I wish I could promise you that your weight loss journey will be a steady loss however that is not how life works. There are many weeks where you will lose weight but there will also be weeks when you maintain and *gasp* gain. If you are living life at the same time you are trying to lose weight, the scale at some point will show a gain. Here’s how to handle it:
Remind yourself: This is normal.
I can’t tell you this enough. A gain will happen at some point. Whether it is a sodium-heavy meal, consuming alcohol, sugary treats, water retention or just plain overeating, gains are inevitable. Reminding yourself that this is a normal part of the journey helps to calm your brain down from going into freak out mode.
I have lost over 93 pounds and if I stopped every time I had a gain, I would still be at my high weight of 250 pounds or more! Most of us freak out because we feel like we are failing. And NO ONE wants to feel like a failure. I don’t know about you but I hate feeling like a failure and will often try to hide from that feeling by eating delicious things, having a second helping of dinner or consoling myself with a glass of wine. But all that does it take you further away from your weight loss goal and pile on the feeling of shame.
So do yourself a favor. Instead of thinking “I F*!# up” or “I’m doing it all wrong!” Ask yourself some of these questions:
- How did I get these results?
- What else could be causing this higher number on the scale?
- How can I accept this and move on?
This is also a great time to remind yourself that to gain a pound of fat you need to eat in excess of 2500 calories. If the scale shows a 3 pound gain, did you really consume an extra 7500 calories that would result in this? If the answer is no, then there could be another explanation like hormones, water retention, etc.
Take responsibility without shame.
If you made choices that didn’t align with your weight loss goal, accept it. Accepting that you played a role in your weight gain doesn’t mean that you are a terrible person, a failure or doomed to be overweight for the rest of your life. It simply means that your actions have consequences. If you don’t like the consequence of weight gain, then it is time to take different actions.
One sure way to know if you are shaming yourself is the word “should.” If you are going through a laundry list of things you should or should not have done, then you are shaming yourself. Things like:
- I should have known better
- I should have more willpower around food
- I should have worked out harder
- I shouldn’t have had that dessert
- I shouldn’t have potato chips in the house
These are all judgements against yourself and your actions. Should-ing on yourself only serves to make you feel terrible. It’s like a parent wagging their finger at you and lecturing you. No one gets up from a shaming lecture determined to make better choices.
Instead take loving responsibility for the choices you made. Your past choices do not have to be an indicator of your future performance. You are always capable of making different choices in the future. The best news ever is that if you are the problem, you are also the solution! You have no control over any one else in this world but you. So this is fantastic news!
Make a plan.
In my weight loss program, I teach making a food plan each day. I make mine in the morning when I am feeling fresh and full of hope for my weight loss goal. When you have gained weight, the plan you make is very important. Many of you will want to course correct by restricting everything but low fat and diet-industry-approved foods. Don’t do this. Weight gain doesn’t happen overnight and neither does weight loss.
Over restricting and unrealistic food plans will only make you feel punished and resentful. Plan for foods that you enjoy but commit to only eating until you are satisfied. After all, the cause of true weight gain is always overeating. Then commit to taking loving care of your body by hydrating well, getting enough sleep and moving your body in enjoyable ways.
Get a quick win.
If weight gain has you feeling like a failure, then choose something small that makes you feel like you are winning again. Maybe it is a five minute walk, drinking a glass of water or choosing to eat an apple instead of chips. Whatever it is, do it and celebrate yourself for taking that action! I love telling myself “I’m on a winning streak!” each time I take an action that aligns with my weight loss goal.
When we feel like we are winning, we want to keep playing. When we feel like we are losing, we want to pack up our ball and bat and go home. Finding that quick win and getting yourself into that winning mindset again is absolutely crucial for continuing on your weight loss journey.
If you struggle with getting yourself back into that winning mindset, be sure to set up a free consult call with me to discuss how I can help.
Your Coach,
Andrea