Facts about weight loss
Do you ever find yourself wondering why some people seem to lose weight without blinking an eye while others struggle to lose even a single kilogram?
Have you ever found yourself reading about weight loss success stories wondering, “why is that not me?”.
Have you battled with those extra kilograms year-over-year, only to find that no matter what you do, you simply can’t shed them (and even if you do, it’s not long before they return)?
Have you increasingly gained weight over the years, and now, you simply don’t recognise yourself when you look in the mirror?
Are you a yo-yo dieter who finds themselves consistently gaining weight?
Well, I have some good news for you. Successfully losing weight and keeping it off is about so much more than hardcore dieting and blind commitment.
Let’s talk about stigma
Firstly, it is important to destigmatise those who are overweight or obese as lacking the required commitment to lose weight—quite the opposite, in fact. In my experience, lack of engagement often stems from repeated failed attempts to achieve and maintain weight loss.
Unrealistic expectations
Secondly, setting unachievable goals can be a major factor in derailing weight loss efforts.
Social media often creates unrealistic body expectations, which can contribute to a cycle of body anxiety. In addition, we are constantly exposed to idealised social media models, which can change our canon of beauty and extend our beauty aspirations beyond the realms of reality. Therefore, it is crucial to bring our focus back towards personal standards of healthy weight, rather than chasing unsustainable media-dictated standards.
It is also critical to remember that weight loss can occur at different speeds for different people. While some drop weight quickly (and easily) once they engage with a healthy lifestyle, others will release weight far more slowly, though this typically comes with greater consistency. Meanwhile, a third category of individuals shed weight quickly, only to suddenly plateau.
The only factor that ultimately matters is that you lose weight safely and healthily and that you are able to maintain the results once you reach your desired goal.
Factors that can prevent weight loss
As crucial as acknowledging success is acknowledging that some barriers can prevent you from achieving your optimal weight.
It will come as little surprise that lack of movement and poor nutrition are often the two principal contributors to weight problems. Still, there are a number of underlying health conditions that, in certain circumstances, may undermine weight loss.
It is common for people to forget to consider ongoing medical conditions, medications, and lifestyle factors that might be impacting their weight management. These include:
- Hormonal imbalances (i.e., thyroid problems, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS))
- Sleep apnoea
- Chronic conditions
- Gut issues
- Eating disorders
- Poor mental health
Each of the factors listed above could preclude you from achieving your weight goals.
Further to these, we must bring into the frame factors such as age, genetics, stress levels and sleep quality – to name but a few.
What can you do about it?
While these factors may be restrictive, they are not reasons to give up. Rather, they should inspire you to work with a nutrition and lifestyle consultant.
Nutrition and lifestyle consultants can help you focus on achievable aims and uncover issues that may prevent you from realising your weight targets.
I frequently work with clients who have become exasperated after years of following unsuccessful, and often faddy, dietary regimes. A complaint I hear regularly is that rather than losing weight as they expect, they have ultimately ended up gaining more. Another common issue is that they feel they have lost their connection with their body and that their self-esteem has reached rock bottom. More often than not, this also impacts their social life. In more extreme cases, their drastic dieting has taken a significant toll on their health.
It is my belief that a diet cannot be followed throughout your lifetime unless it is medically required and undertaken under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner. However, it can be possible to make adjustments to your lifestyle that will help you effortlessly maintain healthy habits – remembering, of course, that a technique that works for one person may not work as well for you. Therefore, if you want to achieve the results you’re looking for, it is essential that you are authentic with yourself. Ultimately, in most instances, only an expert can help you realise your unique weight balance and maintenance recipe.
Weight loss is mostly self-care
So, rather than seeking a quick (and easy) solution, I advise that you remain focused on your long-term goals. A nutrition and lifestyle consultant specialised in coaching and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) can significantly improve your chances of doing this. In addition, NLP can provide the support you need to create sustainable healthy habits and integrate small but significant changes into your day-to-day life. Finally, coaching empowers you to become accountable and keeps you on track during your weight management journey.
To conclude, if weight loss is your aim, please consider seeking the help of an expert. A nutrition and lifestyle consultant can direct and support you along your path while providing individualised guidance that will help you implement changes in your day-to-day life that will enable you to realise long-term and sustainable improvements.