Reddit mentions of Starting Monday: Seven Keys to a Permanent, Positive Relationship with Food

First off. Deep, deep breath. It seems to me like the biggest obstacle you're facing is your overall mindset. If you go in thinking something like this:

> I feel like I've resigned myself to the fact that I was always a fatass, I always will be a fatass, my body is never going to look good, and I may as well stop trying.

It's no wonder you have a hard time staying on track. That kind of mindset can create a self-fulfilling prophecy and is sabotaging, especially if you got to what your goal weight was and didn't like what you saw.

Few things. One, unfortunately our goal weight doesn't always look like what we envisioned. Sometimes it's because we're suffering from body dysmorphia and don't accurately see our body as it really is. Other times it's because we didn't accurately imagine where we'd end up. The good news is there is still room to change whether it's dropping your goal weight down and losing a bit more, or by upping strength training to change our body shape through muscle. Either way though if you are convinced you are never going to look good, you're going to fail.

I think the good news is what you are feeling is actually pretty common. I think many (and possibly even most) people have some kind of thought process that can sabotage their best efforts even when they know the mechanics of how to lose weight. It's why I personally think working through the emotional side is just as important as learning about and implementing nutrition and exercise.

For someone who's struggling with what you are I'd HIGHLY recommend the book Starting Monday because it explores how to work through issues like the one you're raising above. From the book:

> Starting Monday is based on the simple premise that when our behaviors don’t align with our expressed intentions, we’ve got a conflict going on, often outside of our awareness. The book helps readers dig deeply into their psyches to figure out what mistaken beliefs and needless fears are holding them back from achieving their health and fitness goals. The polarized feelings for disregulated eaters to identify and resolve fall within these seven key areas: 1) create lasting change, 2) making conscious choices, 3) feel deserving, 4) how to comfort themselves, 5) know what's enough, 6) manage intimacy, and 7) developing a healthy identity.

I know that when I lost weight the second time around I had some emotional issues going on that were holding me back and reading the book helped a lot. Not only have I had a more balanced and healthier approach to food this time around but I feel so much happier about the process and myself.