Guest guest Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Liz, I can remember feeling the way you are feeling - that panic state and total fear of continuing to gain weight. What worked for me was to go out and buy some new clothes that fit me well and that I felt good in at that moment. Just one or two pieces of new clothing can make you feel amazing and stop the bad thoughts. As far as those bad thoughts go, I would recommend checking out Byron author of Loving What Is:Four Questions That Can Change Your Life and I Need Your Love-Is That True? She has a set of four questions that can be great at helping you picking apart those thoughts and help you to determine wether they are true or not. Here is her website and her worksheet that asks the four questions. This might really help you with all those thoughts you are having. Good Luck, Alana http://www.thework.com/thework.php > > I feel a bit stalled out right now because I am at the point where I need to let the focus on weight loss go and focus on how my body feels. The problem at the moment is that in the past week or so, I seem to have gained a chunk of weight (not getting on the scale, so I don't know how much, but I can suddenly barely button my pants). My clothes went from a little snug but looking nice to straining at the seams and looking very unflattering in a short amount of time, which has caused me both the panic of " Oh no, I'm gaining a lot faster than I expected " and an unrelenting focus on the sudden change in my body. When I look at myself, all I can see is the swollen belly and fleshy arms that have appeared. To be honest, some of this is probably water retention as I have been feeling extremely swollen all over, but it doesn't change the fact that it has become very difficult for me to shut down the critical voice inside when I look in the mirror. > > The more I read about IE and the more I explore my feelings that have led to binging and strict dieting, the more I realize that I need to change some fundamental views before I can let go of the negative body image and self hate I have developed over a lifetime. > > So, my question is: what has worked for you to help change the faculty thinking? Have you had success with using affirmations? With journaling? Do you start on the negative body image thoughts that float into your head or aim for the faulty beliefs behind them (I'm no good, I don't deserve to treat myself well, I am fundamentally flawed, etc.)? Do you have a certain time of day when you address these issues (morning meditation, before bed) or do you tackle them whenever they come up? Do you try and reverse bad thoughts ( " Your stomach is not fat; it is beautiful. " ), do you question why the thought came up at that moment to try and get to the root of it, do you try to dispel the power of the thought ( " So what? Who cares if my stomach is fat? " )? > > I know what works for you won't necessarily work for me, but I feel like it will give me some ideas that I know CAN work to help me get started. > > Thanks! > Liz > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Hi there - This is something that I struggle with as well. For me, I think the most important part is noticing when this thinking is going on. It's such a habit that often times I thought can pass by in my brain and knock me right down without realizing it. And then from there I try to react to the thought somehow, but I've learned being gentle when doing this is the most helpful. So whether it's a positive counterpoint or just remarking to myself how interesting it is that I still have thoughts like this, that means I'm noticing the thought but not condemning myself for having it. I've also found this article from the Health for the Whole Self blog really helpful: http://www.healthforthewholeself.com/2010/07/refusing-to-ruminate/ - Casey Liz, I can remember feeling the way you are feeling - that panic state and total fear of continuing to gain weight. What worked for me was to go out and buy some new clothes that fit me well and that I felt good in at that moment. Just one or two pieces of new clothing can make you feel amazing and stop the bad thoughts. As far as those bad thoughts go, I would recommend checking out Byron author of Loving What Is:Four Questions That Can Change Your Life and I Need Your Love-Is That True? She has a set of four questions that can be great at helping you picking apart those thoughts and help you to determine wether they are true or not. Here is her website and her worksheet that asks the four questions. This might really help you with all those thoughts you are having. Good Luck, Alana http://www.thework.com/thework.php > > I feel a bit stalled out right now because I am at the point where I need to let the focus on weight loss go and focus on how my body feels. The problem at the moment is that in the past week or so, I seem to have gained a chunk of weight (not getting on the scale, so I don't know how much, but I can suddenly barely button my pants). My clothes went from a little snug but looking nice to straining at the seams and looking very unflattering in a short amount of time, which has caused me both the panic of " Oh no, I'm gaining a lot faster than I expected " and an unrelenting focus on the sudden change in my body. When I look at myself, all I can see is the swollen belly and fleshy arms that have appeared. To be honest, some of this is probably water retention as I have been feeling extremely swollen all over, but it doesn't change the fact that it has become very difficult for me to shut down the critical voice inside when I look in the mirror. > > The more I read about IE and the more I explore my feelings that have led to binging and strict dieting, the more I realize that I need to change some fundamental views before I can let go of the negative body image and self hate I have developed over a lifetime. > > So, my question is: what has worked for you to help change the faculty thinking? Have you had success with using affirmations? With journaling? Do you start on the negative body image thoughts that float into your head or aim for the faulty beliefs behind them (I'm no good, I don't deserve to treat myself well, I am fundamentally flawed, etc.)? Do you have a certain time of day when you address these issues (morning meditation, before bed) or do you tackle them whenever they come up? Do you try and reverse bad thoughts ( " Your stomach is not fat; it is beautiful. " ), do you question why the thought came up at that moment to try and get to the root of it, do you try to dispel the power of the thought ( " So what? Who cares if my stomach is fat? " )? > > I know what works for you won't necessarily work for me, but I feel like it will give me some ideas that I know CAN work to help me get started. > > Thanks! > Liz > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 Thanks for the suggestions and links, Casey and Alana. I liked the idea of " projecting " negative thoughts on a screen and watching them as if they were part of a movie. I will try that this week! > > > > > > I feel a bit stalled out right now because I am at the point where I need > > to let the focus on weight loss go and focus on how my body feels. The > > problem at the moment is that in the past week or so, I seem to have gained > > a chunk of weight (not getting on the scale, so I don't know how much, but I > > can suddenly barely button my pants). My clothes went from a little snug but > > looking nice to straining at the seams and looking very unflattering in a > > short amount of time, which has caused me both the panic of " Oh no, I'm > > gaining a lot faster than I expected " and an unrelenting focus on the sudden > > change in my body. When I look at myself, all I can see is the swollen belly > > and fleshy arms that have appeared. To be honest, some of this is probably > > water retention as I have been feeling extremely swollen all over, but it > > doesn't change the fact that it has become very difficult for me to shut > > down the critical voice inside when I look in the mirror. > > > > > > The more I read about IE and the more I explore my feelings that have led > > to binging and strict dieting, the more I realize that I need to change some > > fundamental views before I can let go of the negative body image and self > > hate I have developed over a lifetime. > > > > > > So, my question is: what has worked for you to help change the faculty > > thinking? Have you had success with using affirmations? With journaling? Do > > you start on the negative body image thoughts that float into your head or > > aim for the faulty beliefs behind them (I'm no good, I don't deserve to > > treat myself well, I am fundamentally flawed, etc.)? Do you have a certain > > time of day when you address these issues (morning meditation, before bed) > > or do you tackle them whenever they come up? Do you try and reverse bad > > thoughts ( " Your stomach is not fat; it is beautiful. " ), do you question why > > the thought came up at that moment to try and get to the root of it, do you > > try to dispel the power of the thought ( " So what? Who cares if my stomach is > > fat? " )? > > > > > > I know what works for you won't necessarily work for me, but I feel like > > it will give me some ideas that I know CAN work to help me get started. > > > > > > Thanks! > > > Liz > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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