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The struggle is real. I don't understand why, but lately, I've been struggling with my body. Last year, I lost thirty pounds and had ten more to go. (It's amazing what the divorce/depression/sobriety diet can do, I wasn't even trying to lose the weight.) And for a bit there, I actually liked my body. In the last month, I've gained back five pounds, and it all seems to be in my belly roll, the one bit of my body that I've always struggled with. And I'm tired of doing this tug-of-war, this love-hate relationship with my physical self.

Anybody out there ever beat this demon? And, if so, how did you do it?

Edit for clarity: I'm not looking for diet or exercise advice. I'm looking for advice to help me turn off the nagging voice inside my head that tells me that I'm not enough. I'm trying to figure out how to like my body. I'm a size 12. I'm not fat, but I am soft all over and I want to make peace with that.

Nottheonlyone 7 June 26
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10 comments

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1

I had to learn to love body when I got sick. I'd never liked it ever since I was a teenager, and I've been everything from a size 10 to a size 24. But when I was diagnosed with cancer a year and a half ago, I realized it was the only one I have.

I sincerely hope you’re liking yourself much more now, and I’m truly sorry to hear about your cancer. Are you taking the right actions to fight it?

1

Hmmm.... be gentle with yourself... what's a little roll?

1

If you figure it out, let me know. I've hated this meat suit I'm wearing for years and years.

1

First, don't get to critical of yourself. Just start thinking moderation and light exercise.

Buddha Level 8 June 26, 2018
2

Are you talking about that troublesome love handle or learning how to love your body?I just watched a series about Hugh Hefner. THey showed parties at the Playboy Mansion. THere were a fair number of women that had little bellies. Marilyn Monroe did too. If you are trying to accept your body I think a big part of it is learning to ignore the current physique fashion. Healthy is way more attractive

btroje Level 9 June 26, 2018
0

See a doctor. Seriously. Any of this amateur diet advice could make things worse. Have a metabolic panel done, esp. insulin production. Persistent gut fat is, among other things, a sign of insulin resistance.

1

A little bit of a roll shouldn't hold you back from loving yourself...you can do it...steady and slow, low carbs, move...no magic bullets, I'm afraid...in the meantime, get some figure flattering undies and lingerie...it will boost your self-esteem and help you with your goal.

3

There is nothing easy. I learned about and adhere to a plant based diet; see "Forks over Knives." I've just learned about the ketotonic diet. It seems our bodies have two different mechanisms for using food energy, one for glucose (sugar, carbs, and protein eaten) and another for processing fats and oils (fats and oils eaten). I'm still learning about them, but it seems we can use them both and manage various things about ourselves, including weight.

The things that I've discovered, which I feel confident about, are 1) we need lots of phytochemicals that come from a rainbow of vegetables, and 2) a vegan diet is a good diet. I'm less confident, but believe a ketogenic diet is a good diet, even though most people following it eat meat. The ketogenic diet may reduce inflammation, which is why I'm looking at it; although, I don't want the meat and animal products. Vegan ketotonic is possible.

EdEarl Level 8 June 26, 2018
1

I went from 145 lbs down to 112 lbs...tummy goes last..its a different type of fat that surrounds your tummy and liver..its hard-core visceral fat.. difficult to remove...??

You weigh 112 pounds?

@thinktwice

Sorry 285 down to 219 pounds. Roughly 20.4 to 15.7 stones I made a mistake with conversions... I am almost my ideal weight now. I am definately not 8 stone.......???

@thinktwice. I should have thought twice before typing that....?

@Hitchens lol I was going to have to do an intervention...my dear mother was barely 5 feet and weighed more than that and she was skin and bones..whew...glad to know...lol

@thinktwice Sorry..how silly ..don't know what I was thinking! Embarrassing.. lol cringe ???

@Hitchens your picture gave you away...you definitely look...healthy...good job

@thinktwice

Thank you Think twice.. I am 6ft 4" so even when I was big..nobody really noticed.. I carried it ok...but that's no reason to keep it..so feel and look like a slimmed down healthier version of the old me..

1

unfortunately, spot fat loss cannot be achieved with exercise or diet. Your body usually decides where to melt the fat. There is evidence that point to resistant belly fat as being due to elevated cortisol, a stress hormone related to constant anxiety. Stress reduction exercise can help (for example meditation). Cortisol is also known as the starvation resistant hormone meaning even with a lot of exercise or diet, the belly fat will not melt this fat easily.

Lukian Level 8 June 26, 2018
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