
If you eat healthy being fat will take care
of itself. same thing with working out. My
body deserves to be strong (:
^
^
Definitely this .....0 -
I do NOT diet. I chose to make a lifestyle change. I make better choices now. I don't choose "diet" foods like sugar free things. I eat the real deal and make room for special treats. I read food labels and find many things don't pass the test into my basket. if you make healthy choices you can eat a ton without starving. I don't believe in free days or cheat meals, I refuse to feel guilty for having a special something. I log everything the good bad and ugly. if I make a less than ideal choice at a meal I watch the rest of day or workout more. so no it is not punishment to me. I feel so much better when I eat right -physically and mentally!1
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I look at it like that sometimes. Like I need to make myself pay for letting myself get to the way I am. But it gets easier with every pound down.1
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I think of the things I've learned in documentaries like Forks over Knives and I realize that eating less and better is making a choice to be healthy and live a long and enjoyable life. I don't want diabetes, heart disease, or cancer (which I know isn't cause by weight but can be exacerbated by it). I want to look and feel fabulous and thank goodness there is a way to do that
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Yea, I'm not considering it "dieting" either. I'm just counting the calories and making sure I eat the right portion. If I'm starving though, I will feed my body. But if I'm eating just to eat then I have to be wise and just say no. I feel great though so it's a reward in itself (=0
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mscrholder wrote: »Sometimes dieting feels like my punishment for being fat. Has anyone ever felt that way? If so, what do you do to beat those negative feelings?
While this was posted 9 years ago, I feel it’s relevant to me. Others have posted how they cope or just don’t see this as an issue.
It’s an issue for me. I feel like I’m hoodwinking myself. I feel punished. Period.
I’m finally seeing this as being the real issue I have around food. I actually eat fairly well. I get a lot of fiber and I don’t eat much fast food, donuts or junk food. A lot of veg, lean meats, whole grains. I’ve been weighing food for years and still do. I get in to trouble at night when I snack.
I feel like I’m being punished when I make a plan to have a reasonable snack.
What I am doing differently is focusing in one one habit to change at a time. Right now I’m on a 62 day streak of doing at least one class (5 minute classes count) on the peloton digital app - this is the $12.95 US / month app. I don’t have a real “peloton brand” bike. I’ve logged 3700 minutes for 2021 so far.
The next habit to crack is getting 7.5 - 8.00 hours of sleep per night. I’m hovering at 6.75-7.00 hours most nights. Get that one in the can is especially important as I think having better rest will enable me to have better evening willpower to crack the night time snacking piece which keeps me stuck where I am. I’m aiming to start that in March (next week) while maintaining my daily “some kind of workout” habit.
I think the stepwise progression will work better for me than trying to do it all at once like I’ve done more times than I can count.1 -
I try to flip it:
Instead of thinking that "dieting" is punishment for being fat, I consider "being fat" the punishment for eating too much and/or the wrong things. Conversesly, "being thin" is THE REWARD for eating less and making good food choices.2 -
Depends on your POV. Half glass full or empty? Also is your approach to diet too restrictive to enjoy? You can still lose weight and enjoy eating what you like. You just have to be responsible on the AMOUNT you consume.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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mscrholder wrote: »Sometimes dieting feels like my punishment for being fat. Has anyone ever felt that way? If so, what do you do to beat those negative feelings?
While this was posted 9 years ago, I feel it’s relevant to me. Others have posted how they cope or just don’t see this as an issue.
It’s an issue for me. I feel like I’m hoodwinking myself. I feel punished. Period.
I’m finally seeing this as being the real issue I have around food. I actually eat fairly well. I get a lot of fiber and I don’t eat much fast food, donuts or junk food. A lot of veg, lean meats, whole grains. I’ve been weighing food for years and still do. I get in to trouble at night when I snack.
I feel like I’m being punished when I make a plan to have a reasonable snack.
What I am doing differently is focusing in one one habit to change at a time. Right now I’m on a 62 day streak of doing at least one class (5 minute classes count) on the peloton digital app - this is the $12.95 US / month app. I don’t have a real “peloton brand” bike. I’ve logged 3700 minutes for 2021 so far.
The next habit to crack is getting 7.5 - 8.00 hours of sleep per night. I’m hovering at 6.75-7.00 hours most nights. Get that one in the can is especially important as I think having better rest will enable me to have better evening willpower to crack the night time snacking piece which keeps me stuck where I am. I’m aiming to start that in March (next week) while maintaining my daily “some kind of workout” habit.
I think the stepwise progression will work better for me than trying to do it all at once like I’ve done more times than I can count.
I definitely think making small, sustainable changes is the way to go in terms of lasting weight loss, so I think you're headed in the right direction.
I know for me, changing my mindset was HUGE in being able to succeed. There was a time when I did resent people who didn't seem to have this struggle with weight that I had, even if I didn't really recognize it at the time. I did resent at times that I had to "watch what I ate" and never comfortable with myself. I know this isn't exactly the same thoughts you are having, but once I could get past that negative thinking and focus on positive changes, it was so much easier for me. I've accepted that I'm a person who will probably never be able to "eat intuitively" without going up a size (or 2 or 3), and that's ok. I think being on this support page also helps me realize I'm not alone in this struggle, and there's some comfort in that, as well.1 -
I felt that way before. I was not at a good place. I ate emotionally. Food was like my coping method. I also lacked self love. but I now see it differently. I realized eating unhealthy was a way to punish myself because i was unhappy with myself and my life but now I'm eating healthy and doing things to take care of myself because I love myself and I know my body is the temple of God.1
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No way!!! For me, counting calories is empowering. I am choosing discipline and health. I am in control of my future.1
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Suffering is optional. It really is. Oh, there’s discomfort involved. And it takes a lot of persistence to lose a significant amount and keep it gone.
But if you’ve really crossed the line into punishment its likely your program is too aggressive. What do I mean by really crossed? Well, first there’s our brain’s tendency to exaggerate. Like if we miss lunch and then we’re “starving.” I missed a meal, it isn’t starvation. But my brain will have me telling anyone I see that I’m starving. So is our discomfort really that much? And a lot of times it is. It’s part of the vicious diet circle. Set up an aggressive program. The aim of the aggressive program is speed. Why? Because the aggressive program is really difficult to live with. It does seem like punishment. Only a crazy person wouldn’t want it to end ASAP.
There’s another way. Try to think of yourself as trying to find a way to live with some reasonable limits. That’s all that’s really needed. Think about it. Using the 3500 calorie per lb rule of thumb, 100 extra calories per day will have us graining 10 lbs in a year, nearly 1 per month. Likewise a 100 calorie deficit will have us losing about the same. That’s only a 200 calorie turn around. One is the slow march up, the other the slow march down. Like is said many times, simple but not easy. It takes a lot of concentration and a lot of persistence to hang in when we make mistakes. And there are lot of potential missteps- anything from stress and fatigue induced breakdowns to simple math mistakes or misread menus and NI.
But if we learn to accept some limits and find a livable downward trend time can be on our side in this. It really can. It’s OK to go slow. Not much changes at goal weight. There’s no need to rush to get there.2 -
Every person has something in their life they don’t want to put restrictions on. We have to have some self-control or else suffer the consequences of poor eating habits. That’s the real punishment.0
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@veganbabe777 I like your comment about your body being a temple of God. Dieting is like tearing down the temple (getting rid of excess fat, weight and bad habits) then re-building it with lean muscle and healthy eating habits. It’s a mental, physical and spiritual transformation to be the best person you can be.1
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dieting doesnt work. at least not long term.
making lifestyle changes, choosing to take CARE of your body (you only get one!). Eating nutritious foods (and yes, treats too!) and getting some physical exercise (doesn't have to be hours at the gym every week).
We have a farm. I take care of our livestock (and pets lol). I make sure they have the food they need. The supplements they need. The activity they need. All to remain healthy. I do the same for myself. I am not punishing them or me, just taking care of us.
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Oh, no! Don’t think of healthy eating as punishment!! I know it tastes so different eating healthy, lean, Whole Foods as opposed to the sugary, high fat, fried or processed foods you may have been used to but you need to change your mindset to be successful. The sluggish, bulky body those foods gave you is the punishment for not treating your body with the respect it deserved. In order to respect your body you want to fuel it and nourish it and give it all the things it needs, not cravings which are things our brains want, but protein and fiber and healthy fats that make us strong and help us to function at our best. You are REAWARDING yourself with healthier foods and more activity. You are healing an sick, unhealthy body and making it strong. I just recently met my goal of getting below 300 lbs so I know the food struggle all too well! But I am on the road to recovery and my body and mind feel healthier than ever! But “dieting” doesn’t have to mean flavorless, boring rabbit food. I LOVE FOOD. And even eating healthier I still love food! I enjoy things like scrambled eggs with left over steak and peppers and onions with one slice of 12 grain toast and a bowl of berries (that was today’s breakfast...yum!) Chicken breast stuffed with a healthy spinach & artichoke type cheesy dip with yummy roasted broccoli (dinner tonight) Recently I made steak and cheese stuffed peppers...OMG so good! I’ve discovered that I love roasted Brussels sprouts and will eat them with breakfast, lunch and dinner! I made fresh homemade salsa and found some hearty whole grain tortilla chips for dipping! I love grilling chicken & veggies outside now that the weather is nice up here innNew England. And I’ve always got squares of dark chocolate in my freezer for emergencies!! It’s my favorite and it’s practically a health food ( in moderation, of course!) Please, don’t “diet”. Just eat well, eat delicious foods, and live your body enough to fuel it ❤️ Good luck!! I know you can do this!!0
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Everybody on the whole planet is on a "diet" because diet is simply what you eat. Eating is not punishment or reward, it's fuel, and sometimes it's really yummy endorphin raising fuel... and that's OK. Being fat often feels like a punishment in and of itself. You want to counteract that negativity.
I know a lot of women who are very particular about what their children eat, but they don't show as much care for what they are putting into their own bodies. Love your body for how it is, but care for it in the way you want it to become - that's work of the mind and heart and spirit.1 -
I think everyone's responses are awesome at how they each individually view their lifestyle approach. And I have an even different one..
I have children, and I don't let them eat a whole pack of biscuits or cakes and chocolate. They get a limited amount. And my parents would have done the same for me as a child.
But when you grow up, and you make your own decisions there's no one there to tell you "no that's too much".. I mean you *know* it, in the back of your mind, but there's no one there to physicallyy stop you.
So to sum it up, I basically parent myself 😂.1 -
Changing your eating habits doesn't have to be a bad experience. Experiment. And try to enjoy trying new things and cooking. I love cooking, I'm not great at it.. but it's fun for me 😊 so that helped. Good luck!0
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I feel punishment is being fat determined either by the genetics in my family, bad habits learnt from childhood, then bad habits when being an adult in the relation with the food
But dieting helps making you a style to follow and it also helps knowing that you try to conquer all these obstacles
And when dieting equals or becomes way of eating and life style is the best
I am still struggling with what is best for me, but I think that punishing me, this it is not helpful on long term
Beside this ,we are what we are , results of everything happening till now, we should try to love a little ourselves, there are enough people to hate us , beside ourselves
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