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WHY YOUR WEIGHT LOSS WON'T DISAPPEAR OVERNIGHT
enquiries@thedietologist.co.uk
When opting for bariatric surgery, many are inclined to look at the end results of former patients who have successfully lost large amounts of weight and who are now living healthy, happy lives. It is a positive and exciting time - after years of trying to lose weight unsuccessfully, the idea of reaching that elusive goal weight may finally seem possible!
The problem with weight loss is that it won’t disappear overnight, and this has the potential to be extremely disheartening for some.
Here are reasons why.
Many people take years to put on weight
The process of gaining a substantial amount of weight often takes years and often (although, not always) involves the development of negative eating and exercise habits that have become ingrained in your lifestyle. To change these habits is not an overnight process - it requires lots of hard work, consistency and making conscious lifestyle choices that will help with weight loss. This is not an easy thing to do and will take lots of time and effort to build on. It will also take some time for your body to adjust to your new lifestyle.
Old habits reappear
The process of losing weight can be slow (and even reversed) if old habits are allowed to reappear. Emotional eating can play a huge part in this - turning to unhealthy foods that provide very little satiety in times of stress to try and find comfort - and avoiding exercise can sabotage your weight loss.
Your metabolism changes
As you lose weight your metabolism slows, and this will slow down your weight loss. You may also find that you reach a plateau/weight stall at this point, where your weight remains the same for a period of time. This is normal as your body tries to reconfigure itself with a reduced energy intake. However, it is very frustrating and worrying for many of you after weight loss surgery.
Expectations are too high
Despite the best efforts of surgeons, dietitians and the aftercare team to manage patient expectations on how much weight they will lose, and the period of time it will take, it is difficult to stop someone from believing that they will lose all their excess weight in a matter of weeks. If they have read and seen lots of success stories, it is sometimes the case that they believe it will be different for them, and this can be disappointing when this doesn’t happen. Remember that successful weight loss takes time and is all about being consistent. Try to be patient with your weight loss, listen to expectations given from your specialists and try to avoid looking at the big picture and expecting it immediately.
Underlying hormonal issues
Doing everything right, following your eating and exercise plan and still not seeing results? It may be possible that your hormones are affecting your weight loss. Weight gain can be caused by a change in hormones in the body, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) or the menopause, so it is important to speak to a specialist to check your diet and hormone levels aren’t affecting your weight loss.
How to ensure that you are successful in your weight loss journey
- Ensure you have good aftercare/dietitian to support you with both dietary and mindset changes.
- Follow your eating and exercise plan.
- Be organised in your meal planning.
- Be realistic in your expectations.
- Avoid beating yourself up if you have a bad day and slip up.
- Take it one day at a time.
- Avoid comparing your weight loss to those of everyone else - remember that everyone is different!
- Speak to your specialist if you are concerned about hormonal imbalances.
Are you finding it difficult to lose weight? Are you disappointed with your weight loss? Want to know how I can support you in your weight loss journey and help change your eating habits and relationship with food?
Book in for a Discovery Call to find out more, or visit me on my social media platforms, my
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YouTube channel for helpful information, hints and tips and Q&A opportunities!
