Can Thinking Make You Fat?
Copyright 2006 Sheri Zampelli
What if your thinking creates your body? Take the example of
Daisy. She always felt like she'd look better if she lost 5 or
10 pounds. From the time she was 16-years-old, she said things
like, "I'd like to go swimming but I'm too fat to wear a bathing
suit." Or, "What guy would want to date a fatty like me?"
At age 31, after 15 years of referring to herself as "fat" she
finally became "fat." Now she looks at pictures from high school
in astonishment. "How could I ever have thought of myself as
fat? I only wish I were that "fat" now!" She says.
The truth is, our thoughts have a powerful impact on our
behavior. Consider the following example:
Original Thought: "I'll never lose weight."
Reaction: I might as well eat this cake. What's the point of
going to the gym?
Result: You eat the cake, skip the gym and prove yourself right!
Perhaps you have a thought such as "I am fat". Just because you
think it, doesn't mean it's true. You need evidence to support
your statement, so you glance down at one of your problem areas
or stare at a roll of fat over your jeans. Now, you have
"proof". You react. Maybe you react on a subconscious or
biological level, (i.e. you feel bad). Your body is reacting on
a chemical/cellular level.
The longer you hold the thought, "I am fat" and stare at the
accompanying "proof" the more real and intense your belief
becomes. Sometimes you feel so fat and miserable that you
decide, "what's the point?" and reach for high-fat, high-sugar
comfort food to feel better. Or, you starve yourself and wreak
havoc on your metabolism and set yourself up for future
overeating. If you continue this cycle, you are in the process
of creating a weight problem.
Here's how the scenario might play out if you choose to be in
control of your mind/body reaction. You have a thought: "I am
fat" but his time you are aware of the power of your thoughts.
You refuse to look in the mirror or feel your fat rolls to
"prove it". Instead, you tell yourself, "I accept my body as it
is now and allow it to become thinner" or you tell yourself,
"no, that's a lie, I am actually beautiful, strong and capable."
Now you are in the process of creating a new self-fulfilling
prophecy and you will feel drawn to "prove" your new beliefs.
Some of us feel "fat" because we are comparing ourselves to a
thinner person. In that case we can say to ourselves statements
like: "I am doing my best" and "I maintain the right to
determine what is attractive by my own standards." Other times,
the "fat" feeling is triggered by temporary bloating. In that
case say, "I am temporarily bloated but that's not the same as
fat."
Some of us have a very distorted body image. Many women I've
worked with have noted that they feel fat or see themselves as
fat even after they've reached a goal they thought would make
them feel great. We can take the power out of "I am fat" by
stating the facts such as: "I am at my goal weight" or "I'm at
the size that's right for me."
Choosing these new perspectives over the old, automatic
reactions will cause your body to have an entirely different
response. You will have stopped the chain of events that
probably triggered overeating or feelings of defeat in the past.
Therefore, slowly but surely you begin creating a new reality.
You no longer fall prey to the old, automatic reactions of
beating yourself up or overeating.
If you continue to take charge of your thinking, your setbacks
will be smaller, shorter and farther in between. Gradually, you
will gain control of your mind and body so you can find a weight
that's comfortable for you. It begins with awareness and a
choice. We are all capable of becoming more aware and making
positive choices.