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.
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