Myth-information. Sit-ups to reduce abdominal fatness will result only in a “tight’ fat waist instead of a ‘loose’ fat waist. Sit-ups can tone muscle but will have little effect on the subcutaneous fat overlaying this muscle.

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Dr. Christopher Fairburn has come up with a list of the most common of these attitudes:

-”I must be thin, because to be thin is to be successful, attractive, and happy.”

-”I must avoid being fat because to be fat is to be a failure, unattractive, and unhappy.”

-”Self-indulgence is bad because it is a sign of weakness.”

-”Self-control is good because it is a sign of strength and discipline.”

-”Anything less than total success is utter failure.”

In therapy we bring these attitudes to the surface, analyze them, and challenge them. We try to discover both the advantages and the disadvantages of holding on to such beliefs. For example, there are reasons why people may base their feelings of self-esteem on their weight. After all, measuring weight and judging oneself accordingly, is a simple task. Weight is one thing about themselves that people can have some control over. Besides, gaining weight gives a good excuse for failure in other areas of life: “Of course no one asks me out; I’m a fat pig aren’t I?”

The downside of this attitude is that the patient will never be satisfied with her weight-and thus herself-for long. Focusing on weight distracts one from working on real problems in forming and keeping relationships. By concentrating on dieting, a person can avoid having to deal with issues of low self-esteem or other bad feelings.

In therapy we look for insight into how these attitudes arose. What influence did the patient’s family, friends, and social forces have on her thinking? When did these beliefs begin? How did they take root and grow? What else was going on in her life at the time the attitude started? One way to shed light on such questions is for the patient to talk to friends of long standing, or look at old family photos or diaries.

The desire to be in control often overwhelms the patient’s ability to think clearly. She believes that if she can’t control her body functions, such as hunger, menstruation, or sexual drive, then catastrophe will result. Such an attitude is one of the hardest to shake.

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This particular photo, taken in June 1997, shows a father, mother, son, and daughter, all smiling at their annual family picnic.

It s a moment frozen in time, a vivid reminder of when Julia and Adelaide each weighed 205 pounds. Both women are 5-feet, 2- ST inches tall.

“Each of us got a copy of the picture for Christmas that year. My mom and I cried when we saw it. That was the fattest we had ever been,” says Julia, 37, of Brooklyn, New York. “You know you’re getting bigger, but it doesn’t really hit you until you look at a picture of yourself.”

Instead of stashing the photo out of sight, Julia and Adelaide agreed to display it prominently in the front row of a table full of family photos. It gave them incentive to get serious about losing weight. Their first step was to join Weight Watchers the following February. Now, they attend classes every week.

Every day, Julia and Adelaide take a long look at that picnic photo. Since it was taken, the two women have lost a combined 90 pounds and five dress sizes. Julia, who’s 50 pounds lighter, went from a size 18 to a 12. Her mother dropped 40 pounds, shrinking from a size 18 to a 14.

Both women want to lose more weight, and they’re pleased to report that they’re well on their way. They’ve added a new photo to their tabletop gallery. This one shows a mother and daughter— slimmer and smiling.

WINNING ACTION

Showcase your “before” photo. Find a photo of yourself and keep it where you can see it every day—on your nightstand or refrigerator, for example. As you lose weight, take new photos and display them with your old photo. They’ll serve as visual reminders of where you started and where you’re headed in terms of your weight-loss goals.

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