Five Enemies of Weight Loss

Note from a fellow bariatric patient…

I had weight loss surgery years ago, but that doesn’t mean my journey is over. I still have to manage my weight carefully and occasionally lose a few extra pounds I picked up as I navigate vacations and celebrations.

Losing weight is never easy—for me or anyone else. It’s a constant struggle, and it often feels like I have to play my best game 100% of the time.

Something I’ve discovered over the years is that five key things can make my weight loss journey much more difficult.

1. Weighing myself too often: When trying to lose weight, I can get obsessed with a certain number on the scale. Just a half-pound can feel discouraging and sometimes cause me to resort to poor eating with the reasoning, “Well, I’m not losing weight anyway.” It’s better when I look at trends over a week, a month, or even a year. That provides a better picture of what’s really happening.

2. Not focusing on small changes: We can’t modify everything overnight. I know that making minor changes is the best way to be successful. I see more results when I think about one little thing I can change rather than trying to make 10 changes at once. Have more protein at breakfast, don’t snack after dinner, or exercise for five minutes daily this week. Just pick one!

3. Aiming for perfection over progress: I’ve been pretty successful in my career and other parts of my life, and I feel good when I do things well, so it’s easy for me to hyper-focus on making perfect food, hydration, vitamins, and exercise choices. However, perfection is impossible. I know this, but I still have to remind myself often! Not achieving goals causes disappointment in ourselves. We must remember that aiming for progress and acknowledging small changes, yields lasting results over time.

4. Not celebrating achievements: Often, we are so focused on what we aren’t doing or the weight number we haven’t reached yet, that we forget to recognize our accomplishments. So many positive changes happen with just a 10-pound weight loss that we shouldn’t overlook these small victories. I’ve found it helpful to keep a list to remind myself how far I’ve come.

• I’ve reduced and eliminated medications
• I wear a much smaller size clothes
• I can walk for miles without pain

5. Forgetting my “why”: In the low times, it is important to remember why I’m still doing this. I like not taking diabetes meds, looking good in fashionable clothes, and having an excellent quality of life as I get older. Perhaps yours is playing with your kids or grandkids, wearing smaller pants, or getting a promotion at work. Whatever your why, make sure you revisit it often.

As with everything else in life, a positive mindset is critical to success. When you look at the list above, are you letting any of these “enemies” sabotage your weight loss journey? Resolve to eliminate it today. You have nothing to lose except feelings of guilt and disappointment.

Sincerely,

—Your bariatric friend