When I began this journey and decided to document my walk, one of the reasons I did it was to (hopefully) encourage others to begin to realize that they too could set out and succeed at losing weight if that's what they chose to do. I guess I was about 6 or 7 weeks into this and having some pretty significant weight loss when I met a woman who really made me think about how much affect a negative body image had on weight loss. In most cases, rather than being a motivator, it often feeds a cycle of self-loathing which results in self-abuse and weight gain. It really had me thinking about what I was doing to myself AND how being so verbally degrading toward myself was likely affecting my family and anyone who cared about me. (Read my post regarding that event here: http://ijustcantbefatterandfortyer.blogspot.com/2009/11/self-loathing.html)
Yesterday was my 45th birthday, and if you've followed my posts for long, you know that I had hoped to loose 40 lbs by that date. Before I left for work yesterday, I posted this comment on my Facebook profile..."Today is my 45th birthday and I missed my goal of losing 40 lbs. by this date. I've only lost 26.6 lbs. I'm really upset with myself about it. I've not tried hard enough and this was the result. Disappointed in myself today. :(" ...to which I got nearly 20 comments reminding me of how much I had accomplished and how proud I should be of myself and how I should not be discouraged. And woven into the "you go girl's" were little notes telling me that watching my progress and reading my posts and comments had encouraged some of the readers to lose weight!
Wow!!! WOW! How I wished I could have taken back every negative word I had written in that entry. If I'm down on myself for any of this...then I might very well be telling someone else that, they too, should be down on themselves for some self-conceived failure.
I have made changes. I'm incorporating new eating habits and I'm developing new coping methods for dealing with motions which trigger my binges. I've lost weight and I have encouraged and inspired others! How rewarding that is to know! That is motivations enough for me to pick right back up and get back on the road to my destination!
TO DATE I HAVE LOST 26.6 LBS!!! Dear Self: "ATTA GIRL!!!"
Yesterday was my 45th birthday, and if you've followed my posts for long, you know that I had hoped to loose 40 lbs by that date. Before I left for work yesterday, I posted this comment on my Facebook profile..."Today is my 45th birthday and I missed my goal of losing 40 lbs. by this date. I've only lost 26.6 lbs. I'm really upset with myself about it. I've not tried hard enough and this was the result. Disappointed in myself today. :(" ...to which I got nearly 20 comments reminding me of how much I had accomplished and how proud I should be of myself and how I should not be discouraged. And woven into the "you go girl's" were little notes telling me that watching my progress and reading my posts and comments had encouraged some of the readers to lose weight!
Wow!!! WOW! How I wished I could have taken back every negative word I had written in that entry. If I'm down on myself for any of this...then I might very well be telling someone else that, they too, should be down on themselves for some self-conceived failure.
I have made changes. I'm incorporating new eating habits and I'm developing new coping methods for dealing with motions which trigger my binges. I've lost weight and I have encouraged and inspired others! How rewarding that is to know! That is motivations enough for me to pick right back up and get back on the road to my destination!
TO DATE I HAVE LOST 26.6 LBS!!! Dear Self: "ATTA GIRL!!!"
p.s. The woman in my story at the link I posted....she sent me a text message earlier tonight. She joined WW today!
Nothing feels better than getting great comments, huh Cheri. :) Happy Birthday! And congratulations on a major loss...I know your goal was 40, but 26+ is over half of that and is still incredible. Keep up the hard work!
ReplyDeleteAtta girl, for sure!
ReplyDeleteAnd don't totally regret the negative comments. Truth is important. I"d rather have an honestly overcast day than fake sunshine any time.
Hiding how you feel really doesn't help you or anyone else, althuogh I know what you mean. I do. I've censored some overly-dark posts myself, realizing that it was not helpful to have that out in the airways.
It's a fine line. Your facebook post did not corss it, and it allowed you to rreceive just the feedback you needed to realize that (1) you had made a difference and (2) losing 26.6 pounds is a very big deal!! :D
Congratulations on losing the pounds and gaining a year! :D
Deb