Atkins Diet: Psychological and Social Aspects of Weight Loss
In this video, I deal with the perhaps unintended or least recognized consequences of obesity and losing weight. That is social and psychological aspects of losing weight or why you may be self-sabotaging yourself from losing weight. Many of us appreciate or utilize our fat as an insulator from the outside world.
Our obesity prevents us from having to deal to with certain situation, like a poor marriage, or gives us an excuse for something we should be doing, such as exercising or being a good parent. Here is a list from Tracy Rose on some potential sel-sabotaging reasons
(http://tinyurl.com/5scwqs):
* Worrying how youll be accepted at your goal weight.
* Letting fear of life without the fat barrier get the best of you.
* Being afraid of how youll respond when people show they are attracted to you.
* Fear of losing yourself to the new, slim verson of you.
* Fear of failure and fear of success.
* Wish not to deal with jealous friends.
* You wont be able to use fat as an excuse to stay on the sidelines of life anymore.
* You think people will have higher expectation of you after you lose weight.
* You are unhappy and feel undeserving of success.
There are certain ones in that list that I can definitely relate to thinking and that kept me consciously or sub-consciously fat for many years. The quote re: fat as an insulator came from this blog post (
http://www.ladymisstree.com/callipygian/archives/why_i_like_being_fat_2006_01_03.html)
Unfortunately, when we lose the weight, all the above psychological issues don’t immediately disappear either. Sometimes there are real issues underlying these issues that removing the insulator or the excuse forces us to deal with. Some of these are internal to ourselves as we may begin to treat people differently for better or for worse. Weight loss will typically lead to a better self-image of ourselves. Our children however may be unaccustomed to an active parent in their life, or we may become judgemental of our less fit friends unfairly.
Even our most bedrock relationships, our marital partners will likely be affected by our weight loss. Testosterone, a fat soluble hormone, will get released as the fatty acids in the fat cells are consumed. This typically increases the libido (sex drive), and according to studies, weight loss is responsible for a better sex life, better orgasms, and happier marital relations. Significant weight loss in morbidly obese people however also raises the divorce rate over the norm. Here are a few studies:
* Partnership, Sexuality, and Sexual Disorders in Morbidly Obese Women: Consequences of Weight Loss After Gastric Banding (http://www.springerlink.com/content/h3544l0548568505/)
* Surgery for obesity and marriage quality (http://tinyurl.com/6jv4pe)
* Removal of a Psychosomatic Symptom: Effects on the Marriage (http://tinyurl.com/6dawoe)
I think it is pretty conclusive that after weight loss we are seen differently. To some extent that is correct. We aren’t the same person as we just did something AWESOME and life-changing, but to another, we are still the core personality. Dealing with that dichotomy is just reality for those who have finally achieved their weight loss success.
Darryl
December 29th, 2008 at 3:51 am
Erica
Or you’re too old. I am 32, but i swear I have used excuses that I am too old to start and what’s the point now. Also,my partner is not too keen on having me too skinny. he isnt really attracted to skinny chicks and he’s afraid that he might lose me, which is crazy because i’ve been this size forever and I still had lots of boyfriends.
December 31st, 2008 at 10:54 am
Florence
I think it is so important to address psychological issues. Overcoming those barriers is much harder to do then losing the weight itself.
January 2nd, 2009 at 12:57 am
Patrick
I’m glad you have a good sense of humour:)
I really want to thank you for these vids, bowulf. I did atkins many years ago and it worked so well. I felt great and had an amazing energy. I fell back into poor eating habits/choices over these last few years and now have about 40lbs to lose. Your vids have inspired me to start with atkins again this weekend.
Thank you.
January 4th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Jared
Nope, just my house rabbits. Start talking like that, and Rachele77 will start offering up stew recipes.
January 5th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Sam
Been there and used them myself as I said in the video… It’s those darn invisible hand cuffs that keep us fat in the first place. I hope by putting voice to them we can ward off the demons or at least recognize them.
January 6th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Tonya
What is that in the cage over your right shoulder…lunch?
January 9th, 2009 at 2:34 am
Eric
Great vid!! Thank you so much. You are so motivational!!
January 10th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Leroy
WOW!!! You just described me to a ‘T’, I’ve used all of those excuses before and currently I have pretty much resigned myself to a life of morbid obesity, thanks for the inspiration to at least try one more time to lose the weight.
January 12th, 2009 at 3:47 am
Melvin
Yeah, sometimes we have to go through the negative to finally learn the lessons that will help us stay where we want to be. I certainly didn’t fully appreciate my weight and health I lost them. Sorry you had to learn that lesson of who you actually were and how to be safe in your own thin skin, but it sounds like you have done it now. Good job!
January 13th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Ron
Great video!
I believe this aspect of weight loss is often overlooked.
I lost 70 lbs over the course of two years after I got out of high school. It was quite a culture shock after being obese since age 5. It became too much for me to handle and by that next year I put the weight back on. It was more familiar and I felt safer.
However, now that I’m older an more mature, I’ve decided that this is not the life for me and I’ve decided to loose the excess weight and keep it off for good.
January 17th, 2009 at 6:23 am
Holly
Thanks. I appreciate the viewers of this video and their comments as this one was probably the hardest to make. I am not one to lay it out there so to speak very often, and I thought I had to with this one.
Weight loss and obesity can really affect how you think and act around others. I am just thankful my marriage and kids were helped and benefitted by mine, but I knew that isn’t the case for everyone’s. Thanks for watching!
January 19th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Alice
Ken
this is the best video ever!!
Thankyou:)
I have alot to think about
Barb
January 21st, 2009 at 11:55 am
Jeremy
I look forward to seeing yours.
Getting your mind right and in the place of being committed to losing weight is 90% of the issue. Like you said until that happens, you are just as likely to hear one hand clapping as you would be to lose weight. I am glad you liked it.
January 21st, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Erica
Another great one man…….Oh and I like your rabbit too.
January 24th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Ted
Great Video:)
Weight can be used a such a Cruch for so long; it’s hard for people to let go and actually start living and Stop Existing.
But until and Individual is Completely Ready
to lose weight for them self’s; and that aspect alone; either due to health or self image, or confidence. So unless your mind is set, your unlikely to succeed in all your endevor’s!
Thank’s for such a Great Video; with a Awesome topic, I think I will make a similar video relating towards Woman…~Nic
January 26th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Steven
yes im blessed…my sister has always been there for me….
January 30th, 2009 at 5:33 am
Carolyn
Thanks for watching…
February 1st, 2009 at 11:02 am
Michele
It’s funny because as much as you don’t want some feelings to change they will. There are times in which being judgemental got really bad, especially as someone eating a large piece of cake. At those times, I just have to remind myself how little someone commenting would have helped me be motivated to lose if I wasn’t ready.
You are welcome, and I am glad you liked the topic.
February 2nd, 2009 at 6:52 am
Eugene
Thanks for watching and commenting.
What a nice pair of sister you have sending you a reward for losing those 20 pounds! Can I borrow your sisters?
February 4th, 2009 at 5:11 am
Maurice
GREAT topic.
February 6th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Courtney
this is a very informative video..thanks….
February 9th, 2009 at 2:34 am
Lawrence
Thanks for the interesting perspective Kent. I’ve started to witness this in myself and others. Its the mental barriers we have to overcome/break when their is no more excuses.
February 12th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Rhonda
Thanks for the comments. I just hope the number of rough cuts throughout the video didn’t distract too much from the message. I know I needed to see a video like this or have these conversations as I losing weight. There is a part of the brain likes the old thought patterns and tries to prevent change, and it will conjure up some definite negative emotions as blackmail to keep us there.
I am really glad you liked it.
February 15th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Lorraine
Thanks for watching and commenting. I am really glad you liked this video. I can’t believe how many of the self-sabotaging fattitudes I carrying knowingly or unknowingly in my brain as I look back. I appreciate the fact that as I researching this topic that I wasn’t alone in dealing with these issues pre- and post-weight loss, so I hope it helps others as well.
February 17th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Craig
It certainly isn’t the easiest because in rewatching your Vlog12 (simply awesome video) and re-reading my comments, I realize I missed some of what I wanted to cover. This is a topic could be covered over and over and still not be covered in its entirety.
In the end, I just hope I have become a better person, friend, father, and spouse after the weight loss than before. It really does become an identity change — let’s hope by recognizing the change, we can see the good and not the bad.