Struggling with Weight Loss: Don’t Let It Get the Best of You

Losing weight can be quite challenging. On top of the physical hurdle that you will go through to get those extra pounds off, the psychological and emotional adjustments to weight loss can be dragging too. It can be an intense emotional experience especially for dramatic weight loss experiences.

So how does one cope with the struggles that comes with losing weight? Here are some tips you can follow.

Be Prepared for the Changes and Demands of Losing Weight

Weight loss requires time and effort especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. It is a long term commitment that you should be ready to commit to. Although you should not put off losing weight indefinitely, you need to be  ready to commit to the permanent long-term eating and activity habits needed to lose weight. Ask yourself the following: 

– Are you really motivated to lose weight?

– What are the distractions that may make your weight loss challenging?

– Will the stress of losing weight put you at risk for stress eating?

– Do you have emotional support to hold on to as you go through losing weight?

– How willing are you to change your eating habits and physical activities?

If you see yourself ready and with enough support system to go through this change, the struggle for weight loss becomes less of a burden.

Do Not Let Your Mood Affect You Too Much 

Your emotions can easily drive you away from your focus in losing weight. As much as possible, avoid emotional issues and major life events that could affect your motivation and drive to lose weight.

Stress, fear, anger, and sadness are just some of the factors that can cause you to stray away from your weight loss goals. Relationship conflicts, fatigue, work stressors, financial pressures, and health problems can make weight loss a harder struggle for you.

When you work on losing weight and improving your physique, it would be best to take a pause. Gather yourself and try to attend to your personal issues first. After you do, you can immediately focus on your weight loss journey.

If you deal with losing weight and your problems at the same time, it will most likely lead you to slacking and worst impulsive or binge eating. Food can be your distraction to cope with your stressors. If you give in to such, losing weight will become harder for you.

Make Small Changes

Losing weight is a process and not an all-or-nothing phase in your life. Consider taking small steps and reaching short-terms goals that are attainable. Are you trying to remove sweets on your current diet, start small rather than attempting to completely remove them at first try. You might just end up binging from deprivation after.

Instead of running a mile in a day, why not begin with a 15-minute walk first? Create realistic goals on a weekly basis. Take notes on your journal to see how you are coping and adjusting to the changes.

It would be easier to give credit to your efforts in losing weight when your goals are smaller and attainable in a shorter period of time.

Conquering the Struggles that Comes with Losing Weight

The struggle that comes with losing weight is because of the changes in perspective that you have to implement to be able to reach your goal. Are you losing weight just to see a smaller number on the scale? Or are you losing weight to be able to run faster without having to catch your breath? Your goals need a little reconfiguration to be able to arrive at one that would really drive you to focus and reach for your goal.

The lifestyle changes that you will be implementing to be able to lose weight and keep the weight off is also life-changing. It pushes you to turn back on the things that you are used to doing, or eating. Changing or giving up a habit that you were used to doing makes the process of losing weight even more challenging.

Assess the personal challenges that may affect your weight loss journey. What are your habits and attitudes that may sabotage your way to success? Remember, setbacks are everywhere. Once you learn to acknowledge that these setbacks are part of the process for growing and achieving your goals, you will gradually adjust to the demands and changes losing weight requires.

Stick to your goals and focus on the steps that will help you get there. The results are well worth it.