So much has been written and said about the reasons for obesity that it is little wonder that we (people who deal with fat related issues) have had a difficult time doing anything about it. Here are some actual examples from the "Why I am Overweight" list that have been shared (some of these have come right out of my own mouth):
"I think it started during my adolescence, when I was in puberty and started to want to go out with boys. My mother was against me dating, so she started over-feeding me. I guess so that I would get fat and be ugly and then the boys wouldn't look at me."
"I'm just naturally overweight. My body has a slow metabolism. My mom, dad, grandparents are all overweight."
"I eat to push down feelings that are coming up. I just feel like I have this bad energy coming up and I feel like I have to push it down or I feel totally miserable. After I eat, though, I feel even more miserable and guilty and then I just say who cares and I eat even more."
"I was molested as a child so I got fat to prevent any more sexual attention. That didn't work because my step-dad (or whomever) just kept violating me and I kept eating that way in an effort to get even with my mom who did nothing to protect me from this."
"When I think about memories from my childhood I get all uptight and end up raiding the refrigerator. I must have been abused or molested or something. I can't even remember. I guess I'm just eating and getting fat to protect myself somehow."
"Having a baby totally changed my body."
"I reward and punish myself with food. Sometimes I eat when I'm guilty as punishment and sometimes I eat too much to reward myself when I've been good."
"If I feel depressed or lonesome, I binge on sweets. It is a tranquilizer to me. I feel good for awhile, but then I feel shame later."
"I haven't been praying or calling on my Higher Power enough."
"I control others buymy eating. They know if I get mad I'll start eating too much. It doesn't really work, but that is what I do. Actually I comfort myself when I don't get my way and when I can't control others."
"For me hunger is an emotion and I can't handle it except by eating something."
"Eating has become a substitute for love. It fills me up when I feel emotionally empty."
"I've been so hurt by personal relationships and I guess I'm just hiding in this fat body."
"I haven't been working the program like I should."
"I'm co-dependent/an empath and that's what causes me to overeat. I cover up my emotions when my inner child is hurting."
People who persist in believing the above statements will probably not be able to solve their over eating and food dependencies. That is because the above statement don't explain why one is overweight and eating too much; they only describe ones way of thinking as they are downing another cheese covered omelet. These ideas of past roots of present behaviors provide a powerful support for compulsive overeating but they offer NOTHING in the way of personal transformation and change.*
If you feel like you are ready to overcome your Feast Beast once and for all, check out *Taming the Feast Beast* How to Recognize the Voice of Fatness & End Your Struggle with Food Forever.
