Losing weight isn’t easy for everyone, as for some people food is as much an emotional crutch as it is a biological necessity. When you’re upset, you eat. When you’re happy, you eat. When you’re anywhere in-between, you eat – and after a certain point you forget that people are meant to eat to live, not live to eat.
Not only does permanent weight loss take persistent willpower, but it takes education too – and while I have to admit I’ve never seen a full episode of The Biggest Loser, judging from season 5 winner Ali Vincent’s weight gain I’m going to assume that the show focused more on sweating than it did on learning about learning nutrition.
In an emotional essay written on Facebook, Ali explains how losing weight showed her that personal happiness is dependent on your outlook, and a lack of it is not something to be blamed solely on what the scale says:
April 15th was my 8 year anniversary of winning The Biggest Loser. In the past 8 years I have had my ups and my downs. I have had successes and I have had major losses. I have gone from feeling alone to having thousands of people reach out with support. I have experienced ultimate highs that I could have never dreamed of as well as nightmares I wouldn’t wish on an enemy. Quite frankly some of them have gotten the better of me and I have struggled. When I struggle I shut down, I feel alone, I push people away, I hide, I sleep all day, I eat, I try to feel satisfied and comforted but do nothing to allow true satisfaction or comfort.
On April 16th I did one of the hardest things in my life I joined Weight Watchers and weighed in close to the weight I started at on The Biggest Loser. I swore I would never be there again, be here again. I couldn’t imagine a day again that I would weigh over 200 pounds. I feel ashamed. I feel embarrassed. I feel overwhelmed. I feel like failure.
I remember wondering before if I was unhappy because I was heavy or heavy because I was unhappy, I realized it didn’t matter because both were true and I needed to do something about it. When I realized this something just clicked and I did do something about it. It’s different now though, I’m not unhappy with my life, there are ALOT of GREAT things in my life. I FINALLY have a loving relationship that I trust in wholeheartedly. I have friends throughout the country. I have work that inspires me. I’m hopefully finally going to be pregnant. So I’ve been struggling with why I can’t or haven’t rather pulled it together and I know it’s shame.
I’ve decided to feel proud of myself again! To hell with shame! I’ve been so afraid and worried of public shame and ridicule that I’ve created more pain for myself than anyone else can but not anymore.
Ali is now back on track to losing weight and is reportedly using Weight Watchers and DietBet to shed her extra pounds.
You can follow her journey HERE on Facebook.
[H/T Mirror]