The Three Biggest Lies in Weight Loss Programs

Okay, I may have been a bit dramatic in the title of this post by calling the topics I'm about to discuss "lies". I don't think that most weight loss professionals are trying to lie to you or that there is some huge conspiracy to keep us all fat. I am, however, very acquainted with how hard this journey is and what lies we tell ourselves and how they can damage our drive to stay healthy and to reach our goals.

I know I haven't written in a while. I have some confessions to make: I have been avoiding letting everyone know how poorly I have done since reaching my goal in January. I am back up about 15 lbs and I have struggled to get back to my good habits like logging food, strength training and cardio training, etc. It has partially been because I've had odd things going on like family coming into town, trips out of town, and my gym closing (a little bit of depression as well). Though these are all times where one can reasonably give themselves a break, I ended up coming to the realization today that I have another trip out of town in a week and a half, then my husband graduates with his MBA a few weeks later, then we go to the east coast for another trip, followed by practically my whole family's birthdays all in succession, and that takes me all the way until August. If I waited until August to stop my unhealthy habits, I'll end up right where I started in the first place. Guess what: then it's the holidays. That takes me to my first "lie".

1) There is a 'best' time to start a program.

Maybe when the kids go back to school or this crazy time at work ends. Then you'll suddenly have time, energy or money to devote to your program. Here's the truth: your life usually gets BUSIER as time passes, not less busy. You likely have LESS time, energy, and money as time progresses, not more. This will likely get harder, not easier. Now is best time for change. Have you ever heard the phrase, "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" or "old habits die hard". Don't let yourself become OLDER and habits HARDER to break as you wait for... What? 

2) It is (or should be) easy.

Let's just clear something up right now: if this is hard for you, there is NOTHING wrong with you! You are fighting against your very nature which is to move less and eat as much as possible just in case of an emergency. Expecting a fight against your nature to be easy is pretty unreasonable to yourself. When you do begin to struggle it makes you feel like you have some sort of defect. You feel dissolutioned and are more likely to turn back to Lie # 1 and go back to waiting for a magical easy / convenient time to change.

3) Life will be better when you get to your goal.

You will be the same person as a size 4 as you were at a size 12 unless you were doing a lot of other soul - searching activities than simply eating less and moving more. Your troubles don't all go away when you drop a few pounds. Sometimes we wait to live our lives until we get to a certain health / fitness goal because we believe that we will somehow be better or deserve to feel good about ourselves when we are no longer fat. If you need someone to tell you all the reasons you are worth being happy now, please email me. Even if you don't know me personally, I will get to know you and then tell you how awesome you are. Try me if you don't believe me. I dare you. 

There is also the misconception that it GETS easier. That might be true after YEARS of following a healthy lifestyle but here's another saying: "once an addict, always an addict." Brining up this saying is not to say that everyone trying to lose weight is necessarily clinically a food addict. I am simply pointing out that you can't expect to suddenly not prefer sitting on your couch doing another Netflix and junk food binge to eating kale and going to the gym to lift super heavy objects over and over until you can't anymore. Please don't be so unrealistic. Unrealistic expectations kill motivation. Thinking you are not good enough because it is not somehow easy for you to change will kill that drive even quicker. Remember, it took years to develop the habits you have developed. It will likely not take weeks, months, or even a single year for good habits to feel like second nature. 

Now, you may know someone who seemed like they flipped the switch. I have a fantastic client who told me he would never need to log his food because he was simply going to get rid of everything in his fridge and start afresh. I was skeptical but he did it! I am so proud of him! I do, however, need to emphasize that I was skeptical for a reason. MOST people don't flip a switch! It is never uplifting to compare yourself to others so please don't compare yourself to someone who has been able to change all at once. Besides, some people may be trying to put on a brave face. They may really be feeling inner anguish over really wanting a Big Mac.

Again, I don't want you to feel like I am trying to be a downer and tell you that it will never, ever be easy for you to maintain your good habits. Just don't put a timeline on it and don't be discouraged if you are still dragging yourself to the gym and wanting to stuff your face after MONTHS. 

Personal Update (for those following my progress)

Like I said, I am up about 15 lbs from goal. Some of that is 'real' weight. Some is not. Here I am today:

It is frustrating to be up again but here is where I started:

So I have maintained some of my progress. I have come to a realization, though, that numbers are really bumming me out. Rather than weighing myself and setting a weight or even a body fat percentage goal, I think I just need to eat 2000 calories a day, do 4-6 weight workouts a week and do cardio every day until I stop nursing, stop progressing, or I can see my abs. Then I will weigh myself and reevaluate. Other than that, my only measurements will me weekly photos and my pants. 

I have noticed that I do a really good job getting into a routine, but having a goal that is a number on the scale makes be subconsciously think that there is an 'end' to this lifestyle. I don't plan on dying when I reach 145 lbs so I should probably stop thinking of that number as my 'end'. Maybe that is why I keep sabotaging my own program right before I reach that number...