Say hello to Ghadeer and me, circa 2001:
I’ve been nervous to post this for awhile but my personal trainer says it’s good to look at pictures of the old me. You know, the overweight me.
He said I should put these pictures on the refrigerator and everywhere, really as a reminder of where and who I don’t want to be.
This is a totally new tactic for me. I’m definitely a lot more comfortable looking at skinny pictures– my college years and pre-wedding– and keeping these suckers stashed under my bed.
(By the way, does everyone categorize their photos as skinny vs. fat, or is it just me?)
Looking at skinny pictures feels good. I can wallow in my longing, wishing I was back there, comforted to know I was there!!
But my trainer says the reverse psychology is much more effective. (To make me think, I don’t want to be like that and act accordingly?!) I’m not sure it’s totally working (or that I buy into it), but I am willing to give it a try (especially since there’s a cool hashtag for it! #tbt).
One bonus I do find in looking back, is an acceptance of how far I have come. Growing up overweight, the negative self-talk is omnipresent, and it’s not easily overcome. Even after losing 20 lbs, my freshman year at college, I still felt like a fat girl on the inside. Even today, sometimes, I feel like that. These pictures help remind me I’m not that.
Do you find throwbacks helpful or hurtful to your progress?
