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How can I change my mindset on food? It is taking over my life... :(

According to my BMI I am 'morbidly obese'. I am 14 stone. 5 foot 5. Size 14/16. The lightest I've ever been was 12 stone, so I've never been thin, but I'd happy to get back to that. Ideally I'd like to be 10 stone.

For the past two months I've been 'dieting' and exercising. I've lost about two pounds, mostly because I think I keep breaking even on the calorie front, with about 2000 a day. Sometimes a bit less.

I'm not asking for advice on how to lose weight here. I know how, but my mindset is stopping me from doing it. I'm asking how I change my mindset. Everyone has their vices...alcohol, drugs, smoking...mine is food. You always hear dieticians telling you that food and snacking doesn't really make you happy and there's a reason, but it does make me happy! I am just a mess when I'm tying to lose weight. I think about it 24/7. I get obsessive, yet this doesn't mean it works. I don't know at what point people will understand that for some people, eating food is simply an addiction, and they need help with that. You don't just tell a drug addict to stop, you help them. I feel I need something like this.

I'm sick of feeling like I'm worthless and a waste of space because of my weight. I want a more positive view of both myself, and my relationship with food. I know some would probably say that I should feel like I'm disgusting, but I don't think it helps. It is possible to be okay with yourself and work on your weight at the same time, even if you're overweight.

I also feel like I'm chasing an endless goal. I want to get back to 12 stone for now, then go to 10. However when I was 12 stone I hated myself just as much as I did now. I don't feel like I will ever win. I believe even if I were 10 stone I'd hate what I saw in the mirror.

What can I do about this? It is taking over my life without result.
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kat19892012
Original post by Anonymous
According to my BMI I am 'morbidly obese'. I am 14 stone. 5 foot 5. Size 14/16. The lightest I've ever been was 12 stone, so I've never been thin, but I'd happy to get back to that. Ideally I'd like to be 10 stone.

For the past two months I've been 'dieting' and exercising. I've lost about two pounds, mostly because I think I keep breaking even on the calorie front, with about 2000 a day. Sometimes a bit less.

I'm not asking for advice on how to lose weight here. I know how, but my mindset is stopping me from doing it. I'm asking how I change my mindset. Everyone has their vices...alcohol, drugs, smoking...mine is food. You always hear dieticians telling you that food and snacking doesn't really make you happy and there's a reason, but it does make me happy! I am just a mess when I'm tying to lose weight. I think about it 24/7. I get obsessive, yet this doesn't mean it works. I don't know at what point people will understand that for some people, eating food is simply an addiction, and they need help with that. You don't just tell a drug addict to stop, you help them. I feel I need something like this.

I'm sick of feeling like I'm worthless and a waste of space because of my weight. I want a more positive view of both myself, and my relationship with food. I know some would probably say that I should feel like I'm disgusting, but I don't think it helps. It is possible to be okay with yourself and work on your weight at the same time, even if you're overweight.

I also feel like I'm chasing an endless goal. I want to get back to 12 stone for now, then go to 10. However when I was 12 stone I hated myself just as much as I did now. I don't feel like I will ever win. I believe even if I were 10 stone I'd hate what I saw in the mirror.

What can I do about this? It is taking over my life without result.


For the way you think about your self and food have you considered CBT or perhaps hypnotherapy(it works best when combined with cbt, its one of the areas I have trained in, theres alot of research to back it up).

It would also be a good idea to set smaller goals for example to loose half a stone by a set time. Use the method of smart goals and you will be off to a good start.
Smart stands for Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time.
I think the best way is to start small. Change small things in your diet. For example, if you like chocolate, switch to dark chocolate. If you like biscuits and crisps switch to those healthy alternatives. Homemade popcorn apparently is a very healthy snack. Or even just healthier crisps (e.g. Twiglets I believe are better than average).

Drinking more water will suppress hunger. So maybe worth doing that. Will also make you feel better, and tends to relax you. Eating fruit, especially stuff like apples can fight fatness.

Just try and pinpoint the foods you love, and make an effort to eat healthier versions of them. And of course don't buy/keep in the house stuff that's bad for you.

I think a lot of times people stuff it down you're throat that you need to eat less. But that's hard to do, if you're body is hungry, it is hungry, and if you try to ignore it, you feel bad/depressed. Think the best thing to do is fill your house up with healthy snacks (do a bit of looking around, find out the stuff that you really like), eat fruit, drink lots of water and eat to your heart's content (as long as it's healthy). Just be happy doing that. Even if you don't lose weight, chances are you'll feel better.

While I'm sure you'll look better thin, being thin isn't just for looks. You'll be fitter, better able to play sports. And indeed switching to a healthier life style and having a healthy body will feel good, and you'll feel healthier both in body and in mind.

It does sound to me that you are saying "it won't make a difference" because you're trying to justify not losing weight, and eating food that's bad for you. It's much easier to give in, hard to persevere. Which is normal. Just having all those unhealthy foods not around you will help.

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