My name is Rebekah (Bek) Gilchrist; 12 months ago I embarked
on a personal journey of self-discovery and change. At the beginning of my
journey I was morbidly obese (129kg) and hiding a deep secret of self-loathing
and fear. I was scared that I would never change, that I would remain
overweight and unhappy, and that I would never achieve my goals of living a
happy, fulfilling life filled with love and joy.
I woke up one day and decided that I wanted to make a
change, while sitting on the couch in my Brisbane apartment I saw an ad for
“The Biggest Loser Australia” auditions, without hesitation, I lodged an
application. Low and behold my application was successful. I embarked on a 6
month journey with the Biggest Loser; from November 2011 to April 2012 I participated
in the television show and shed a total of 50kg (3kg before the show began, and
47kg on air). Without doubt, the Biggest Loser changed my life. It was the
single most difficult experience I have ever been through. I found an inner
strength and determination that I did not realise I was possible. I remained
committed to the journey, shed many tears, made wonderful friends, and came to
the realisation that I am a long term sufferer of Food Addiction. While I may
have lost the weight what is left behind is fear – fear that I will not be able
to keep it off, fear that I will one day return to my former self.
Food addiction or compulsive overeating is characterized by
and obsessive and compulsive relationship with food. Suffering food addicts
(including myself) have compulsive characteristics where there have frequent
uncontrolled episodes of overeating, or binge eating during which they feel
frenzied or out of control, often consuming food past the point of being
comfortably full. Following the binge episodes is often an overwhelming sense
of guilt or depression.
It is now 5 months on from Biggest Loser and while I have
managed to keep the weight off, I still feel self-conscious, have moments of
uncontrollable eating and am yet to find a healthy balance on how to lead a new
healthy life.
The goal of this blog is to help me release the fear of food
and find freedom, and hopefully balance along the way!....
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