Help! Feeling rushed and pressured.

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10/12/12 5:44 P

DREAMABBEY - you say "the crazy thing is I don't judge other people for gaining weight. It actually makes me feel better to know that we are all human and things happen." You NEED to learn how to apply this to yourself, too! Poor self esteem issues could even BE part and parcel of your weight issue - along with the hypothyroidism (and it takes a while for a proper effect to be seen). If you aren't already, then seeking Therapy (your Dr can refer you to a Therapist) to help you overcome your poor self-esteem and possibly any baggage from the past which may have contributed to it, would do wonders for you, ALTHO' there are some techniques that you can use yourself wherever you are. One of those techniques is called "Self Affirmations." Make a big list (there WILL be a big list:-) of your positive traits:

"I am a GOOD person"
"I am a HELPFUL person"
"I am KIND"
............................ etc. etc. - you get the picture!

Now cut all those up into strips and put them in a jar. EVERY MORNING stand in front of a mirror, take some out and read them OUT LOUD.... and RE read them ..... AND BELIEVE THEM.

In time you will notice that your self esteem is improving. You can do this where-ever you are, but in public I would be more inclined to THINK them rather than verbalize :-)

Good luck,
Kris

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10/12/12 5:30 P

If I was being medicated for hypothyroidism, I would find a doctor that prescribes Armour. It is the only synthetic thyroid medication I would take at this time.

Edited by: MICHELLEXXXX at: 10/12/2012 (20:10)

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10/12/12 4:16 P

DREAMABBEY,

You have nothing to be ashamed about ! as others have already said, you have a medical condition that is causing your weight gain. Once your body is healed with the help of the medication, you'll start to shed the excess weight. Don't worry about what other people think. The fact is, we are our own worst critics. We tend to think the worst of ourselves. Try to put that out of your mind.

As the old song goes,"accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative". Give yourself credit for the POSITIVE things you do for yourself and down beat yourself up because you're not perfect. You don't have to be perfect to be healthy.

Take your time losing the weight. Here's something I learned from my own years of yo yo dieting,"the faster a person takes off the weight, the faster it packs back on". You will take the weight off, but it will take time.

Be kind to yourself as you would to others.

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10/12/12 1:37 P

Yes, I am taking levothyroxine for it. I just went to the doctor to get my levels retested since I wasn't really taking it properly. But I have been for the past couple of weeks and I am feeling a lot better but the weight is still there. Because of poor eating habits, though. And you guys are right, I have a medical condition, and even if I didn't my weight gain is no ones business but mine. It's just so much easier said than believed. Thank you for the support, though :)

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10/12/12 11:41 A

I too hope you are being medically treated. And speaking of "medically" ... if you had a disease you wouldn't think you should be embarrassed for something that showed because of it would you? Like if you had arthritis in your hip and you limped? Or if you had roscasia and your cheeks were pink? Or if you had hypothyroidism and you gained weight? OOOO see how I threw that last one in there? If anyone has the rudeness and audacity to mention it, simply tell them Yes, I developed a autoimmune disorder condition and I'm in treatment. That will shame them!!

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10/12/12 11:38 A

Are you receiving treatment for your thyroid? Hypothyroidism affects your hormones, affecting your mind and your body. I hope you are working with someone versed in this condition.

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10/12/12 11:09 A

I agree that you can't really rush the weight loss process.

Here are some ideas to help you when you see those people who haven't seen you with the weight gain:
-Try to look your best that day. Wear flattering clothes that accentuate your favorite parts of your body. Put on some makeup if you don't normally.
-Smile and try to look happy, even if you are feel self conscious. Fake it till you make it! You will seem confident.
-Give yourself a pep talk.
-Wear Spanx or a girdle to smooth out your curves.

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10/12/12 10:28 A

Thanks everyone :) And yes, I have always had self esteem issues about my weight. Even when I was little I thought the other kids didn't like me because of my weight. Which no one ever said, it has always just bothered me. And you know, the crazy thing is I don't judge other people for gaining weight. It actually makes me feel better to know that we are all human and things happen.

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10/12/12 9:11 A

Serah-Moz- your thoughts are exactly everything that we should be thinking about instead of berating ourselves and comparing ourselves to other people. I am going to print your message off and read it often to keep myself in check. Life is short, enjoy it no matter where we are in our weight loss journey. Good job...

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10/12/12 8:59 A

Hi Dreamabbey,

I can speak only for myself, but I too, have experienced this in the past. The deal with me was I was constantly roller-coastering my weight. One year I would be 40 pounds down, the next year I would be 50 pounds up. I was really good at losing weight, but keeping it off was a whole different story.

What changed in me when I began my last and final journey was I could not allow others to define me or give me the joy in my life. I had to find those for myself. This did not happen overnight, but over a period of years as I had to peel back the layers to find the real me, I was meant to be. If people judge me on the way I look, what I wear, what I drive, etc, than they are not my friend to begin with. Who I am is my character. Am I kind, thoughtful, giving and loving.

Hang in there and know that you deserve to be healthy for you, not for others.

Coach Nancy

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10/12/12 6:37 A

hypothyroidism is a medical condition. With proper medication you will find that your weight will normalize more, and of course with the added boost of good nutrition and watching portions you will find it easier.

Don't worry about what other people think - just worry and do what is best for you and YOUR body and condition.

Kris

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10/12/12 4:02 A

I have so much sympathy for you right now. Those are complicated feelings to struggle with. I can relate in a way, I lost a lot of weight (40lbs) on SparkPeople and was very healthy and fit and now I have gained it all back plus some. Not only do I feel the pressure to be fit again upon my return to the states in 10 months but I have not been going to the beautiful beach only 20 minutes from me (an activity I LOVE) because I am ashamed of my body and feel it needs to be in better shape before I can go. We have to have patience and it sounds like you know that, but it can be so hard, a funny little card reminds me of my own feelings about losing weight "Me: I just ran for 10 minutes......am I skinny yet?!"

In terms of facing people that you haven't seen, that seems to me to be more an issue of self-esteem and body image then the actual state of your body. Remember that no one...and I mean absolutely NO ONE, obsesses about or thinks about your body the way that you do. Do you harshly judge your friends for gaining weight? (I hope you don't!!!) That said, I posted this a long time ago because it helps me when I am feeling really vulnerable, pressured and unsure about my body. I hope that it helps you!

************

-----CORRECTION: My apologies, it was pointed out that I failed to include the link to this in the original post. I had no intention of passing this off as my own material, and give full credit to this post that I found a few years ago and loved at www.healthybodyimage.com -----Learn to Love Your Body: Heal Negative Body Image



Edited by: SERAH_MOZ at: 10/12/2012 (19:28)

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10/12/12 2:38 A

Ok, so after I had my baby in 2010 I immediately (and I mean immediately) lost all of my baby weight. Which was about 20-25 lbs. But then last year I was diagnosed with post partum hypothyroidism and I have gained about 40-50 lbs since then. But I am so embarrassed by this and I get very anxious when I have to see people I have not seen for a while. I feel like I have to lose the weight ASAP. Which I know is ridiculous because weight doesn't come off like that and I shouldn't care what people think and I have to do this for myself, blah blah. But I would like to figure out some coping techniques to deal with having to see people you haven't since since before the weight gain. I know I shouldn't care what people think, but I just do.

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