Listen, weight loss is hard. There's no doubt about that. But how hard is it exactly? Well, let's look at some statistics...
What The Science Says
Based on the research & scientific literature:
- 6 out of 7 overweight or obese individuals are able to successfully lose 10% of their body weight. That's great, right? Not quite...
- Within 3 years up to 85-95% of these people gain back all of the weight they originally lost. Yep, that's right. Only 5-15% of people who lose weight keep it off long-term. But there's more...
- One third to two thirds of these people gain back more weight than they originally lost. The conclusion? Diets are making people heavier (statistically speaking).
[Will post links to sources & references in comments]
Now, I don't post those stats here to scare you or shock you, although I understand if you are. I certainly was when I read them. I post them here to open your eyes to the harsh reality of weight loss.
The Real Problem Of Weight Loss
Most people think the problem with weight loss is losing the weight. Of course that can be quite challenging, but from the studies - most people can do it.
The real problem is with keeping the weight off after you lose it. That's because when most people finish losing weight, they go back to their old habits & patterns which results in... gaining back the weight & more in a lot of cases.
This the vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting that so many people fall victim to. From my experience, both as a "dieter" myself & as a coach who now helps people lose weight, most people have tried losing weight in the past, had some success, but gained the weight back again.
Repeat this cycle a few times every couple of years & that's a lot of people's experience with "weight loss".
Fixing The Symptom Instead Of The Root Cause
The real issue here is that people are focused on the symptom: being overweight. They will diet by cutting back calories, start exercising more - & hey, they'll lose the weight. But only over the short-term until they gain it all back.
That's because they never address the root cause of being overweight or obese, and that is an unhealthy lifestyle & relationship with food. See, you can keep dieting & keep losing weight but if you never address the root cause - you'll always end up back where you started.
If you want permanent weight loss you need to make permanent changes to your diet & lifestyle.
Seems kind of obvious to most of us but as they say, common sense is rarely common practice. If you want to lose weight once & for all, you need to make a commitment to yourself to live your life by a higher standard.
How To Create Permanent Positive Change In Your Life
This is the real name of the game here folks. Yes, you will need to "diet" (cut back calories & exercise more). But if you want to maintain that body you worked so hard for, you need to slowly adopt a more overall healthy lifestyle.
This means:
- Developing healthy eating habits (eating for nutrition & for pleasure)
- Maintaining regular exercise that you enjoy doing
- Managing your stress, emotions & mental health
- Getting good quality sleep (min 7-8 hours per night)
- Nurturing your important relationships with friends & family
Some of that stuff may surprise you. But it's impossible to detach weight loss from other parts of your life. Everything is interwoven together.
"How you do one thing is how you do everything."
Taking on a more "holistic" perspective on your weight loss & health can really be a game changer for long-term success. Start looking at your life as one big puzzle & figure out the best way to put the pieces together.
What You Should Take Away From This
Rome wasn't built in a day & neither will your new slim body or healthy lifestyle. Change takes time and you need to be in this for the long haul. It's a marathon not a sprint so focus on small, positive changes you can stay consistent with everyday - that's the key to success.
I could drown on & on about consistency but it really is "the secret". Everything in life requires consistency. The best way to ensure you stay consistent is by taking things slow & enjoy the view every once in a while - you earned it.
I have so much more I want to tell you. I could honestly talk about this stuff FOR HOURS lol. But I don't want to take up too much of your time.
If you have questions, concerns or just need some support - my chat or inbox is always open & I'd love to help you along this journey.
