You might live in Louisiana or any place in the US and hear people bash themselves for being overweight or out of shape. That doesn’t help or change a thing. In fact, it’s counterproductive. You need to love your body at every weight. Loving your body doesn’t mean you’re accepting being overweight permanently. It means you want what’s best for your body, which includes healthy eating and a program of regular exercise.
Hating yourself is counterproductive.
Why would you want to treat anyone you hate to things that would benefit them and make them better? That’s true about people and could also be true about how you treat your body. Your weight doesn’t define you, but how you treat yourself tells the world how you value yourself. If you’re constantly your own worst enemy, it can create disappointment and discouragement. That can lead to depression, emotional eating and even eating disorders.
Does fear cause the self-criticism?
Maybe you think you’ll never reach your goal and you want to let people know that you aren’t okay with how you look. Have you ever heard of the self-fulfilling prophecy? People often convince themselves that they’re destined to be overweight and that can lead to quitting trying in discouragement. You might go so far as to prove yourself right and self-sabotage.
Get rid of the fat hate and see yourself beyond your present body.
It’s time to be kind to yourself. The more positive you are about you and your ability to become healthier, the more likely you’ll succeed. If you had a pet or child that needed help to get healthier, your love for them would make you want to help. Be that caring person to yourself. The more you shame yourself, the more the excess weight becomes part of your persona and the harder it is to lose.
- Fat isn’t a person. It’s not good or bad. It just is. Ignore it and focus more on eating healthy, sticking with a program of exercise and getting plenty of water and sleep. Living a healthy lifestyle will do the trick.
- The minute you give up the shame and quit identifying as a fat person is the day you start living your life and losing weight. Accepting yourself doesn’t mean you’re choosing to be overweight forever, but it is what it is today.
- Find ways to treat yourself better that don’t involve food. Sometimes, parents unconsciously teach us to reward ourselves with food with celebration cakes or ice cream for good behavior. Learn to feel the enjoyment of taking charge of your body and making it healthier.
- Mentally give yourself love and appreciate the things you do to make yourself healthier. It can help prevent problems that occur when you have self-hate, like food addictions, eating disorders, yo-yo dieting and emotional eating.