People start the process motivated and disciplined, but they soon learn the downside and motivation gradually disappears. The outcome sounds tempting, but the road to it is not always smooth. People often see the starting point and the end point, but hardly anyone sees the path that was taken. For one person this will be achieved relatively easily, while for another it will be very difficult, or sometimes even impossible.
It is important to realize that weight loss is not easy and there will be many ups and downs. Literally (weight fluctuations) and figuratively (mental aspect).
Here are some examples of what weight loss is all about:
- Extreme motivation: almost everyone starts extremely motivated and in the beginning this is relatively easy, but over time this will slow down and most people find it difficult to persevere. This effect is something that is completely normal. There is no reason to doubt yourself.
- Plateau: A common situation is when weight loss reaches a plateau. This can cause motivation to plummet. It is important to realize that this is a normal thing. Weight loss will never be linear and downward, and as mentioned earlier, there will be ups and downs. Seeing little to no difference in weight for a few days is not a plateau.
- Bad days: There will be bad days, and sometimes more bad ones than good ones unfortunately. There will be days where you will eat too much. There will be days where your weight decreases little or not at all. There will be days where you will be too lazy to cook. There will be days when you will miss a workout… This is the reality and it will continue to happen. A bad day? The next day just get back on track and continue. Nothing is lost. There is no point in sabotaging yourself now by eating too much or not eating anything anymore. A bad day doesn't mean you failed.
- Low energy: losing weight means that your body receives less energy from food and therefore has less energy to continue doing daily activities. This will ensure that you are tired more often and will unconsciously move less in the form of steps, chores... What about my training? If you notice that you often have an energy dip around your workout(s), try playing with your meals by placing them closer to a workout so that you have more calories (and therefore more energy).
- More moody: as soon as you have been in a calorie deficit for a while to lose weight, and therefore have less energy, you will notice that your motivation decreases and your mood will also be affected. The motivation to train will gradually become less and less. That's when you have to push yourself to complete a workout, to pay attention to your food again, to continue the right habits... This is THE way to achieve fantastic results.
- No visible progress: Sometimes it's hard to see progress simply because it's easier to see what we haven't achieved yet, but no visible progress doesn't mean there isn't progress yet. Often the focus is on a number on the scale and if it does not move, it is assumed that no results are being achieved. In the meantime, you have already become stronger, your condition has improved, your old pants already fit again... The point I am trying to make here is that it is important to focus on multiple aspects while losing weight and not just on a number on the chart. scale. This can remain the same for weeks, while there is actually significant progress in other areas.
The truth behind weight loss is that there is often a bigger story than just a before and after photo with a fantastic result. It involves difficult to very difficult moments when you can feel like the whole world is against you. It is then that you have to push through and move on.
'Hard things easy life, easy things hard life'
Good luck!
