Silencing the Fat Voice ~ Diane
I pitched an idea to Diane@FitToTheFinish: ‘would you be willing to talk about how after you lost the weight, how you dealt with the inner ‘fat’ voice’. To my happy jolly awesome little soul..she said ‘I’d love to’. So here are the wise words of Diane.
I mean this, she is someone who I admire from the bottom of my heart. Her words have helped me more times then I could repay her. Her insight, gentle and honest approach to sharing her thoughts is so refreshing and encouraging.
Diane..thank you.
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‘Silencing the Fat Voice’ ~Diane
I love Michelle’s blog, her philosophy on life, and her energy! I was so flattered and honored when she asked me to do a post for her. Thanks Michelle!
My life has changed in so many ways since I lost 158 pounds. For ten long years, I struggled as a morbidly obese woman. I felt unattractive and dressed like I felt that way. I shied away from social situations because I felt unworthy of people’s attention, and instead of being proactive and doing something about my 305 pounds, I continued to sit on the couch and eat chips. I felt like I lived in a continual downward spiral.
Fortunately, one day I turned my life around and got serious about my health and my weight. In fourteen months, I lost all my weight and regained my life. It wasn’t an easy journey, but it was the best journey I’ve ever been on.
And it didn’t end when the weight loss ended. In fact, the journey just took a new turn.
My life changed in almost every conceivable way. I could wear cute clothes again. I cared about my appearance. I felt more confident around other people, and I was healthier and more fit than I ever had been in my whole adult life.
But even within those outward changes that were obvious to everyone, there were some internal changes that lagged behind.
I had trouble seeing myself as others did. They saw a slim Diane, I saw a fat Diane. They saw a confident woman but I felt anything but. Internally I still felt like the fat girl. It was a continual struggle to silence that voice, and I wasn’t always successful.
There were times I fell back into old eating habits, tempting my newfound health and weight. Fortunately, I had such a fear of regaining my weight that I was able to stop before any major damage was done.
There were also periods during the first couple of years where I felt myself shrinking back into myself because I didn’t feel worthy of attention. To combat this, I had to do some serious “self-talk.” I had to remind myself that I was just as worthy as anyone else, and that I should only step back from life if I chose to, but not because I felt unworthy.
These weren’t easy voices to silence, and they still appear every now and then. Perhaps because it’s been so long since I was morbidly obese that the Fat Voice is weaker now. Or perhaps I just finally learned to listen to the right voice.
Wherever you are in your journey of life, know that you are worth every effort it takes to achieve your goals and objectives. I wish that I had been more self confident as an overweight woman, but even within my apparent lack of self-confidence, there was a glimmer inside of me that believed I could be different.
I’d encourage you to work hard to silence the false voices and listen to the true inner voice that we all possess. It will take you far in your life.
Best wishes,
Diane, Fit to the Finish
Mish,
What a wonderful guest you have here today!
Diane,
I suppose that inner voice can be the one that slinks back and say “why you”, or “you can’t keep this up”, or “you don’t deserve this”, or {any other self-sabotaging words}. I find that the key for me is to recognize that there can be a couple of different inner voices – the one above that holds me back or drags me down, and the other one – that lifts me up. So, it has become a process of knowing which voice to listen to, and which to silence. I don’t always get it right, but when I do – great things ARE possible!
Diane, thanks for sharing another part of your journey here today!
I adore diane.
WHAT SHE SAID.
that is all.
Michelle – Thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me write here today.
Diane
no thank you.
Great post, Diane is amazing and such an inspiration!
What a wonderful post. Diane is an amazing woman, and we can all take something from what she says because we all have inner voices that undermine us. I know I do.
Fantastic!
“And it didn’t end when the weight loss ended. In fact, the journey just took a new turn.”
…the journey…new turn… I get it. Profound.
Sorry for the lack of words. That sentence just resonates in my head.
Diane is such an inspiration – I love that she has kept her weight off over time…she shows that it can be done!
“Fortunately, one day I turned my life around and got serious about my health and my weight.”
Great post- however, I think I need a bit more information to understand your process, please. It seems too easy. I am interested in as much as you are willing to share about the shift in your thinking, feeling and hwo and why you decided to take action.
How? Why? Specifically, what was the catalyst that got you off the couch and away from the chips?
thanks
It’s so easy to tell yourself to learn to silence the voices. But the whole thing is not easy at all. I’ve been working on silencing the EDs and all the negative voices inside me. But I’m far from the point where I want to be. I get depressed about it sometimes. Everyday is a challenge.
Michelle,
This is just what I needed today. I have lost 145lb and I struggle every day with the idea that I can and deserve to be just as happy as everyone else. I constantly have to remind myself that food does not equal happiness and that the number on the scale does not define my self worth! Thank you!
It’s a daily struggle for many. Remember you are.
I love Diane’s blog and I’m still dealing with those mental issues.
Congratulations, Diane!
You made it because you deserve it – and, importantly you believed that you deserve it. You recognised that you must first be kind to yourself, in order for you to be resilient enough to give of yourself and achieve great things.
Here’s more on the subject – see my blog:
“Protecting your greatest asset of all”
http://investing-in-health.blogspot.com/