Most of us have spent a large part of our lives chasing a weight loss goal, to the point that fighting with the scale has become second nature.
For the scale-focused weight loser, success can be a fleeting thing. Sometimes your weight goes down and sometimes it goes up. Sometimes it stays the same. The scale may change because you ate more or because you worked out less or because someone snuck in and recalibrated your scale as a cruel joke. The scale may change because you're retaining water or you're dehydrated or because the planets have become misaligned. Whatever the reason, it's impossible to know what's really going on and you may feel like a failure.
What you may not realize is that, sometimes, forgetting about your weight can actually help you lose weight. It may sound strange, but one study showed that people focused on health rather than weight ended up changing their behaviors in a way that led to better weight management.
Beyond Weight Loss
What would it be like if you didn't worry about your weight anymore? What would you do for yourself if your goal was to, say, feel better every day or have more energy? Shifting your goal to something tangible, something you can see, feel and touch on a regular basis may be just what you need to get the results you're looking for. Some ideas:
Lewis G, Farrell L, Wood M, et al. Metabolic Signatures of Exercise in Human Plasma. Sci Trans Med. 2010 May;2(33): 33-37
Provencher V, Bégin C, Tremblay A, et al. Health-at-every-size and eating behaviors: 1-year follow-up results of a size acceptance intervention. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Nov;109(11):1854-61.
Stay Tuned~ Nat
Mind/ Body Under Construction
What would it be like if you didn't worry about your weight anymore? What would you do for yourself if your goal was to, say, feel better every day or have more energy? Shifting your goal to something tangible, something you can see, feel and touch on a regular basis may be just what you need to get the results you're looking for. Some ideas:
- Your Health - Do you need to manage stress a little better or get rid of chronic back pain? Maybe you want to feel more energetic or get more quality sleep every night. When you exercise to feel better, rather than look better, you're much more likely to stick with it, especially when you can actually feel the progress you're making.
- Your Performance - Why not focus on what you want to accomplish rather than what your scale is telling you? Maybe you want to be able to walk up the stairs at work without collapsing or maybe you'd like to work in the yard without throwing your back out. Think of things you'd like to do better and set your goals accordingly.
- Your Satisfaction - Don't you feel good about yourself when you finish a workout or eat the grilled chicken instead of the cheeseburger? Focus on how you feel when you make different choices throughout the day. Doing more of the things that make you feel good makes it easier to keep doing them day after day.
Lewis G, Farrell L, Wood M, et al. Metabolic Signatures of Exercise in Human Plasma. Sci Trans Med. 2010 May;2(33): 33-37
Provencher V, Bégin C, Tremblay A, et al. Health-at-every-size and eating behaviors: 1-year follow-up results of a size acceptance intervention. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Nov;109(11):1854-61.
Stay Tuned~ Nat
Mind/ Body Under Construction
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