I remember what it was like to feel so desperate to lose weight that I would do anything and try anything!
I remember what it was like to obsess about how fat my thighs looked and how important it was to suck in my stomach.
I remember what it was like to search the diet and exercise aisles looking for the thing that would really work “this time.”
I remember what it was like to promise myself once again that this time it would be different and I would stick with whatever diet or exercise program I thought would make me thin and happy.
None of it ever did work… at least not for any length of time. I thought it was me who failed. All that effort just left me feeling fatter and crazier and more shameful.
I know you know what I’m talking about! It’s a horrible way to live. I used to think it was the only option. And I never thought anyone suffered with this or would even understand me if I told them how I felt. I guess I just thought that’s what I was supposed to do and that’s how I was supposed to feel.
All this was happening even as I knew I wanted to be a counselor helping people with eating disorders. How funny that I had no idea that my thoughts, shame and behaviors were an eating disorder!
I’m not going to spend my time lecturing you on how doing the New Year’s Resolution to diet and exercise is the wrong way to go to help you like yourself more. You likely know this anyway.
I know it’s difficult to have those messages on TV and from your Facebook friends talking about how they are going to finally lose the weight and you can too. It bugs me how many people praise this behavior although 98% of the people who try this will eventually think they failed as the pounds come back. Even more sad, they will blame themselves for it.
I know you don’t want to listen to those messages and really want to accept yourself and stop the diet craziness. You wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t.
What I am going to tell you that no lecture in the world or good cause or rebellion against the masses will help you do to let go of this crazy, shame-making cycle is this: Until you are ready to face the fear of being fat or staying fat and all that it means, you won’t let go of dieting!
That fear can be very intense. I know. It’s there for a good reason. After all, being fat is obviously a very bad thing! People tease you or bully you, they judge you, they criticize you. It’s a terrible thing to experience or even imagine going through. So of course you’re afraid of it!
The problem is that you let the fear run you. It has the power. It always will as long as you run from it.
So your way out of this cycle and out of the place of misery with food and body image issues is to stop running, turn around, and face the fear.
Not easy, I know! But it can be done and you can do it too! If you’re ready, you can do it! I promise because I’ve seen it happen time and time again with my clients, with others, and with me.
If you are ready to face it, I want to help! I have two ways you can get my help, for no money at all or for a small amount (if you want more in-depth help).
Consider it. You deserve so much more than the miserable life of worrying about how you look and everything you eat.
And if you aren’t ready yet, that’s okay. You will be someday. You just need to be in enough pain with what you’re doing now to be willing to face the fear of the pain that you image will happen if you change.
If you’re ready now, help is here!
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