October 2019 - Lap-band

The weight-loss journey can be an incredibly emotional one. Not only are there emotional setbacks that prevent you from starting the journey, but doubts may creep in during the journey too. Finding strategies to overcome these emotional setbacks is crucial to maintaining long-term success.

Before you begin your journey, you’ll need to understand that some of your relationships may suffer and fall apart entirely. Not everyone will understand your commitment to your weight loss. They may be frustrated when you say no to a Friday night pizza outing, or when you refuse to skip the gym to hang out with them. Others may not be ready to embrace your new lifestyle, and that’s okay; find the people that are.

On your weight-loss journey, it’s important to remember that you are a person, not a math problem. Weight loss might seem entirely like a numbers game, but it’s so much more than that. The numbers on the scale are important, but there may be weeks that you don’t lose as much weight as weeks prior. It can be easy to fall into the trap of feeling like a failure. However, staying consistent is key. The weight will come off. You also need to pay attention to how you feel in your body, and how the healthy lifestyle changes you’ve made are contributing to a happier life. There are activities you may not have been participating in previously because you were uncomfortable in your body or didn’t feel like you could do it; embrace these new activities and prioritize self-care. Weight loss is just as much about improving self-esteem as it is about improving health and seeing the numbers on the scale drop.

On your journey, there are times you’re going to feel like the “fat person” at the gym or studio. You might feel ashamed because you can’t physically complete an exercise another person is demonstrating. You might find yourself comparing your fitness levels to another’s. All of these feelings are normal, yes, but you must remember that everyone deserves to be at the gym—no matter their size. If you find that you’re extremely uncomfortable, look for a new gym with a stronger support system or find a workout buddy who will encourage you and be a source of positivity at the gym. If you feel comfortable enough, try working with a trainer. They’ll slowly help you build strength so that you can work up to exercise that you never thought possible.

There will be times you might want to give up. You might feel guilty or unworthy of being a healthy person. You might start to doubt yourself and feel like you can’t lose the weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. As a result, you may participate in self-sabotaging behaviors. It’s normal that your self-image may take a while to catch up to your physical changes. Get to the heart of these negative feelings, reach out to your support system, and start engaging in regular positive self-talk.

Source:

http://www.lifetime-weightloss.com/blog/2013/10/19/8-insights-into-the-emotional-journey-of-weight-loss.html

Do you food journal? Are you hoping to get into the habit? Studies suggest that food journaling can double weight loss, but it’s much more than simply writing down your food intake. You should include information like your mood, hunger level, and dining environment. Observing these patterns can help you understand why you eat the way you do and evaluate any changes you need to make.

The act of writing down what you’re consuming each day tends to encourage people to consume fewer calories. When everything is written down, you have an accurate understanding of just how much you are eating for each meal, each day. You’ll begin to notice patterns. This awareness can help you dial it back if you notice you are consuming too many calories or too many carbs, and so on.

When food journaling, take it one step further by monitoring other factors so you can truly understand your eating habits. Track your hunger level so you can begin to understand hunger cues. How hungry are you when you eat meals? Do you feel like you’re starving? Are you just the right amount of hungry? Are you not hungry at all and you’re eating because you’re bored? If you’re eating when you’re not hungry, you’re probably falling victim to emotional eating. If you’re starving when you go to eat your next meal, you might not be eating enough at mealtime or you need to start eating small, healthy snacks in-between meals.

What is your mood like when you eat? Write it down. If you’re feeling a bit irritable, is it because you waited too long to eat? Moods can often contribute to what you end up choosing to eat—whether it’s a good choice or a poor choice. If you are feeling low, do you punish yourself by restricting caloric intake or eating fatty, greasy foods? Stress (and being tired) often leads people to crave a quick pick-me-up in the form of unhealthy foods.

In your food journal, you should also keep track of your environment. Who are you eating with? Where are you eating? Are you eating on large plates or small plates? We eat with our eyes, which means that we often compare our meals to those around us. We can also be tricked into thinking less is more when using a smaller plate. When eating with a friend, many people tend to eat more because you’re enjoying conversation and lingering at the table longer than you normally would. If you’re mindlessly eating in front of the television, it’s easy for you to consume a lot more than your body needs.

Take all these factors into consideration when you’re food journaling; you’ll begin to notice potentially detrimental patterns. Once you grasp these patterns, you can work on systematically changing them into more positive behaviors.

Sources: