Why is fat loss so hard? There has never been more opportunity to get in shape and live healthier, BUT there have never been so many opportunities to do the opposite!
Why we think fat loss is hard?
Bad genetics
Big boned
Slower metabolism
Always been overweight
Carbohydrates
Can’t be perfect
I NEED my chocolate, wine, blah blah blah
Takes too long
Tracking is challenging
Starbucks
Wisconsin cheese, beer, and brats
Or is it more likely the following reasons?
You aren’t metabolically adapted
Not ready to do the work
Not truly knowing “why” you want to go through the process
Unrealistic goals ie losing 50# in 3 months
Not willing to make changes to your lifestyle
Poor support system
Bad timing (stress, travel, starting a new job, etc.)
Self-defeating self-talk and mindset. Fixed vs growth mindset
Striving for perfection vs consistency
Not active enough. Failure to exercise. Specifically, a failure to not resistance train. Overestimating your activity level
Comparing oneself to others – with friends, people on social media, etc.
Unwilling to compromise
Poor sleep
Poor stress management
Confusing information, not sure where to start!
5 Signs Your Sleep Habits Aren’t Working For You
Your mind is foggy
You’re getting sick often
Your workouts feel too hard
You’re unhappy
You’re struggling with your weight
*****excess body fat can reduce quality of sleep!!!!
Managing stress with food
When resorting to comfort foods to manage stress, the person blunts their HPA Axis, which is required for stress adaptation. This happens by reducing CrH cortical trypsin hormone, which is a precursor to releasing CrH to manage stress.
Comfort food, when relied on too many times, is a slippery slope. Comfort foods are highly caloric and lead to weight gain. When the HPA Axis is disrupted when people stress eat, they store calories rather than burn calories.
What happens to hormones when eating cause of stress. Appetite related hormones:
Leptin
Insulin
Ghrelin
The 3 appetite hormones can raise insulin resistance. Leptin release is affected and increased. Normal release of leptin reduces appetite but not when stressed. It causes leptin resistance. When both insulin and leptin are suppressed leads to dysregulated appetite and cravings. Add stress to those looking for higher palatable foods, leads to fat gain and poor metabolic health. Unlike acute stress or stress from exercise, chronic stress leads to poor relationship with food.
Obesity can increase risk of depression. Depression can increase risk of obesity.
Be aware of your stress. Is it acute or chronic stress?
Negative thoughts can sabotage your efforts.
“I think I’m just big boned.” “My metabolism is slow.” “My family is overweight so it’s in the genes.”
“Don’t rely on motivation for anything. It is fleeting and unreliable. Discipline, however, is unyielding.”
“Change your thoughts and you change your world.”
Use affirmation statements
Journal
Stop putting yourself down
One step at a time
Keep Moving Forward 😊 Sarah
Good article! Obviously, the mind body link is critical in controlling your weight. As a person who has only dealt with weight loss struggles later in life, I can sympathize with those who have struggled all their lives. My hope is that next month you can expand on the bullet points you put on how to change your thoughts. It is so much more than counting calories...:-)