Reminiscing about the body I used to have • 23.09.09
I have a lot of time to reflect at the moment on my past weight, particularly my weight and appearance when I was an undergrad student. I weighed 10 stone 3lbs back then and I would like to go back to just under that weight. It’s weird, I don’t believe I was particularly active, I certainly didn’t drink as much as I have done since meeting the love of my life this year! My diet became limited in my 3rd year due to dietary problems that have since become less of an issue.
Me and 'Giselle' the stray cat I adopted as a student
I don’t understand why I wasn’t happy with my body back then! Why didn’t I appreciate my lack of ‘love handles’ and my nice soft and feminine yet reasonably flat stomach.
I was 11 stone 3lbs when I was 17 and was desperately upset when the doctor weighed me and told me the horrific news. I was about to perform at a school concert and was mortified going up on stage not even an hour after this news was delivered. I just wanted the earth to open up and swallow me! Funnily enough, I lost 7lbs of that blubber when the cake shop across the road from where I worked part time closed! The rest of the weight fell off gradually as I became unhappy and depressed with student life.
People seem to divide into two camps, those who eat and get fat when depressed, and then those like myself, who will lose weight. Neither of these responses to depression are healthy! The problem I had was that my housemate was unwell for 3 months and had to go back home. I had no one to eat with so I didn’t bother to cook properly.
Me at university when I was thinner and had nicer arms!
If like me, you’re wondering why you didn’t appreciate a good body when you had it, don’t worry. You can get it back! As you get older, you have to work harder to maintain the body you want. This is unfortunate but you need to be aware that ‘dieting’ is actually a life style change. You can’t expect to maintain weight loss if you go straight back to doing no exercise and eating rubbish. This is why you must try and come to enjoy the weight loss process. Start to find fun in shopping for brightly coloured vegetables, be more active and enjoy shopping for lovely ‘thin’ clothes.
Reminiscing about your old body is great because it means you can visualise what you’re aiming for. More people will achieve what they are aiming for just because they know exactly what it is that they want – a slim healthy body.
