Re: Releasing Weight

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The authors of Thin Within talk about "releasing" weight. I really like this vs. "losing" weight. For some reason I think this has a connotation that we are actually "losing" a part of ourselves. I'm really working on using "releasing" weight instead. I don't know if it will have a psychological effect or not. It just sounds better, don't you think?

--Alana

-------------- Original message --------------

I If I lose weight, then I feel like I am losing me. Like I don't know who I am anymore. So I think I start to panic and hold on to the weight. Does this make sense?ajslintoncomcast (DOT) net wrote:

Where do you thhink this fear comes from? I think for me, when I recall all the times I've lost weight before, I think I felt like people looked at me diferently, expected more from me. I'm trying to recall my Mom's reaction to me in the past, because I keep thinking this has something to do with it. It's like she was only "proud" of me if I were thin. And yet, she was never exactly "thin" herself. When I've always been overweight, I don't feel like my Mom (or my Dad when he was alive) were very proud of me. There was always an unspoken unacceptance. You would think that feeling like this would make me want to be thin. Is it a rebellion thing? An F U thing? That I want to prove to them that I'm proud of myself, no matter what? I don't know. Feeling a bit frustrated. Maybe I'm putting too much thought into this. But then on the other hand, feel like I'm onto something. If I can figure this

out, then maybe the weight really will release itself.

--Alana

-------------- Original message -------------- From: Kipkabob <kipkabobyahoo (DOT) ca>

I have this same fear. I do well for several weeks and then when I think I may have lost some weight I start eating more (not binging but just generally eating more so I don't lose any weight).

I'm scared of what others will say if I lose weight. I'm scared of the comments my family will make if I lose weight. I hate having attention drawn to my body and losing weight will do that.

But then at the same time I really want to lose weight! And more than that I want to feel better and be healthier!

It's so hard because I really want to lose weight but yet at the same time I'm scared to death of it.Alana <ajslintoncomcast (DOT) net> wrote:

I have been reading Thin Within. I have been doing really good with waiting until I'm really hungry. Not just beginning to get hungry. I have to say food tastes better and I think I'm much better able to recognize my stopping points before getting too full. I also have gotten up to 3 30min workouts per week. I've been feeling really good with where I'm at. But yesterday I was feeling really anxious and couldn't figure out why. I didn't have anything going on in my day to make me feel anxious. I did ok through the day, but in the evening over did it and ate too much. I ended up falling back into my mindless munching mode. I got to thinking this morning that this happens everytime I feel like there might be a possibility that I might be releasing some weight. I pondered a bit further on this and realized I have a fear of losing weight. I'm thinking that this is really my fear of what others will expect of me if I lose weight, i

f I'm slender. Also a fear of being sexually attractive. I've explored this before, but thinking I need to explore this a bit futher, maybe even with a therapist. Just putting down my thoughts/realizations. Thanks for letting me process.Alana

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I also like the idea of "releasing" weight as opposed to losing it as well - losing has a punitive, punishing feel to it because I connect it so thoroughly to dieting. There's also a weird element of shame in that word for me because to lose weight means I'm "improving" myself, which means I need improving, know what I mean?

Kim

-- Re: Releasing Weight

The authors of Thin Within talk about "releasing" weight. I really like this vs. "losing" weight. For some reason I think this has a connotation that we are actually "losing" a part of ourselves. I'm really working on using "releasing" weight instead. I don't know if it will have a psychological effect or not. It just sounds better, don't you think?

--Alana

..

[Guest guest]

That's sort of like what I have been saying to myself as well - weight

adjustment rather than loosing weight. I am much more comfortable with

the thought of my body adjusting to the size it ought to be rather

than the 'contest' mentality of what # of pounds my body is vs.

'should' be.

ehugs, Katcha

>

> The authors of Thin Within talk about " releasing " weight. I really

like this vs. " losing " weight. For some reason I think this has a

connotation that we are actually " losing " a part of ourselves. I'm

really working on using " releasing " weight instead. I don't know if

it will have a psychological effect or not. It just sounds better,

don't you think?

>

> --

> Alana

[Guest guest]

Yes Alana, "releasing weight" does sound better than "losing weight." I'm going to try and think of it that way from now on.ajslinton@... wrote: The authors of Thin Within talk about "releasing" weight. I really like this vs. "losing" weight. For some reason I think this has a connotation that we are actually "losing" a part of ourselves. I'm really working on using "releasing" weight instead. I don't know if it will have a psychological effect or not. It just sounds better, don't you think? --Alana -------------- Original message -------------- From: Kipkabob <kipkabobyahoo (DOT) ca> I If I lose weight, then I feel like I am losing me. Like I don't know who I am anymore. So I think I start to panic and hold on to the weight. Does this make sense?ajslintoncomcast (DOT) net wrote: Where do you thhink this fear comes from? I think for me, when I recall all the times I've lost weight before, I think I felt like people looked at me diferently, expected more from me. I'm trying to recall my Mom's reaction to me in the past, because I keep thinking this has something to do with it. It's like she was only

"proud" of me if I were thin. And yet, she was never exactly "thin" herself. When I've always been overweight, I don't feel like my Mom (or my Dad when he was alive) were very proud of me. There was always an unspoken unacceptance. You would think that feeling like this would make me want to be thin. Is it a rebellion thing? An F U thing? That I want to prove to them that I'm proud of myself, no matter what? I don't know. Feeling a bit frustrated. Maybe I'm putting too much thought into this. But then on the other hand, feel like I'm onto something. If I can figure this out, then maybe the weight really will release itself. --Alana -------------- Original message -------------- From: Kipkabob <kipkabobyahoo (DOT) ca> I have this same

fear. I do well for several weeks and then when I think I may have lost some weight I start eating more (not binging but just generally eating more so I don't lose any weight). I'm scared of what others will say if I lose weight. I'm scared of the comments my family will make if I lose weight. I hate having attention drawn to my body and losing weight will do that. But then at the same time I really want to lose weight! And more than that I want to feel better and be healthier! It's so hard because I really want to lose weight but yet at the same time I'm scared to death of it.Alana <ajslintoncomcast (DOT) net> wrote: I have been reading Thin Within. I have been doing really good with waiting until I'm really

hungry. Not just beginning to get hungry. I have to say food tastes better and I think I'm much better able to recognize my stopping points before getting too full. I also have gotten up to 3 30min workouts per week. I've been feeling really good with where I'm at. But yesterday I was feeling really anxious and couldn't figure out why. I didn't have anything going on in my day to make me feel anxious. I did ok through the day, but in the evening over did it and ate too much. I ended up falling back into my mindless munching mode. I got to thinking this morning that this happens everytime I feel like there might be a possibility that I might be releasing some weight. I pondered a bit further on this and realized I have a fear of losing weight. I'm thinking that this is really my fear of what others will expect of me if I lose weight, i f I'm slender. Also a fear of being sexually attractive. I've explored this before,

but thinking I need to explore this a bit futher, maybe even with a therapist. Just putting down my thoughts/realizations. Thanks for letting me process.Alana Be smarter than spam. See how smart SpamGuard is at giving junk email the boot with the All-new Yahoo! Mail Be smarter than spam. See how smart SpamGuard is at giving junk email the boot with the All-new Yahoo! Mail

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[Guest guest]

Wow. Does this topic ever hit home! It struck a nerve when I saw the title of releasing weight. I have worked to accept myself no matter what size I am for the last few years but there are things I dislike about being heavy. My knees and feet hurt and it is harder to ride my bike but I can recognize that when I actually do drop a couple pounds I 'reward' myself with food and the cycle starts again.

I think for me it is the attractiveness thing as it feels somehow 'safer' to be a bit heavier and avoid the attention. My husband seems to like me either way but he is not too open about sharing how he feels so who knows if he really wishes I were thinner or not.

The last time I was thinner and wore a 10-12 I was obsessed with the size of clothes and wd not buy a 14 no matter if it fit well or not. I don't want to go back there as it was not a healthy place for me.

Right now I am really practicing IE but with healthy food choices now that I have 'allowed' myself to eat whatever I want. It boils down to feeling better if I avoid sugar and fatty stuff.

The problem is my inner self still compares myself to those around me who are losing pounds on diets, even at the beauty salon today a lady beside me was bragging about her weight loss of 12 lbs. My co-worker sent me an email celebrating another 3 lb. loss.

This is hard but I believe it is real and not the typical temporary fix.

I am eating when I start to get hungry because I know if I allow myself to get too hungry I seem to eat on autopilot with no stopping in sight. I do think there is wisdom in accepting who you are no matter what size and feel healthier mentally right now. I do fear weight loss if it means returning to the obsession of size and weight. Who knows maybe it will be different this time. I welcome your thoughts and ideas! Deb

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wrote:

> The authors of Thin Within talk about " releasing " weight. I really like

> this vs. " losing " weight. For some reason I think this has a connotation

> that we are actually " losing " a part of ourselves. I'm really working on

> using " releasing " weight instead. I don't know if it will have a

> psychological effect or not. It just sounds better, don't you think?

I never thought about it. And now that I think about it I think it

doesn't matter to me how to express it. Maybe it's because English is

not my first language.

It's like " dieting " and " lifestyle change " - once you have unwrapped the

package, the stuff that comes in it is the same. But if it helps people

to call it " releasing weight " instead of calling it " losing weight " , why

not?

Regards

s.