I feel fat. It’s January. Is it Diet season again?

Table of Contents

What is the sentence that you have heard the most in January?
“I feel fat.”

Why do we always have to talk about our body weight in January? Well, the truth is that we talk about it all the time!

But when people say, “I feel fat,” it’s a whole different thing because it’s not just about being overweight, but it’s about feeling overweight. “Feeling fat” could result from something negative in your life or something else. Let’s find out.

Why do you feel fat?

Time for a notebook or a bunch of loose paper sheets and writing.

You don’t need to keep your ideas on paper, and you definitely shouldn’t show anything to anyone because this is for you to dive into your inner self. Figure out what is going on. Set a few goals to shift this feeling of being fat.

Here are some questions to help you with your regurgitation!

When do you feel fat?

Is it after eating? Do you feel fat when you wake up and look at yourself in the mirror? Do you feel fat when you are getting dressed?

Are people around you making you feel self-conscious?

Who is making you feel fat? Are people saying things to you? Are you comparing yourself to slimmer people?

How do you feel when you think: “I feel fat”?

Do you feel sad? Do you feel like hiding at home? Are you angry at people around you because you think they look better?

What do you do when you feel fat?

Do you want to eat chocolate? Do you run to the gym and work out for an hour? Do you go for a walk? Do you go to the supermarket and buy tons of junk food, salty things, sweat, and whatever makes you feel good?

Ask yourself more questions and answer them. Take your time investigating what is going on.

What do you do with the information you write about yourself?

Write down all your negative feelings, fears, and doubts. Make a list or just write: No punctuation, just let it all out—a stream-of-thought type of thing.

At the end of the page or on the next page, turn all those thoughts into something positive.  

For example:

  • I feel fat when I look in the mirror in the morning.

Before I look in the mirror, I like my body. I accept my body. I am loveable.

  • My best friend asks me when I’m starting my diet every time we eat lunch.

Tell your friend you will tell them all about it in a text and change the subject.

Meet your friend for coffee (no more meals with that friend) until you can find a good response or when you can figure out how to handle negative comments.

  • When I feel fat, I run to the supermarket and get a bunch of junk food. My favorite is milk chocolate.

Buy dark chocolate when you have a chocolate craving.

Have sweet fruit at home. Tangerines, grapes, ripe papayas, and mangos come to mind.

Substitute foods slowly: milk chocolate for dark chocolate, pie for apples, yogurt with chopped almonds, etc. Keep portions small. Serve your snacks and “emotionally craving foods” in tiny bowls!

All your clothes are too tight, and you feel awful in them.

Put all your tight clothes in a box.

Make a list of the basic clothes you need for the next few months.

Buy within your budget because the idea is to wear your favorite clothes as soon as possible.

DO NOT buy big and baggy clothes in the hope of hiding your body. Buy proper fitting clothes.

You want to feel good about yourself as you start your healthy adventure!

Do you want to lose weight?

Wanting to lose weight, losing weight, and losing weight due to peer pressure are very different things. This is why it is important to write about your feelings and figure out what is happening between your mind and body.

Be your best friend when you decide to lose weight. Your expectations must be realistic. Be kind when you slip. Look for help when you find things too challenging.

woman getting weighed with a nurse and doctor

Who can help you with your healthy weight adventure?

A cognitive behavior therapist can help you understand your behavior and change it so that you eat healthier.

A nutritionist can help you choose your food and plan your meals.

A nutritionist can help you change your relationship with food.

Change your mindset and help yourself!

How can you go from feeling fat to feeling good about yourself and addressing your weight in a positive manner?

I am not a nutritionist or a doctor, so I spoke to several people, read a few articles, and came up with a list that has helped me—and I hope it will help you, too!

  1. Go to your closet and remove all the clothes that do not fit well.
  2. DO NOT throw out your ill-fitting clothes! Put them in a container to review in 6 months.
  3. Open your refrigerator and freezer, and get rid of unhealthy food!
  4. Check your kitchen closets and donate or get rid of processed foods.

Make an appointment with a nutritionist. Find a person who can help you without putting pressure on you. Explain your problems and ask them if they can help you with them, too.   

A nutritionist will help you with meal plans and with accountability.

I have been working with a Brazilian nutritionist who lives in Ireland.  She has helped me change many habits and create new ones. Carol has been crucial to my life and well-being this past year.

You may also need help from a cognitive behavior therapist for a month or so.

Wear clothes that are complementary to your body!

Start exercising slowly. For example, walk daily for fifteen minutes a week and add ten to your daily walk on the second week.

Join a gym, do stretch classes, and find weight-bearing exercises you like.

If you don’t want to join a gym, look for apps to help you exercise.  

Joe Wicks, the body coach

I love Joe Wicks! He has several YouTube videos. https://www.youtube.com/thebodycoach1

that can help you exercise at home, and he also has an app with different weight loss and meal-planning plans.

Joe Wicks on Instagram. 

Joe Wicks site 

veggies and tofu for I feel fat article
Colorful veggies and tofu and pumbkin seeds

Apps to help you record your exercise and daily food intake

Calorie counter and meal plans: My Fitness Pal 

Calorie Counter by Nutracheck 

Online only weight-loss plans

Noom

Simple 

Weight- loss

This section of the article is the MOST important part of this article!

  • Aim for small weekly losses during the first month.
  • Lose 100 grams or 3. 6 ounces a week.  
  • Think small! It’s less overwhelming and easier to accomplish.
  • At the end of the month, you will have lost 400 grams, or almost half a kilo, or 14.4 ounces, or 0.9 pounds, or almost 1 pound.

If you lose less weight weekly, it’s ok. 

If you slip and gain, return to your meal plan and exercise. Get your notebook out and remind yourself why you are on a healthy adventure.

  • Eat colorful and beautiful food!
colorful veggies and fish
Prepare colorful dishes: Broiled chicken, tomatoes, zucchini, grapes, tangerine

Motivate yourself!

Self-motivation can be challenging sometimes, so think of some rewards you would like to have when you lose your monthly 400 grams or 14.4 ounces.

Reward list:

Flowers for your house.

A fantastic healthy-eating recipe book.

A few private training sessions.

A new workout t-shirt.

Stay on a budget when you get your weekly rewards and save your money for a great gift after two months of weight loss. It does not matter how much weight you lose after two months as long as you show some losses on the scale.  The idea is to change your lifestyle!

Losing weight is a fantastic accomplishment. But go slowly. The idea is to enjoy life, too.

It means you are getting used to the idea of a different lifestyle and are committed to and stuck with it.

You are taking care of yourself and respecting and liking yourself.

Congratulations. Keep on going.

Only challenge yourself to lose more weight when you are sure you feel good about your healthy nutrition and daily (or weekly) exercises.

Read

Eating well after 50: The quirky gourmet years

Marguerite Beaty, Blogger, Photographer & Artist

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