Weight Loss and Dieting Often Come with Judgment
Does anyone else freak out a bit when people start noticing your weight loss? I had a friend tell me: “I have tried so many diets in the past and while this one is working the best by far – somehow I’m still afraid of failure.”
Yes- fear of failure as well as fear of success is a very common pitfall for dieters or even people just self-conscious about weight issues. Who else fears failure from time to time? How can we change our thinking on this as a group?
When a friend or family member comments on your weight loss it can trigger feelings of now being watched closely for how the weight loss continues – or doesn’t. Fear of judgment and sense of guilt or shame if one feels like they are not upholding the path conveyed of weight loss can cause a person to give up, stop their healthy habits, or self-sabotage in other ways.
Conversely, if a person grows up in a family where many are overweight- or if one has a significant other who is overweight- then comments from these persons can start creating a fear that if you succeed in weight loss, then you no longer ‘belong’ since you are not ‘like’ them anymore. It can create self-sabotage through fear of abandonment by your self-identified group/how you have defined yourself.
SOLUTIONS!! Try these easy exercises to shift your mindset!
We can change our thoughts by first identifying what our personal limiting faulty beliefs about who we are or how we perceive our self in relationship to family, friends or others. Also being aware that our fear of others judging us usually is actually a reflection of how WE are judging ourself. Time to sit in front of a mirror and look deep into our own eyes and ask – “what is my greatest fear?” “What am I afraid ? will change when I reach my target weight?”
Or even take the other fear to extremes- ask your self “What will the headline be in the paper over my picture on the front page when they print the story of my miserable failure in my weight loss plan?” This can help the rider (rational mind) see what the elephant ‘s (the emotional irrational inner child) true underlying fear is—- and then we usually start laughing at our self as we realize that no one really cares about our weight loss or gain more than we do (of course our loved ones want us healthy and happy hopefully) – but we realize that it is US – our own self- that puts our body under the microscope ? and not usually anyone else. (I mean – really- would YOU even look ? at a front page story like that?! Too boring, right? Which shows we all need to give our inner child and inner critic a big hug ? and … move along peeps… nothing really to see here… grin). ?
We have other articles to help with issues of Self-Love – or how to have more compassion for self. If this is an issue (as it is for many people), then have a look at this article as well: Issue of Self-Love as a Law of Attraction.
Stay Strong – no one has the power to Shift Your Life except you! And you are beautiful (inside and out) just the way you are…. we are all evolving daily.
Big Hugs and Bright Blessings!
Tracy Latz
“Shift Doctor” at ShiftYourLife.com