Overeating and body image

Since moving abroad two years ago, my body has changed a lot and I am struggling to accept my weight gain as a neutral fact about me. I also tend to overeat when I am dealing with difficult feelings which there are a lot of, as both of my parents are very ill and I often feel very alone with all this in my new city/county. I beat myself up about looking different (sometimes obsessively) and this is worrying to me, as I used to have disordered eating when I was younger but this has not been as much of an issue over the past 5 years.

I am not sure if this is how to ask these questions, still new to the community!

 

 

Answer:

Welcome! We are so glad you are here. There’s no right way to ask a question, just bring whatever is happening in your brain and we’d love to help you see what you might not see or point you in a direction you can explore.

When we say circumstances are neutral it means they are facts. We can think anything we want about these facts. It does not mean we should be emotionless about our circumstances. For example: 200 lbs is a fact. Someone might feel horrible about it because of what they think about that number. Another person might cry with joy because of what they think about it. A third person may not think about weighing 200 lbs at all.

Write your weight at the top of a page and then write down everything you are making it mean. Don’t hold back, don’t judge. Just free write all the things you are thinking. Everything that comes out is why this doesn’t feel neutral. And that’s ok. The first step is always becoming aware of our unconscious thinking. You’re right where you need to be. Give yourself a hug and celebrate you for being willing to take a look at this. See what comes up and bring back your questions or models for more coaching.