My Advice to a Friend’s Frustrations While Trying to Lose Weight (And Why it Worked)
Recently, a friend reached out about his frustrations with losing weight. Here is my advice. It might help you overcome the weight loss wall you’ve hit, too.
MY ADVICE TO A FRIEND
Hey! Thanks for the specific notes and questions! It says a lot about your dedication to this process.
Losing weight is a complicated goal. It is a constant battle with your needs and wants. No matter how hard you try...you will compare everything to your long-term eating habits and what you want. This makes change very challenging. You've already established a foundation on autopilot that is comfortable and free of deciding or testing (even though it hasn't helped you reach your goal). No wonder you may be more likely to talk yourself out of the new food than figure out how to integrate it into your diet. Unfortunately, you may spend a lifetime of dietary cycles and weight fluctuations to protect what you love the most (which I understand firsthand).
If you follow the guidelines in the article How to Lose Weight Without Exercise, “ you will....absolutely....without a doubt....achieve your weight loss goal number. Surprisingly, it can be achieved without killing yourself in the gym. Other people would instead never attempt this approach for reasons that make sense: It is a drastic contrast from their norms (as mentioned above). They have to revise their social lifestyle (to a degree not as great as most people think) and their decision-making process, conduct necessary check-ins on their health, etc. It's a lot of work (in the beginning). However, once you set your new normal on autopilot, it no longer works automatically (similar to your food interests now). You're building a new physical and emotional relationship with your food.
Your questions are fair, and you deserve an extensive, comprehensive answer. At this point, I've reframed the answers in many different ways. Nothing will explain them more thoroughly than Dr. Fuhrman's book End of Dieting. I highly recommend reading the first 180 pages of this book this weekend. If you need a copy, I have an extra one for you!
Never forget that usually, the one thing you're avoiding doing is probably the one you need to do the most. You can exercise 2 hours per day, seven days per week, but it will still be avoiding the dietary change you probably need to make. Eventually, you should figure out what you can get away with (drinking beer, restaurant dinners, etc.). Right now, though, you should figure out how you should eat. And if you read the book and begin disqualifying the claims, you should consider where those opinions stem from. Are they threatening your current habits? Would you rather believe a theory closer to your wants?
This isn't an easy road, and I have the most respect for you hitting it dead on! Let's reach that number! Let's make this happen!
Personal Trainer Wisdom: When Tom (name changed) initially emailed me about his recent frustrations with the weight loss process, his pain, anguish, and frustration bled through each of his written words. He battled two cycles of losing 9 lbs and gaining it back in the following months. At the time of the email, Tom had again reached his highest weight. You can imagine the emotional ups and downs for him during that time. While it appears that Tom failed over the last year, it revealed a mindset and habits that led to these patterns. It is valuable information for a long-term change. It also showed that he is persistent and can set boundaries…even though these aren't ideal right now for his health.
I wish I could say that weight loss is as easy as commonly advertised. No matter what any plant-based personal trainer, advertisement, or “weight loss professional” tells you, it REQUIRES a mental, emotional, and physical approach. While it may seem daunting, it could be the push to learn about yourself genuinely. It’s time to think about the advice above. Update: Tom has lost 12.5 lbs with consistency, patience, and persistence since my email response.
Photo Credit:
Health US News .com–What will cause a change on your scale?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
