Losing weight is a journey mined with emotions that
will, at times, challenge your weight loss state of mind. There are four stages
of weight loss that people often go through on their way to "Healthy
Obsession." You may experience some of them. You may experience all of
them.
I believe that knowledge is power, and knowing they
exist will help you recognize them for what they really are—just phases. They
will pass! You will float in and out of them. Here are the four stages plus a
fifth that is experienced by far fewer.
You may find yourself moving in and out of these
stages many times. This is normal. Start expecting to fluctuate between moments
of motivation and resolve, and moments of frustration and times where you'll
consider giving up your new lifestyle. Crossing these hurdles means you'll be
on course to Healthy Obsession, the winner's circle. You'll know you're there
when you've conquered the goal of loving your new lifestyle—when you think the
way healthy active people do.
The primary reason so many people go through some
or all of these stages is because, when it comes to losing weight, the body
isn't always in tune with your mind. Virtually all people who struggle with
weight loss are up against a heavy resistance that few of us have ever even
heard about before.
The Honeymoon
This is your kickoff motivating phase. ("Wow!
Six pounds in just 2 weeks!") It is so called because you want it to last
forever. You're excited, maybe even exhilarated, and ready to make changes.
Studies show that people who spend the most time in this stage produce better
weight loss and weight control over time.
Frustration
The dreaded plateau starts to set in ("I
didn't lose a thing for 2 weeks and then the scale went up!"). You begin
to recognize that planning
for weight-loss success can be time-consuming and, at
times, even tedious. You start feeling the strain.
Tentative Acceptance
This stage happens when trying to lose weight
starts to feel like a tentative reality: You see yourself getting there, but
you realize it's going to take time and effort.
Ambivalence
A stage of Ambivalence usually enters months down
the road when you start thinking, "Holy crap, this weight-management thing is going to be going on forever."
Motivation starts to slip.
Fear of the Future
Some people who see themselves losing a significant
amount of weight will be confronted with a fifth stage of weight loss: Fear of
the Future. This is when they realize they are presenting the world with a new
persona. ("Will I still be me and will people like what they see?")
This usually happens to people who start out obese and have a significant
amount of weight to lose.
Adapted from Brain-Powered Weight Loss
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