Have started weight watchers

[countrygirl]

One of my big big problems is that if I lose weight I always attribute the weight loss to whatever symptom is bothering me that week and am convinced that this symptom is sign of cancer and the weight loss confirms it - I have been very overweight since I developed a thyroid problem 20 yrs ago and have been told that even though i take my tablets and my blood tests are in normal range , in quite a few people their metabolism never returns to normal and I think this is a bit of my problem together with spinal injuries that prevent me doing alot of exercise which means that I need to restrict my calorie intake all the time if I want to be only overweight rather than very overweight:huh:

In the past I have lost say half a stone but then one of my constant pain symptoms comes to forefront of my mind and I then overeat to prove I can put on weight. I moved house 7moths ago and have much more social life now- eating out etc which we didn't do before and have put on 10lbs in last 7 months so decided that I have to be brave and try and lose weight .

How on earth do I not put weight loss and sinister illness in same sentence:shrug:

[blondie47]

I can always depend on someone from here doing the same thing I do. I almost couldn't believe it when I read your post because I do the same thing!

I'm not truly overweight but could stand to lose 20 or so pounds. But the minute I start to lose weight I start freaking out that its cancer, even though my logical mind tells me the weight loss is a result of eating less. Its crazy. I don't know what the answer is -- I've decided I'm going to keep my 20 extra just in case. Crazy crazy crazy. If you figure out how to combat it let me know.

[countrygirl]

Thanks blondie glad I am not alone in this.

I have lost 3lbs in half a week which is I know just fluid loss but already I am worrying that I have lost too much:shrug:- I am eating plenty but less than I was as I have a problem with binge eating and so haven't binged for 4 days so just proves that this is what is causing my weight problem.

My weight also tends to go up and down by a few pounds literally daily which must be fluid retention so until I have kept the weight off for a week I can't even be sure its weight loss.

20lbs is nothing you can keep that very happily but I need to lose at least 4 stones!!!!!!!!!!!

[daydreamer]

Hiya.

You have to be rational as possible about this, easy to say I know! But, if you know you are actively trying to lose weight and have been eating healthy then THAT is why you have lost the weight!

Healthy weight loss is about 2lbs a week, you should also only be weighing yourself ONCE a week (same day/time if poss), otherwise as you say you will see weight fluctuations attributed to fluid loss/retention and that will only panic you. Also if you are a binge eater and used to weighing yourself everyday, you're probably used to seeing larger weight fluctuations, so in the first few weeks if you have a greater weight loss than 2lbs, it is NORMAL!

Another tip would be to keep a diet diary, this will help reassure you that the weight loss is down to your efforts and not to anything else! Everything you eat/drink will be written down, including portion sizes if possible. Start doing it on a week when you aren't dieting (also note your weight) as a reference point. Then, when you start dieting and you lose weight, you can compare it to the amount of foods you ate when you werent dieting and you should then see a difference, this will prove that any weight loss is down to eating less! If say, months down the line you feel you have lost too much weight and it must be cancer or some other horrid disease, you have a written record of your food intake that you can show your doctors!

I would also say, as you probably know, that if you are overweight its important to get to a healthy BMI as this will actually help PREVENT diseases like cancer!

Wishing you Good luck with your weight loss efforts :)