By: Kristie Overstreet LMHC, CAP, NCC

1. Body Image that doesn’t match reality.

This is a common occurrence in clients that I work with who have lost weight and still see themselves as the person before weight loss. This simply means that what one sees in the mirror doesn’t match who they really are. Example, a client loses 40 plus pounds and when he/she looks in the mirror they see the same body image before the weight loss.

Why is this a problem? Ask yourself, what’s the point in changing your life for the better if you don’t keep up with the reality of the changes?

Try this: Get in front of a mirror, grab a photo of yourself at your heaviest and ask yourself these questions. Do I see any changes in my body? What is different? Try to identify three differences. Which body am I enjoying more?

2. Your Partner/Friend tells you that they won’t stay in the relationship if you keep losing weight.

I work with many clients who are struggling to stay in a relationship with someone who is telling them that if they keep losing weight they will leave. What’s this about? Here one is trying to change their life for the better and become healthier, at the same time their loved one doesn’t like that they are losing weight. Is it fear that others will be attracted to them, is it jealousy, or is it a way to keep control? Remember we can’t change the other person, but we can change ourselves.

Try this: Grab a sheet of paper and write the following questions:

1. Am I happy with who I am?
2. What would my life look like if I were happy?
3. Do I deserve to be happy?
4. How much of my emotional power am I giving to others?

Then answer these questions and be disgustingly honest. It will be hard but you can do it. Then reflect on these answers and put them in motion.

3. You find yourself on the scale every day or several times a week.

Why is this an issue? Give this a try, put your scale away for one week. How will you know you are “doing good?” If it takes a few moments to answer, then you have a dependency on the scale to tell you how you are doing with your weight loss. Remember when you started your relationship with the scale? Probably when you first started all of those diets that didn’t work, right? Do something different.

Try this: List how many different ways you can identify how you are doing with your weight loss without using a scale. The longer the list, the better!

Kristie Overstreet LMHC, CAP, NCC owns Therapy Department, a private practice providing individual, couples/marital, and group counseling. Kristie specializes in addictions, weight management, depression, anxiety, body image, and stress management. Feel free to contact her anytime at (904) 566-9256, kristie@therapydepartment.com, or at www.therapydepartment.com