Losing weight is a never-ending battle. As a petite woman with a height of 1.5 meters, my weight skyrocketed to 100 kg due to a lack of nutritional knowledge, unfamiliarity with healthy cooking, and consuming too much fast food. Here are the lessons I learned from weight loss that helped me in other areas of life.
It's no exaggeration to say that weight loss has become an industry with both real and bogus claims. In the journey of weight loss, people are often advised to do all sorts of crazy things, most of which have no scientific basis. However, over the years, doctors and exercise physiologists have discovered effective strategies. Weight loss isn't easy and requires mental and emotional readiness. Maintaining weight loss is even harder. Saed News will share golden tips for this challenging task. Stay with us.
During the first month of my weight loss journey, my weight dropped rapidly due to my significant obesity. My BMI was 44.4, and the lifestyle changes I made in the first month motivated me to stay on track. However, when the pace slowed down (as it always does), I got discouraged. It's a crushing feeling, thinking nothing is working. Your mind starts to dwell on negative thoughts, and you feel like giving up. My trick was to look at my past progress. I would remind myself of how much weight I had already lost and tell myself that giving up now would mean all the fat I'd lost could come back. This thought kept me going. You have to talk to yourself and be your own motivator. Today, when I feel frustrated with life and lose patience, I remember that I conquered my weight challenge. I had to learn that some things in life don't happen quickly and adjust my expectations accordingly. If you're feeling discouraged about achieving something, accept that you can't reach it as fast as you'd like. Accept that setbacks happen; what's important is persistence. In such times, maintain what you've already achieved until you see results again.
Initially, I attended weight loss sessions. At 22, I was the youngest person there. I remember we always celebrated small successes during these sessions. You might look at the scale and think, "Wow, I only lost half a kilo!" But you need to change that mindset and say, "A small change is better than staying the same or going backward." It's crucial to reward yourself for non-scale victories, like giving up processed foods, eating healthier, or exercising for a week. This approach applies to life, too. For instance, on a bad day at work, think about what you've previously achieved and recall the tasks you handled well. Just changing your mindset can make life much easier.
Long-term weight loss has its ups and downs. No one is perfect all the time, and losing focus can lead to weight gain. What helped me during these times was increasing my awareness of what I was eating. I identified trigger foods and gradually eliminated them from my diet, at least for a while. I'm a firm believer in moderation. When I removed those foods for a period, I didn't crave them as much. After a few weeks, I tried to reintroduce them in moderation to avoid future issues. Just as processed foods can harm your physical health, other things can harm your mental health. Maybe it's time to step away from work or take a break from social media. Apply this mindfulness in your life, just like in your diet.
Keeping a food journal is tedious but effective. You might be surprised to see what you're eating when you document it for a day. Mindless and emotional eating are primary causes of weight gain, even if you think you're making healthy choices. Writing down what you eat makes you more conscious and helps you say no at the right times. The main reason for changing food choices is to consider if eating something is worth it and beneficial for your health. While I'm in maintenance mode, I don't keep a food journal, but I start again whenever I feel off-balance. Journaling can also be helpful in other areas. I always carry a notebook to jot down thoughts and important notes.
I've always been an introvert, and I always will be. However, before losing weight, I lacked confidence and had a negative body image. I didn't like taking photos or looking in the mirror. Weight loss literally changed my life; I could look into my eyes in the mirror and feel good. People paid more attention to me, and I no longer worried about talking to strangers. While I still have some fear of others' reactions, it's more due to my personality. Seeing the journey I've taken to lose weight, I now feel confident in tackling other tasks. I can work on projects I love without fearing failure. I can speak in front of large groups and do many other things that help me progress in my career and life.
This list could go on, but my most important advice is just to do it. Do it for yourself. I hope you enjoyed this sports therapy content. Feel free to share it with anyone who cares about their fitness. For more related content, visit the Saed News sports section. Thank you for your support!
