In the prison of your own body
Living in the prison of my own body - maybe that’s how I could describe what it was like to be fat.
The bars of my prison were my excess weight. It kept me from doing what I wanted to do. Move the way I wanted to move. And in that prison, it was a pretty good life. Emotionally happy in a loving family but physically second-class.
My prison guard was my appetite. I fed myself just enough to stay in prison and not want to get out. I ate well because I always liked to eat, so I guess you could say eating is a central theme for me. I used to, and I still do; I couldn’t change that. But I can now shift the focus to foods that are more suitable for me (which is a matter of opinion as to whether they are healthy).
I came across a video the other day where a woman who was highly overweight was talking about how she was a food addict. Food was the only thing that made her happy. It got me thinking because a drug addict can live without drugs if he quits drugs; a smoker can live without cigarettes if he quits cigarettes. But a food addict?! Well, you can’t give up food.
The most challenging step was to accept the situation. I have too much going on around food for it to be to a healthy degree.
If you feel like you can’t resist food and you just eat one more piece of meat when you’re full, one more side dish, one more snack, extra whipped cream, and you allow yourself that every day, you may be dealing with food addiction.
What can you do?
The first step is to recognise and accept the problem. Then you need professionals who can help: a trained dietician to help you make the proper diet and a psychologist to help uncover the causes. It’s good to join support groups (like this site’s Facebook group) where you can discuss your problems and ask questions even anonymously.
A well-planned diet can be accompanied by exercise to help distract you. It’s also worth incorporating stress management into your daily routine through breathing exercises, meditation or relaxation (or a combination). Sleep and stress are linked, so you need to allow your body to get some restful sleep.
My personal advice is to take the time to document. Honestly write down what and how much you ate and moved, weigh yourself, and track your own changes. Trust me, it’s worth it!