Eaten By Cats

When I was a single girl in my own apartment (no roommates), one of my biggest fears was that I’d die of something and my cats would eat me before anyone realized I was gone. While Fat Kitty loves and adores me, he’s also a Hunger Monster. He would not hesitate to nudge me a few times to make sure, then chow down. 😉 Since I was a bigger gal, that could be food for days!

"I WILL EAT YOU"

In fact, I’m positive that his little “love nibbles” on my various body parts are just him testing to make sure. “Is she dead yet? Can I eat her? No, she’s still moving….Drat!”

It’s totally an irrational fear, but I think a common one among women living alone. Just ask Bridget Jones about her fear of being eaten by wild dogs. Now that I live with someone, who I’m *pretty* sure will make sure Fat Kitty doesn’t eat me before he can call the coroner, that irrational fear has subsided.

Now I’ve switched my irrational fears to something else equally as absurd:

Gaining back all my weight and more.

Because I am a completely difference person now than when I was 250 pounds, the “Gaining back all my weight and more” fear is totally irrational. It’s on the same Irrational Scale as “My cats might eat me.”

The thing about irrational fears is that they keep you trapped in your head, trapped in your fear. It’s hard to get over these irrational fears because to YOU they make total sense.

MY fear of gaining my weight back is irrational because I won’t gain it back. I’ve changed my lifestyle. I’m aware of what a Calorie is. I’m aware of how much I can actually eat before I make myself sick (or fat). I’m aware of how much I rely on exercise as a stress-reliever. If I suddenly stopped exercising and ate everything in sight…then yes, I’d gain the weight back. But will that happen? Probably not.

So why am I scared?

And when do those fears of gaining it back go away?

I still count my calories every day. I’m a lot more lenient now when I count my calories and I’m not as restrictive as I was when I was trying to lose 100 pounds. There was a mental shift for me after I reached 145. I felt comfortable. I felt pretty good in my skin. It was a good mental shift.

If I notice I’m getting a little too obsessed with calories, I take a break. I stop counting for a few days/a week etc and the obsession goes away. It’s like a vacation from calories. I don’t go crazy with the food, though, and I go back to counting calories after awhile.

“Successful weight maintenance is associated with more initial weight loss, reaching a self-determined goal weight, having a physically active lifestyle, a regular meal rhythm including breakfast and healthier eating, control of over-eating and self-monitoring of behaviors. Weight maintenance is further associated with an internal motivation to lose weight, social support, better coping strategies and ability to handle life stress, self-efficacy, autonomy, assuming responsibility in life, and overall more psychological strength and stability.” (Source)

FACT: I do not want to be a statistic. (90% don’t keep it off??)

FACT: I’m pretty happy with where I’m at now.

FACT: Healthy eating and exercise has become a habit—a habit I refuse to break.

FACT: I’ve maintained it for over 2 years.

Now my brain needs to catch up and realize my body isn’t going anywhere. 🙂

QUESTION: Are there any maintainers out there with tips and advice?