The fat mind: you've lost weight, but you still don't feel like the woman others see. Here we explore the concept of "phantom fat" and how to deal with the image in the mirror

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, July, 2003 by Carrie Curtis

The new summer fashions have arrived. You've lost 10 pounds and you can't wait to show off your hot new bod with the season's revealing styles. However, once you get to the store, all you do is reach for your old size. You may even buy a slinky dress off the rack without trying it on. Then, you wear your too-big new clothes, thinking they fit.

While this may seem ludicrous (Why would anyone buy clothes that are too big? Isn't that the beauty of losing weight?), there are women who lose a significant amount of weight, but despite their new, thinner bodies, cannot escape the "fat" women they once were. Why aren't these women reveling in their new bodies and feeling proud? Body image is much more complicated than simply a number on the scale. Some women create such a negative body image that no matter how much they weigh (or don't weigh), they still feel fat, inferior, unsatisfied and unhappy with their bodies.

To help shed this "phantom fat," MUSCLE & FITNESS HERS spoke with Christy Greenleaf, PhD, assistant professor in the department of kinesiology, health promotion and recreation at the University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton. Her primary research focuses on body image and disordered eating among exercisers and athletes. While having a negative body image isn't on par with severe disorders such as anorexia or body dysmorphic disorder, it can still cause mental and emotional anguish. Challenge your negative body image as you have challenged yourself physically. Accept yourself at your current weight, and at 10 or 15 pounds up or down from there. The tools to a new perspective are found below.

M & F Hers: What is the definition of body image, and why is it important?

Greenleaf: Body image is described as the internal representation a person has of her body. Body image can include the following components:

* Cognitive. How a person thinks her body looks.

* Affective. How a person feels about her body.

* Perceptual. How a person perceives her body size. Usually, an overestimation of one's body size.

* Behavioral. How a person avoids distressing situations, such as not going to the beach to avoid wearing a bathing suit.

M & F Hers: How common is it for a woman to feel unsatisfied with her body?

Greenleaf: Many women in our society have negative perceptions of their bodies. Examples of this may include being dissatisfied with one's weight, being unhappy with a specific bodypart (e.g., thighs, stomach) or feeling guilty or embarrassed about one's body shape not meeting some perceived ideal.

There is some evidence that rates of body dissatisfaction have increased over the past 30 years. Some studies have found more than 40% of women reporting body dissatisfaction and 50% of women engaging in dieting behaviors.

M & F Hers: Is there a term for still feeling overweight even after you have slimmed down?

Greenleaf: Thomas F. Cash, PhD, and author of several books on body image, has called the phenomenon of still feeling fat after weight loss "phantom fat." Research has supported this idea, finding that some women who have lost weight continue to have negative body image thoughts and feelings, along with weight concerns.

M & F Hers: Why can it be hard for a woman to lose her "phantom fat" and change her body image?

Greenleaf: Attitudes and beliefs about weight are deeply ingrained in our society and often, individuals internalize them. For example, an overweight woman may believe that she is a worthless individual who does not deserve to be happy, and who has only herself to blame for her weight. Because of her internalized negative beliefs, losing weight may not necessarily result in improved body image.

M & F Hers: What are the factors that may be related to difficulties accepting and adjusting to weight loss?

Greenleaf: One factor is when the onset of weight problems occurred--childhood onset vs. adult onset. Some research suggests that early onset of a weight problem causes more persistent body dissatisfaction. This makes sense from a developmental perspective because one's sense of self is shaped by experiences in childhood and adolescence.

Children are very aware of the importance of weight and appearance in our culture. For example, children as young as 6 years old report body dissatisfaction, and elementary school girls report dieting and biased attitudes towards overweight and obese people.

Another factor can be unrealistic expectations of the results of weight loss. If attitudes reflect cultural norms, then it is reasonable to think that many women may associate weight loss with happiness. An example of this is the thought, "If I lose 10 or 15 pounds, then I will be happy, then I will go to the beach with my friends, then I will have a boyfriend, then my boss will take me seriously."

M & F Hers: After a woman has lost weight, could she resist forming a new body image because she fears gaining the weight back?

Greenleaf: That is definitely a possibility, particularly if a woman has had previous experiences of losing weight and then gaining it back--and sometimes gaining more than she had lost. A lot of women engage in yo-yo dieting, which is generally accepted as unhealthy. Most professionals agree that dieting does not work, because the majority of people who diet are not able to keep the weight off. What is important is engaging in healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle including exercise.