We're talking about five surprises about weight loss, that most people don’t talk about! We often talk about how hard the process is, especially regarding willpower. We even talk about all of the benefits that you can get by succeeding. BUT, I don't think we talk enough about the little issues that crop up during and after the process.
👕 CLOTHING: If you're like me, most of your life was spent dealing with clothes that suddenly (and unexpectedly) became just a little too tight to wear, which isn't a great problem to have. If you're losing weight, the opposite can become true. Suddenly, your clothes are looking a little baggy--and even though it's not the worst problem to have, it really does start to show. Consider getting clothes tailored if you can (and want to preserve some of your favorite items). This is a great way to avoid having to go buy a whole new wardrobe.
😈 DEALING WITH "SABOTAGE": I dealt with this a lot, especially early on in the process. Invariably, a friend, colleague, or family member seems to get a little too pushy with food that you know doesn't quite fit into your plan, and you think "are you sabotaging me???" It's easy to get upset (at least for me) but this is all about point of view. No one is sitting around thinking about how to derail you--they're just acting out of habit, love, or something similar. It's not sinister. Give them the benefit of the doubt. If it continues after saying 'no' perhaps it's worth a more honest conversation about your goals and how they can support you rather than tempt you!
🧠 CHANGES TO ENERGY / MOOD: Until I started my first diet (way back when) I had no idea that cutting calories could make such a HUGE difference in mood. But, I was super irritable, which is never a good feeling. Even during my most recent endeavor where I lost 30 lbs, I was having trouble keeping my mood just right when I started off--which meant that I needed to make a change to allow for more balance. Losing weight a little more slowly allowed me to better manage mood AND make progress towards my goal.
💊 CHANGES TO RXs: With a change in weight, there is a chance that something about current medicines, supplements, or other treatments could need to change. For me, I needed to work with my doctor to asses changes for my blood pressure medication. If you're considering any weight loss, diet, or fitness plan--it's usually a good idea to discuss with your doctor to get whatever support you may need.
As a note, i recognize that healthcare, access to doctors, etc is something that is (truly unfortunately) not accessible to everyone in the world. Even in the US where I am, so many people do not have the ability to access healthcare. With this unfortunate truth, I can only offer that we need to be listening to our bodies and TAKING CARE OF THEM as much as we can given the supports we have available.
⚙ THE SYSTEM DOESN'T SUPPORT THIS: It's easy to get disillusioned with the way the system / life / the world works when trying to make a change to your wellness and weight. For me, it's immediately obvious that the systems around me (work, social pressures, etc) aren't conducing to having the time, energy, or choices available to make change. AND, I think in a lot of ways, just seeing that and knowing that things will be challenging (ahead of time) can be beneficial. And it's also helpful to know that you're not alone. This isn't EASY for anybody, and we're all dealing with many of the same pressures of life, lack of healthful choices, and deficit of time that you might be. If you're curious to learn some tips that helped me manage that, I encourage you to take a look at the video I created on 7 tips that help with the weight loss journey (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cILoHLLvYM) I hope they help!
