I have many fears. I’m afraid of lions and tigers and bears, oh my! There are good and bad fears. A good fear is of the lions and tigers and bears. You should be afraid of them and run from them very quickly if they are chasing you. Then there are the bad fears that paralyze you to not take action. The fear that tells you taking no action is better than taking action. I even have a fear of losing weight. Everyone wants to lose weight and look great. Your life and relationships are supposed to get better because you lost weight, right? What kind of fears would I have that pertain to weight loss? I’m glad you asked so here are a few of them:
I’m afraid if I lose weight, I will gain it back.
I’m afraid if I lose weight, I will be treated differently by others.
I’m afraid if I lose weight, I will get more attention from people about how I look.
I’m afraid if I lose weight, I will make others feel uncomfortable about their lives.
For several years I let these fears hold me back from trying to lose weight and get healthy. These fears led me to being 270 pounds on a 5 foot 6 inch frame. Here’s where the good fear came in. The fear of staying at 270 pounds drove me to finally say enough is enough. The fear of my body not being able to move because I was carrying more weight than it could handle drove me to take action. The fear of not finding clothes that properly fit me made me do something.
How do you combat fear? You combat fear with the truth. I write down the fear I have and write the truth next to it.
Fear: If I lose the weight I will gain it back.
Truth: There is a possibility you will gain it back. That means you have to be consistent with the healthy habits you’ve incorporated in your life.
Fear: I will be treated differently by others.
Truth: You will be treated the way you let others treat you. Learn to set boundaries and realize you are worth being treated well no matter what your weight is.
Fear: I will get more attention from people about how I look.
Truth: You will get more attention because you are taking care of yourself and it shows in the way you dress. Don’t be embarrassed by the attention. Use it as a way to get to encourage others to do the same.
Fear: I will make others feel uncomfortable about their lives.
Truth: Most of us feel uncomfortable about our lives. We are looking for someone else to fix us. As you make positive changes in your life, help others do the same in their lives.
Losing weight and keeping it off isn’t just about what you eat. It also involves changing the way you think about yourself. Don’t let the fear of failing at losing weight and taking control of your life keep you from taking action. Fear is nothing but False Evidence Appearing Real.