|
|
| www.1001TopWords.com |
|
|
After WLS: Goodbye Self-Loathing! Hello Self-Loving!
You won't believe what happened to me today! I was getting ready for work and saw myself naked in the full-length mirror and I didn't hate what I saw! I actually gave myself an unrehearsed slightly passive self-compliment "You don't look bad today." The reason this is monumental is because most of the time when I look in the mirror I do not like what I see and I give myself harsh criticism. I suppose after years of self-loathing that it is more comfortable to degrade my appearance than to appreciate it. Many patients report hyper-judging their bodies after weight loss; it seems the thinner we get the more judgmental we are of our bodies. These days I'm critical of thighs that seem a bit jiggly and some very unattractive cottage cheese dimples on my rear end. Loathing these body parts keeps me from appreciating a thin waist, toned arms or those curious collarbones that were in hiding for so many years. Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental image many victims of anorexia nervosa have that tells them they look fat, even when they are emaciated. Morbidly obese people and bariatric patients can suffer from body dysmorphia as well.One reader, ThereseD, posted this message regarding body perception: "Body Dysmorphia is REAL! Over five years after my open RNY gastric bypass and I got hit with it again just last night, when I was cleaning out my closet. My daughter commented that my new shirt, which I was so proudly placing at the front, was too big and needs to go in the "go" pile. I checked the label and sure enough, it said "Large". Following my revision surgery of April 18, 2005, I still have my bandages and I'm probably wearing a size 4 Petite . . . and still I put on a smart and stylish new top in a size that's just too big for me! Oops!" When we were morbidly obese our emotional coping mechanisms kicked in and many of us were able to convince ourselves we really weren't that big. It is emotionally kinder to avoid body criticism. The whole issue of obesity seems hopeless. In fact, many morbidly obese patients will say they see themselves normal sized. That is until rude moments remind them they are not normal sized: a skinny chair, a turnstile, a bathroom stall, a flight of stairs, a photograph. This false perception is a subconscious coping strategy to protect us from the brutal truth, the truth about how big morbidly obese really is. After surgery, there is a tendency for the body dysmorphia to reverse. Before surgery we denied how big we were, after surgery we judge ourselves critically ? like the anorexic ? and fail to see an honest reflection. One woman, down from size 24 to size 10 wrote, "I feel fat daily. I never felt this at 248 pounds ? I saw a thinner person in the mirror than I see now. I look at my size 10 jeans and they look like tents. I don't feel as attractive as I did when I was heavy. I don't understand it," she continued, "but I think it has to do with learning to accept yourself fat so you didn't see all the fat. Now I just have to learn to accept myself as thinner." It has been suggested that dressing in stylish clothes that fit is one way to beat the body blues. Another idea, as Therese suggested, is having a bystander who will be honest about our appearance. Therese wrote, "My daughter's the number one person I go to, when I need to cure the myopic view of myself that I've developed." I wish I knew what magic happened this morning that I accepted and appreciated my own body. If I could package that magic I would personally mail it to every reader of LivingAfterWLS.com ? we ALL deserve to love and appreciate ourselves. It's time for the self-loathing to end and the self-appreciation to begin. Kaye Bailey © 2005- All Rights Reserved Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com Fresh & insightful content is added daily, check in often. To subscribe to the LivingAfterWLS monthly newsletter "You Have Arrived" click on http://www.livingafterwls.com and enter your details in the subscription box.
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Does Calorie Restriction Lead to Weight Loss? Yes and no. Moderate calorie restriction helps in controlling and getting rid of fat to a certain extent. Winning the Battle of the Bulge: Successful Strategies Let's take a look at how your attitudes and perceptions affect the results you acheive and how slight modifications can achieve mighty results. Successful Weight-loss Pointers Well we're at it again, trying to honor our promise on New Year's Day to lose weight and tone up those flabby parts. Although the year's still young more than half of our New Year's Resolutioners have strayed from their promise of fitness and or weightloss. The reasons may vary as to why their resolutions have been pushed to the side, one common compliant is difficulty in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Why? It's difficulty to break old HABITS! Frankie The French Fry Hatches A Plan Frankie saddled up to the bar at the We-Stuff-Em-All Diner, official headquarters of Fat For A New America. He turned to his most portly friend, Bubba the Burger, and launched a tirade."If we don't do something now, we could lose all our progress, twenty-five years of expanding and accumulating straight down the drain--if you catch my flow.""Did you call the others?" Bubba asked."Yeah. Sophie and Bunnie are on the way. I told them we needed an emergency meeting.""What about Mickey?" Bubba continued."Holy preservatives, I forgot him. Let me borrow your cell."Bubba passed him the phone. Weight Loss Motivation: I CAN DO IT! Several months ago I was in desperate need of weight loss motivation. As I was observing my friend's kindergarten classroom I was struck by an idea when I saw her in action. One of her students was filled with self-doubt and seemed to truly believe that he was unable to accomplish the task my friend was requesting of him. She kneeled by his side and patiently showed him once again what was expected of him. After hearing, "I can't do it!" several times, she quietly got up and walked across the room. When she returned she was holding a can that was covered in 'google eyes.' She placed it on his desk and asked, "Do you know what this is?" He shook his head and she whispered, "It's an 'EYE CAN' and every time you doubt yourself you can put it on your desk." He looked up at her with an extremely confused look on his face and she went on to explain, "When you see this can sitting on your desk it will remind you that you 'CAN' do it!" To make sure he understood, she asked him again what it was. He looked up at her and replied, "It is an 'I CAN'!" He bent down and began working with a new found confidence and the 'I CAN' stayed on his desk for the remainder of the day. The Benefits of Omega3 Fatty Acids - Losing Weight with Fat! Essential Fats for Weight Loss Scales Are For Fish, Not Weight Loss Contrary to common belief, your weight is not really the indicator of a weight problem ? the actual percentage of body fat is the true indicator. You need to know what percent of you is actually FAT. How are you going to monitor your weight loss if you do not know what percent of your body is fat, before you begin your program? Im Not Fat, Im Fluffy A distorted body image is one of the symptoms that define anorexia and related eating disorders. Patients may be painfully thin but still see themselves as fat while they continue to cut calories, over-exercise, purge, or use enemas in an effort to lose more and more weight. Weight Loss Frustrations? Slippery Slopes ? One Fall And Down You May Go! If you have ever been snow skiing you know that one wrong move, one glance away or one split second of lost focus may get you in a heap of trouble. The hard part comes trying to stop the slide down the slope. It doesn't take much and the next thing you know, you have hit the bottom only to look up and find yourself wishing you had it to do over again, this time much different and with more focus and preparation. The Truth About Weight Loss: The 6 Biggest Myths About Dieting! All of our behavior results from the thoughts that preceded it, so the thing to work on is not your behavior, but the thing that caused your behavior, your thoughts.- Dr. Wayne Dyer The Results Of Being Overweight Being overweight is no laughing matter. For those who are obese, it often starts as a young child. Unaware that he or she has done something wrong, the child will be teased mercilessly until one day, they will cry themselves to sleep at night wondering what they could have done to prevent this horrible thing from happening to them. Being overweight is not a choice, but often times can be an inherited disease. While for many people, even those who inherit it can recover from it, it is a painful road. There are many results to being overweight. There are many things that can happen to individuals who are or become overweight. In any case, it is sad, hard to deal with, and regrettably often a deadly condition. Top Thirty Weight Loss Tips and Tricks Here are some everyday, helpful hints to get you started, keep you going, and help you stick to your diet. Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #14 You know what is so amazing? We get to keep learning how to improve ourselves. Each day brings a new opportunity for us to practice unconditional love, especially of ourselves. Loving your body is demonstrating unconditional love. Think what your body does for you each day. Sale Offers, Ephedra, and Weight Loss... Are You A TARGET? Today, Ephedra is an herb of controversy. It contains ephedrine, a stimulant alkaloid used in many weight loss medicines. This herb has been known by the chinese for thousands of years where it was used for treating asthma. It was used by the Zuni Indians of New Mexico to treat the beginning stages of Syphilis. Are You Ready To Lose Weight? I know, I know. What a crazy question! Weight Loss Surgery: Successful Patients Embrace Four Stages of Growth Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) is often viewed as a quick fix for morbid obesity. One day a person is fat, the next they are not. While it may appear to onlookers that a gastric bypass patient is losing the weight without personal struggle or effort, this really isn't true. WLS patients must follow four rules for success and they experience four phases of growth following surgery. The Pain of Instant Gratification What a great world we live in. You want something, you get it! You need something, you buy it! You don't have money, you charge it! Gastric Bypass Patients Succeed Eating High Protein Diet The first rule for successful weight loss and weight maintenance after Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) is Protein First ? that means eating protein for three daily meals, and protein must be 50 percent of food intake. Some bariatric centers advise as much as 70 grams of protein a day. The gastric bypass diet should be high-protein, low-carbohydrate and low-volume. This is what successful WLS patients will eat for the rest of their life if they wish to maintain weight loss after surgery. Atkins Diet in UK The most recent shocking news related to Atkins diet UK is while dieting Atkins, people don't feel the drive to eat more. 7 Weight Control Habits Here are 7 simple habits that can help anyone enjoy a healthy diet and keep their weight under control without feeling hungry all the time.
|
| © Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |
