Good morning!
Today is a very exciting day…
- 24’s new season starts tonight and it is 2 hours
- The Golden Globes are on (I love the fashion pre-shows mostly!)
So fun. :) Is anyone watching?
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5 Things That Helped Me Beat My Obsession With Weight
Yesterday was one of those days that I really appreciated how far I have come with my Road to Health. It occurred to me that I haven’t weighed myself for about a year and a half now. I haven’t counted calories, and I generally haven’t obsessed about food for a very long time. Sure, I have my moments now and then like anyone, but for the most part I have been able to leave my eating disorder in the dust!
1) I Ditched The Scale
I have written about this countless times over the past year and for a good reason. Ditching the same, for me, was one of the most important steps in my Road To Health. I struggled for years in figuring out how to stop obsessing about my weight and what I ate. I finally figured out that for as long as I weighed myself everyday, I would never get past my focus on these issues. I don’t think weighing in is a bad thing for everyone, but for my personality it surely was. Once I stopped weighing myself, I was able to focus on other aspects of my health and take my mind off the numbers.
2) I Stopped Counting Calories
I counted calories from the age of 12 until about 25. That is a very hard habit to break! I always get emails from readers asking me how I did it and the truth is, it is not easy. While I do see the value in counting calories for some, for me it was not a good thing in my life. It took me a few years to finally stop counting calories all together. Many failed attempts. I started with not counting one meal a day, and then worked my way up to a full day, very slowly. I was quite ridden with anxiety at first, but I got over it. Much like ditching the scale, stopping calorie counting allowed me to take my focus off the numbers and onto bigger things, like my overall health.
3) I Learned About Nutrition
Before I learned about nutrition, I used to think that living off apples and ice burg lettuce was ‘healthy’. In university, I took a few advanced nutrition courses and they really changed the way I viewed food. I learned about the components of food, digestion, physiology, etc. and it really made a light bulb go off inside my head. I no longer viewed food as simply how many calories it had. I appreciated how complex nutritious foods are and what they could do for my body. These courses were instrumental in my love for nutrition.
4) I Set Goals
Goals are so important to me. As you may know, I have goals in all areas of my life for 2010. They keep me motivated, inspired, and challenged. Prior to beating the disordered eating, I never set any health related goals. Last year I set goals of running my first races- a 10k, 10 miler, and 2 half marathons (recaps here). I realized that having health and fitness goals showed me that fitness could be FUN, inspiring, and exciting. Finding something that I enjoyed made it seem less like ‘work’ and more like ‘play’. Even when I am sweating it out on the treadmill on cold winter days, I think about my spring time goal of running another race, and that instantly inspires me to train consistently.
5) I Stopped Comparing
I used to be horrible for comparing myself to other women. She has skinnier thighs, a tiny waist…she is prettier…taller…more fit. It is a vicious cycle that will never end unless you put a stop to it. There will always be someone out there who you will perceive to be ‘better’ than you in some way. I had to commit to accepting myself for who I was at this very moment in time- not 10 pounds from now. It took me a very long time to accept a few things about myself that were never going to change. Learning to love myself was one of the hardest things that I have ever done, especially after years of being my own worst enemy. Seeing a counselor while in university helped me plant the seeds and start a new journey.
It is a long road, but one that us surely worth traveling.
Have you ever made any changes in your life that helped you stop obsessing about food or your weight?
Updates:
- I changed around a few blog colours yesterday- I think it is a bit easier on the eyes now.
- Women’s Post selected me as Women of the Week- check out my interview here.
I have a full day of baking orders today…but first, a workout is in store!
Make it a good one! :D
Insist on yourself. Never imitate.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
It sounds like you overcame a lot! You’re posts are an inspiration and I always enjoy reading them :)
I’m at the point where I have a lot of weight to lose, and although I do want to focus on health verses being thin, I do have to lose weight. And I need a quantifiable way of measuring that. I just feel that I can’t ditch the scale just yet.
Congrats on Woman of the Week!
And such a great post, so very very true. I have been in your shoes, I had disordered eating. I started counting calories when I was about 15 and just NOW (at 21) am I getting past that. Like you said, counting calories can be a good thing, it’s not always bad. But for some of us, it causes a downward spiral. When I started counting calories, I would have this competition with myself to see how few calories I could consume in one day and the number just kept getting lower and lower and lower… not a good thing. And when I started to attempt to overcome my eating disorder and stop counting calories, it would almost give me anxiety attacks not knowing how many calories that I am eating. It was a very slow process. Now, I do not count calories or weigh myself and I have never been happier with my body and myself. I feel healthy and strong, not always starving and almost fragile. I also taught myself about nutrition and about how different foods give us different things. Disordered eating is such an awful thing but it is empowering to know that you CAN overcome it!
I really love this post.
I have a hard time with the weighing. I quit calorie counting but weighing is still hard for me. I’ve suffered from anorexia for years. I recently started weight training and want to get toned and fit. I’m tired of the skinny unhealthy look. Its hard being in a gym setting though with people constantly telling u to cut carbs if u want to get fit and toned. I’m so scared I’ll go back to carb counting. Trying to stay strong!!!
Be strong!! I know it’s hard but you can do it! The skinny unhealthy look is NOT attractive. Nor good for you. You are better than that!
Tossing out the scale is one of my New Year’s goals. When I was suffering from disordered eating, the scale definitely dictated my emotions. A “good” weigh in meant a good day. I soon realized I’m worth way more than what the scale can measure. I used to weigh myself multiple times a day, but now I realize the influence it has on my emotions.
Thanks for posting this. Great job turning your life around Angela! We are all very proud of you.
Angela, great post!
I also struggled with an eating disorder for a big chunk of my life. I was hospitilized for anorexia six years ago and since then, my life has completely turned around.
I decided that I was sick of living in a dark hole and took control of my own happiness. Ever since I decided to LIVE I have been the healthiest and happiest version of myself.
I hope that your blog and the blogs of others who have struggled will help all the girls out there who are going through the same thing.
What a great post. I rarely weigh myself anymore. I used to all the time. But I don’t think that we should let the number on the scale determine how our day is going to pan out for us. I couldn’t even tell you how many calories I eat a day. I am more bothered with if I ate healthy today and did I get enough fruits and vegetables. Just because you are skinny does not mean that you are healthy. When I see pictures of Hollywood celebrities looking really thin, I always think to my, when was the last time that they enjoyed a good meal?
I’ve had to start watching cals again just b/c I wasn’t getting enough for energy levels. I did however ditch the scale. That was torture controlling my days. Great 5 things!
Thank you so much Angela for your blog! I think it is fantastic and I love your positive attitude. I have struggled with eating disorders and have been in recovery for 2 years. It is the hardest thing I have had to do but the most rewarding. I also wanted to say I made your Pumpkin Pie Baked Breakfast Cake and it was Fantastic! My 3 year old loved it as well. I have one question about it though, is it more of a thick pudding texture than a fluffy cake texture?
Thanks for your comments! :)
Yes it is more of a thick texture for sho! :) I think I started calling it cake because of the ‘cake batter’…whatever you call it, it is deeelicious.
This is definitely what I’m trying to do.
Because in the long run it doesn’t matter what you weigh, as long as you are fit and healthy. I need to try to sink this into my head. Because otherwise I get obsessed with getting to a certain weight, maintaining a certain calorie range every day etc.
It’s gonna take some time and effort, but I’m going to get there :)
Reading all these inspirational blogs is definitely helping!
Thank you for this! I have been counting calories for about a year, and while it has been very helpful in that I managed to get my portions under control which in turn helped me lose a bit of weight that really did need to be lost, I have now come to the point where I’m starting to feel that counting calories is hindering me instead of helping me, so your tricks on how to stop are really helpful! I’m training for a marathon now, and I think that’s a change that made me realize that health is much more important than any number on a scale or in a food diary, because now my focus is on eating so I can be a better and stronger runner, instead of becoming a thinner person.
Oh, and thank you for being such an inspiring person! I swear, sometimes I feel like your positive energy is being transmitted through my screen.
wow, this is such a great post! i know it’s a hard road, but i’m glad to see you found things that worked for you. the calorie counting advice is especially helpful because currently, i’m actually required to do it. soon i won’t have to but i know it’ll be hard to break. hopefully your tips can help me :) thanks!
have a lovely day! xox
I was thinking the other day about how GOOD it feels to not eat and be worried if I should’ve eaten MORE, to workout and not be worried if I was doing too much, to walk by the pool in my bathing suit and not hear bon-sighting whispers. It ust feels SO. GOOD.
Calorie counting was the hardest thing to break and like you I started when I was little (like 13??!)One of the biggest things I focused on was an entire week- calories, fat, protein etc. evens itself out through the week, some days will be higher and somedays lower and forcing yourself to eat the same amount every day is ludacris!
Thank you for this post.
Wow it’s crazy to see how many of us young women have dealt with eating disorders. While I was dealing with mine, I felt so alone. It makes me happy to hear positive recovery stories.
I love this post!
I’m going through these issues RIGHT NOW and have been thinking about all of these things quite heavily. I had a baby 16 months ago and I just can’t seem to get rid of the weight. I’ve been obsessing about it for over a year now and all it has done is set me up for failure and binges. What I struggle with is accepting myself NOW and being okay with my weight when I know that I’m not a healthy weight. A lightbulb just went off when I wrote that that maybe I need to accept that it will all be okay. As long as I’m feeding myself healthfully and exercising I will be okay. *Sigh* I just can’t forget that now :-) thank you for writing this.
Oh sweetie, this post really hit me. I’m sort of where you were–trying to ease off my obsession with weight. I lost a ton of weight after being unhealthy and heavy my whole life, but it definitely warped my perceptions.
You are SO spot on with the counting calories. I haven’t -fully- kicked the habit yet, but the progress I’ve made has been so freeing and relieving.
I think for franchise food it’s good to know what’s in it, because there’s so much fiddling. But natural, whole food is nourishing and knows how to really communicate with your body. It’s like sliding away from the wall of an ice rink–scary at first, but ultimately liberating.
Thanks for the thoughtful post!
I applaud you for how far you’ve come!! Back in June I also stopped counting calories and soon after ditched the scale… and I am SO much happier without it!!!
However, I hate the fact that there is still a possibility that if I weighed myself again, the self loathing may come back. Do you feel that if you weighed yourself now, you would be happy no matter what number you saw? Of if you felt in your clothes that you had gained weight, could you be ok with that? Fortunately I feel like I am at a happy weight now, but honestly, if I got on the scale, saw a higher number, and knew my pants fit a bit tighter, I know that the negative feelings would start flooding back.
Just wondering if you have gotten to a point in your life where you would truly be accepting of yourself even if the number on the scale and your jean size truly didn’t have an impact on your happiness…. and if so, please share with us how you did it! Because I think it’s so easy for me to say that I’m at peace with my body now despite not counting calories and weighing myself since I like where I am currently at, but if I knew I was heavier than I would like than I’m not sure if I would be as accepting…
Does this make sense? Sorry if I was rambling. I would love to hear your insight on this! :)
I actually have gained weight here and there over the past couple years- I know this by the way my pants fit. I’m ok with this. As long as I am a healthy weight for my body- and giving my body what it needs each day- I’m fine with that. In all honesty, I am SO much happier than I was maybe 10 pounds lighter…and to me, that is way more important!
I lost 60 lbs but have regained 15 of them. I want to get rid of the scale and calorie counting but it’s like I CANT until I see those 15 lbs come back off. I feel horrible knowing I put them back on when I worked so hard at the weight loss. Next week I will go to get certified as a wellness coach and hope that it will inspire me to look at my own life and weight differently.
I think just being able to accept the way I am now instead of always thinking things would be better if I lost 5 pounds, has really helped me a lot! Great post!