Today, I have something extra special for you. I had so much to share with you that I have multiple posts for you. I felt this information was too important to wait another week. I’m going to explain why your mind-set is important to your weight loss, explain how I lost the weight I had gained, and then tomorrow I’ll discuss a little secret about the how weight loss affects hormones.

I walked out of the doctor’s office that day I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, a little dejected that I was offered no help with my weight other than the advice to eat less and exercise more. That’s the worst thing we overweight people want to hear — it’s almost as bad as “but you have such a pretty face.”

Eating less and exercising more is easier said than done, right? Wrong! Okay, now don’t hate me and please just listen for a second. The reason we begin to believe that we can’t lose the weight is purely psychological. If you can get past the limitations of your mind, you can do almost anything.

Over the course of six months to a year, I found myself obese, depressed, and to top it off — in a very unfulfilling relationship that I was hanging onto just because I believed I didn’t deserve better. What did I do? I woke up!

So much of losing weight is about appreciating yourself. I will touch upon the psychological aspects of weight loss many times over the life of this blog, because it’s so important. You have to love yourself, AS YOU ARE NOW, in order to feel compelled to change.

Let me put it this way. Would you rather suffer the consequence of being overweight by dying of a heart attack at age 50…or would you rather fit into some skinny jeans? Most people would be more motivated by the former, the consequence versus the reward.

Okay, so what did I do? I dumped my fiancé who was no good for me, called up one of my best friends to let her know my intentions, and yes, I did buy some supplements to help me. I also let my parents know what my plan was, since I was living at home and my mom was still the cook in the family.

It was important to put me first, and for a change I was going to do it. If you’re married with kids, or even have a demanding job, I understand this is easier said than done. You must understand how essential it is to your success. It’s critical! If you don’t have self-worth, what motivation is there to take care of you and your body?

So now, please read my post on the tools I used to finally lose the weight.

Post from: Blisstree

Weight Gain and Hormones, Your Mind-Set

In theory, losing weight is easy. Says one author who writes about practical cooking,

The secret to natural weight loss is easy if you just obey it; do not eat more than your body requires through normal activities and exercise.

Easier said than done.

Our bodies may know what we need, but our minds are another story. We want, want, want things that aren’t good for us. We keep eating when we’re not hungry anymore. We reach for huge portions of stuff that we should be eating at all, much less in huge quantities. And when we give it up (which we know we should do!) we feel deprived. So we “cheat.” And then we feel horrible. Repeat ad nauseam.

I’m saying “we” though I mean “I.” But I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who does this cycle over and over and over.

Though I haven’t managed to successfully apply this theory, I think the trick is to focus on what’s actually helpful and healthy to our bodies rather than what we think we want. To feel good about doing the right thing for yourself. To be proud of the little victories.

What do you think? How to you break the cycle of bad habits and low self-esteem? Or am I alone in this?

- Kristen

Contents © Copyright 2008 by Kristen King

Post from: Blisstree

Dieting and Self-Esteem: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

(www.weightingline.com) — What a title, hmm?? Hi y’all! Alicia from Mental Health Notes here, offering up some blogging assistance while Hope is away battling the elements.

I’m not a weight loss expert by any means (I’ve had a few severe ups and downs in my life, but nothing that didn’t eventually take care of itself after my hormones or moods leveled out); for me, the battle has been mostly about body image.

Today I’m too fat. Today I’m too thin. Today my butt is too flat or too bubbled or too wide or I swear it’s smirking at me in the mirror. My arms aren’t toned enough, my jaw line isn’t visible enough, my ankles are cankles and where did that belly pooch come from? I’m too tall. I’m too short. My haircut makes me look like I’ve gained weight.

Did he honestly just say I had “child-bearing hips”?!?

You get the idea.

So, today, as someone who has struggled with her body image and lived to tell the tale, I want to offer you a few tips on how to feel better about yourself on those particularly low days — whether you’ve just gotten off the scale and are feeling down over the last 10 pounds you can’t seem to drop, or you simply woke up feeling as if you look like crap.

And, as someone who revels in her two X chromosomes, these tips are girly (and bordering on superficial, but really, who cares? they make me feel better) and men should probably head on over to Health and Men and let Scott take care of them for the day.

Tip #1 — Eat well. Your body feels better when it’s properly nourished, and when your body feels better, you tend to feel better about your body. (Rocket science, I know.) So, rather than grabbing a bowl (or three) of chocolate ice cream in hopes it will freeze your sorrows, grab an apple. Or a salad. Or whatever your healthy food of choice is. Refraining from giving into junk food temptation — knowing you’ve taken care of your body today — gives you one more reason to feel good about yourself.

Tip #2 — Move your body. Exercise — you knew it was coming. Sure, there are days when you’d rather just wallow in sorrow and sweats, but why not put those sweats to better use? You don’t have to run a 5K. The dog needs to be walked, the house needs to be cleaned, and your car needs to be washed, after all. Tackling these chores decreases the amount of time you spend obsessing over belly pooches, and when you’re finished you’ll feel accomplished and maybe even motivated enough to take on another task.

Tip #3 — Drag out your mani/pedi supplies. And while you’re at it, grab your favorite tube of lipstick, too. It may sound ridiculous, but when I give myself a manicure and pedicure, I feel better about my physical appearance. I feel like I’ve taken control of at least one thing that had me feeling blue. When I slap on a coat of lipstick? I can take over the world, Pinky. You may want to substitute these things with deep conditioning your hair, pulling on your favorite pair of jeans, or grooming your eyebrows. It’s whatever works for you. The important thing is that you take control over one short-term “problem area.” It’s hard to focus too long on your butt when your nails look so damn good.

Tip #4 — Grab a book. It’s not all about physical appearances. Head to your bookshelf or your local library (or heck, check out one of those free online libraries if you just can’t leave the house). Revisit an old favorite, or expose yourself to something new. Not only does reading great literature take your mind off your temporary blues, but it also exercises your mind. Feeling smart feels good.

Tip #5 — Watch How to Look Good Naked on Lifetime. Honestly, almost every episode has me wiping my eyes at some point. I?m so happy for the women Carson Kressley helps, and I love the ways he helps them. Rather than putting them on some kind of diet and exercise regime so they’ll be thin or toned enough one day, he teaches them how to work with — and love — the bodies they have right now.

Please keep in mind that these are not long-term solutions to issues you may have with your weight and body image. I realize lipstick and literature won’t change your life. These are merely temporary ways to get through those days when you feel particularly blah — and maybe even have a little fun doing it!

- Alicia Sparks

(Image: SXC)

Post from: Blisstree

5 Quick Tips to Feel Better When You Think You Look Like Crap

I think it started when I was in high school, when I began struggling consciously with depression and feeling totally out of control in my own life. I had to go to school. I had to get good grades. I had to set a good example. I had to, had to, had to. Food felt like the only thing that was mine, the only thing I was in charge of. So I often didn’t eat, just because it meant I was in charge of something. I could control my body. I could decide to eat or not eat. I was powerful.

Except then it began to control me. And I have yet to really shake that feeling. When my husband’s away, or when I’m really stressed with work, I find that I have a tendency to punish myself for not being “better,” more organized, more capable, more “okay” with whatever’s going on by not eating. I might not be able to control how much work comes in, but I can control how much I eat! I might not be able to make myself stop missing my husband or feeling lost without him, but I can control how much I eat!

It’s nuts, I know. Irrational. Unhealthy. I know all of these things. But secretly, I’m proud of myself when I withhold food. I tell myself it makes me strong, and if I do it enough, I’ll get back down to that weight I was used to in high school, and boy, won’t that be great. Then everything will be better. Then I won’t be stressed at all. That will fix it.

Do you ever “forget to eat”? Or “forget that you already ate”? Do you know you’re doing it when it happens? How do you balance the desire to change your body with the knowledge that you have to care for it?

- Kristen

Contents © Copyright 2008 by Kristen King

Post from: Blisstree

Do You Ever “Forget to Eat”? Reflections on Disordered Eating

It was recently called to my attention that the term “fat blogger” is offensive to some. I had never considered it or thought of it as being an offensive term, so I was caught a little off-guard by this comment. But it also got me thinking…

Why is “fat” offensive?

The term “fat” has an immediate negative connotation. If you have struggled with weight most of your life, it probably brings up dark feelings even moreso than it might for others.

If you were ever called fat as a child, for instance, seeing the term fat blogger probably riles you up. It probably reminds you of all those times you were picked on or made fun of because of your weight.

Change your perception of “fat”

If you have a difficult time seeing me throw around fat or fat blogger or fat blogging on this blog, I apologize. I have never used this term in a negative manner. Rather, I try to bring these ideas and feelings to the surface so we can each deal with them.

I believe a large part of each of our weight loss successes is knowing what our hot buttons are and then dealing with them. Changing your perception of the term “fat” can be simple.

F is for FABULOUS

You are a fabulous woman. People enjoy being around you because you are friendly, courageous and outgoing.

A is for AWESOME

You are awesome. Through your infectiously cheerful attitude you inspire and motivate others to go for their dreams and goals.

T is for TENACIOUS

Some call you stubborn, but the perfect term is tenacious. Like a bulldog, you know what you want and you go for it, full-hearted. You are unyielding and never give in until you’re going after.

Post from: Blisstree

Does the Term "Fat" Offend You?

If you are struggling to lose weight, you may have already become obsessed with your weight. It’s okay, in my opinion, to be conscious about your weight. If you take it to the extreme, though, it could do you more harm than good.

Quiz: Answer the following questions with a simple “Yes” or “No.”

1. Do you step on the scale more than once per day?
2. Do you wonder every time you eat how many pounds you’re gaining with each meal?
3. When you see someone who appears to be the size you want to be, do you try to guess their weight?
4. Are the numbers you see on the scale the only thing you can think about all day, every day?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are allowing your weight to control your thoughts. The best way to stop this is to focus your mind on other things. You have to force yourself to stop the negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones.

Post from: Blisstree

Does Your Weight Control Your Thoughts?

My first poll here asked the question Do you feel good in your own skin? Of those who were brave enough to participate in the poll, the majority answered Sometimes.

I’ve been chewing (pun unintended) on this tidbit for a few days. I’ve thought about those of you who visit here regularly and feel this way. I’ve tried to come up with an article worthy of inspiring and motivating you. But the truth is, your body image will not change unless and until you are ready to change it for yourself.

The question then, is how does one change their distorted body image? Perhaps more importantly, how do you know if you have a poor body image?

What is body image?

The first thing we need to do is explore what the term “body image” means. In essence, your body image is the way you mentally perceive the way your body actually looks. It is how you view yourself (in your mind), rather than how you actually look (when you look at yourself in a mirror).

The problem so many of us have is that what we think we look like is not always what we actually see when we look in the mirror. For some this is a good thing. For others, it’s not so good.

Poor vs. Good

This stark difference is where poor body image and good body image comes into play. In general, people who have high self-esteem and possess an overall positive feeling about themselves usually think they look better in the mirror than they imagined. On the flip side, those who feel bad about themselves anyway, usually see something worse when they look in the mirror.

A poor body image commonly presents itself in a variety of ways, including:

• Hating the body you have.
• Wishing you could look more like ___________ (you fill in the blank).
• Fantasizing about all the things you might do, if only your body weren’t so ugly.
• Thinking about plastic surgery, extreme weight loss surgery, or any other similar thing.

If you have a good body image, more than likely you

• Love the way you look.
• Embrace the body you have.
• Like trying on clothes.
• Prance around in front of the mirror to see what you look like.

Putting it all together

Have you ever been around someone who obviously loves the way they look? Let’s set up a scenario, for the sake of argument. You see a curvy, full-figured woman, wearing a form-fitting dress. She’s with a group of friends, laughing and having a great time. She obviously feels great about herself and is totally uninhibited. To top it off, guys seem to notice her, approaching her one right after the other.

There you sit, feeling jealous, and wondering why in the world she is so happy. If you had her body, you probably would have bought that dress two or three sizes larger. You certainly wouldn’t be so “out there” with yourself, because after all, she’s got more curves than a test track.

AHA!

There’s the difference between a poor and good body image. Where all you see are the imperfections of this woman’s body, she has totally embraced them–loves them, even–and is enjoying her life. It’s not that she doesn’t care what she looks like. She cares very much. Rather than focus on those particular “flaws” though, she finds ways to accentuate them. She has embraced who she is, and loves herself, curves and all.

Changing a distorted body image

So now we come down to the nitty gritty of it all. How do you change your body image? How can you see yourself in a more positive light?

I personally believe a huge part of this falls to perspective. If you continue looking at yourself with the same eyes you always have, you will persist in seeing a distorted image of yourself. You have to begin today with a fresh perspective.

Honestly, none of us are 100% happy with the way we look. Even those with the best body image still struggle with something they don’t really like about themselves. The big difference is they don’t allow that one little thing to shout louder than everything else.

So you have a little junk in your trunk. Is that really such a bad thing? There are women (and men) who go under the knife to obtain a fuller derrière. The things you see as flaws and wish you could rid your body of are the very things other people wish they had.

Start by embracing one thing at a time that you don’t like about yourself. Purposefully pass by a mirror, stop, look at that one thing, then smile at yourself and say something like, “Hope, you have the prettiest eyes!” Make it a habit to start pointing out the things you do like about yourself. Before long, you will start focusing on those things, and all the things you think you don’t like will fade into the background.

Post from: Blisstree

Do You Have A Distorted Body Image?

Basically, Japan has begun a nationwide program that requires every citizen, ages 40-74, to have their waist measured. The New York Times reports:

“Under a national law that came into effect two months ago, companies and local governments must now measure the waistlines of Japanese people between the ages of 40 and 74 as part of their annual checkups. That represents more than 56 million waistlines, or about 44 percent of the entire population.”

That last sentence in the paragraph above is what immediately jerked my attention. First of all, Japan is widely known for being a nation of thin people. Very rarely do you see a Japanese who is overweight, even the slightest bit. It’s a rare sight. But they are going to measure the waistlines of nearly half the entire population?!

It disturbs me to think that a country–any country–would create such an imposition on its own people, especially a country where obesity is generally not considered to be a great concern. Why would you do that?

According to the New York Times, Japan’s Ministry of Health claims:

“that the campaign will keep the spread of diseases like diabetes and strokes in check.”

I can totally understand being concerned about heart health issues and diabetes. But is this truly an effect, or plausible, way to deal with such an occurrence? Not only that, but exactly how many people in that age range are actually suffering from such health issues? Is the number great enough to require such drastic measures?

Not only is government enforcing a mandatory waist check, but there are stringent consequences for those who do not meet the waistline requirements:

“To reach its goals of shrinking the overweight population by 10 percent over the next four years and 25 percent over the next seven years, the government will impose financial penalties on companies and local governments that fail to meet specific targets.”

This is a disturbing story, in my opinion. And I can’t help but wonder if this isn’t a way to simply annihilate an entire generation. Why else would you want to go to such extreme measures when clearly obesity is not an issue?

Go here to read it in its entirety, then come back and let us know what you think.

Roundtable:

• Do you think this program is necessary in Japan?
• How would you feel if such a program were implemented in your country?
• If you were forced to be accountable for your health, would it have a greater effect on how you live and the choices you make every day?

Image: Newscom

Post from: Blisstree

Is Japan Enforcing a Self-Induced Genocide?

Image: stock.xchng

Post from: Blisstree

Announcing Celebrity Weight Loss Week

Do you have a healthy weight loss story you’d like to share? Weighting Line wants you to tell your story!

• Did you have an AHA! moment that motivated you to lose the weight?
• Did you have serious health issues that resolved themselves after you lost weight?
• Did emotional eating ruin your life?
• Have you been a yo-yo dieter, but finally found the weight loss solution to keep the weight off?
• Did your weight loss surgery fail?

If you would like to share your story here on Weighting Line, contact me (Hope) at hope.wilbanks@b5media.com.

Photo: stock.xchng

Post from: Blisstree

What’s Your Weight Loss Story?