Body Image Can Affect Weight Loss

If it’s the inside of a person that matters, then why should we concern ourselves so much about body image? If we just focus on diet and exercise we’ll lose the weight and look and feel great. Right?

Not necessarily. Body image is our subjective belief about how we look to others. It doesn’t register on a scale and is not reflected by a clothing size. It isn’t dependant on the BMI index.

Body image originates in our brain and is affected by so many factors, and oddly enough research is finding that while we assume the body we see in the mirror  affects our brain’s perception of how we look, paradoxically it’s mostly the other way around. Our brain’s perception affects the image we see in the mirror.

A negative body image can create stress, depression and a feeling of hopelessness. In return those things make it harder for us to make healthy lifestyle choices when it comes to diet, rest and exercise.

So losing weight is a partnership between your body and mind and they need to be in synch in order for you to be the healthiest you possible.

For more on how you can improve your body image here is an interesting article on PrecisionNutrition.com.

Phantom Fat!

As someone who has shed 100 pounds I have called myself determined, successful, lucky, grateful and healthier. But I never thought to call myself an amputee!

Apparently there is a term for that I’m still fat! feeling so many people have after losing significant amount of weight, even when the scale says otherwise and their number on the BMI chart hits the healthy mark.

Phantom Fat: That odd experience where you look in a mirror and still see yourself as you were before losing several clothing sizes.

Here is an interesting article on the NBC News website on phantom fat and what exactly is happening in your brain.

Phantom Fat

At March’s support group meeting I’ll be introducing some exercises we can do to help us achieve a healthy and realistic body image!