sparked by something I saw on Oprah: if you thought about it....

what is the emotional reason behind your extra weight? If you think about the extra 20 pounds around your waist (or wherever) and you concentrated on it, why do you need it? Where is the anger (or hurt) coming from? I'm still thinking.

Thu. Feb 16, 9:54am

Personally, I think most of the psychological stuff about weight doesn't have anything to do with hurt and anger or fill in the blank. That's all just excuses. In my case, I'm just a sugary/fattening food addict!

Thursday, February 16, 2006, 10:51 AM

I think people definitely develop a dependency on food to deal with emotional issues. Is it an excuse? Maybe not, but it's an explanation. Simply saying it's no excuse is really no help. Using the word "addict" implies there are emotional issues behind your dependency on sugar/fattening food. It may not be the same reason that other people have, but it's still there.

Thursday, February 16, 2006, 11:49 AM

Nope, nothing emotional, just a love of sugar. LOL, actually the thing that turned my life around was reading Dr. Phil's book "The Ultimate Weight Solution"! How's that for not really buying into psychology. But he is of the "No Excuses" school. He teaches that you must set yourself up for success and not rely on willpower, but also make positive/right choices.

Thursday, February 16, 2006, 11:54 AM

I not sure mines emotional - I tend to eat out of boredom. But, it might be emotional afterall, maybe I just can't find anything that really satisfies me more than some tasty food. Maybe something is just lacking in my life. Definately something to think about. Thanks, I'll have to think about that some more.

Thursday, February 16, 2006, 12:05 PM

Well, I love Oprah and Dr. Phil, but...

1. I have to say that you can't use being an "addict" or "emotional issues" to give you an excuse to overeat. Having said that,
2. There's NO WAY overeating is not tied to some emotion. The human body does not physiologically require all the calories we consume in one sitting either at a party, or at dinner, or with snacks. We get "satisfied" way before we even eat a quarter of our food, yet we stuff ourselves silly. So wether it's a high we get, out of boredom, out of depression, or to celebrate, overeating is tied to emotion.
So, I say take steps to create the right environment for you to succeed, and be mindful of what and how much you eat. It's a hard habit to break, because of the big food, big portion culture we live in. But if we want to be healthy, we have to address it.

Thursday, February 16, 2006, 1:05 PM

There are powerful signals between your stomach (fullness) and blood levels of sugar and fats (probably others as well) that tell your brain whether you are hungry or not. I have had a weight problem all my life, I think about food all the time. When I finish one meal, I start thinking of the next snack or meal. Once I went on one of those appetite suppression pills (the half of FF that wasn't associated wtih heart damage). It worked for about 2 weeks. I couldn't believe how free I was of not thinking about food. In fact, I didn't eat until my stomach started growling and I looked up and it was an hour or two after the usual meal time. I felt "normal" for the first time. But I realize that our bodies will adapt to foreign substances. (I quickly gained all the weight back.) I really think that some of us are just wired differently with the satiety centers set at lower set points that never says I'm full. I am happy to say that with the accountability function of PT, that I have been able to put off my eating until it's "time" so I dont' have to admit my blow out. So I'm sure some people eat out of boredom or emotions, but some of us just because we crave food.

Thursday, February 16, 2006, 9:37 PM

just sayin...

One of the things I hated most about being fat (60 lbs ago) was people's perception that I was emotionally screwed up and lacked willpower and self-control. In fact I was pretty mentally healthy, and had LOTS of willpower and self-control (enough to get a PhD for instrance). I had just never been given the skills to avoid gaining weight (namely, an understanding of proper nutrition and portions, and instruction in exercise or sport). In fact, because I applied my willpower to working hard at school, I sabotaged my weight (ie, too busy to cook healthy meals, or relax and get some exercise). I think many Americans esp, and women esp, just aren't given the tools to win at this game given the abundance of unhealthy food, our busy lives, and unlucky metabolisms...

Friday, February 17, 2006, 12:03 AM

it's hard to over eat fresh veggies (Starches excluded). Over eating isn't always the problem. The problem is what you over eat.

And for some, the problem is insulin resistance or other medical problems- but those can be addressed.

I don't however buy that women aren't "given" the tools- nor do I think we should be "given" the tools. They are out there, it is our responsibility to use them. It is our obligation to make our health a priority. And that is what few people do. They blame their busy schedule, their taste buds, their budget, thier upbringing, their fears, as to why they can't do what it takes to lose wieght and be healthy.

I had the will power to get my law degree in less than 5 years, pass the bar the first time, yadda yadda, but I was overweight because I couldn't be bothered to make it a priority. And some people here will fail regardless of the support because they don't make it a priority- because they will settle with baby steps forever instead of learning how to run with it.

Friday, February 17, 2006, 12:45 AM

I think, in one way or another, we all have an emotional reason behind our extra weight. It can be as simple as disinterest in healthy eathing or as complex as compensation for something missing in our lives. I think the real question from this Oprah show is WHY DO YOU NEED IT? I think we're also all asking ourselves that question, otherwise we wouldn't be involved in Peer Trainer.

I personally believe losing weight can be as complicated or simple as we make it. I believe in the Nke-esque philosophy of "JUST DO IT." You know? Just stop making excuses, and bust your ass if losing that extra weight is what you want. This motto works most of the time, but can get suprisingly complex during binges and lazy days.

Friday, February 17, 2006, 2:55 AM

I agree it's all about making your health a priority -- that is the mental change that allowed me to persistently keep up the day-to-day mundane changes. But many women aren't encouraged to make their health a priority. Whether you're work-oriented or family-oriented (or god forbid trying to be both), your time is being demanded by other people. For me at least, the weight loss journey has involved learning skills that made it easier to eat better and exercise without having to force myself through sheer willpower -- ie, things that make it FUN.
When I hear people/society implying a fat woman is a selfish glutton who should just have more self-restraint, I think it's just the opposite -- she clearly isn't allowing herself the time or money or deserving-ness to do the things that make weight loss easy. I think getting girls involved in sports is a great thing -- when you're playing a GAME, exercise is FUN. I know it's sad, but I swear I just recently realized that... Just want to stick up for the people like me out there for whom "willpower" isn't going to cut it. :)

Friday, February 17, 2006, 12:02 PM

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