Losing is the easy part

I hesitate to talk about this as we are approaching the new year and a common resolution is about losing weight. That is a worthwhile goal and it can be an exciting journey. Think about it! As you start to eat better food and exercise you can watch your body change. The number on the scale goes down and you see definition in places you haven’t before. Clothes fit better, people notice and all of this increases your motivation to stay on track! This is a fun place to be. Things are changing for the better and results are noticeable.

And then comes the maintenance phase. You met your goal and you are at your ideal weight- this should be the easy part—- right??

This can be the most awkward and confusing part of the weight loss process. Are you supposed to automatically know what to do now? Isn’t this the part where you effortlessly maintain your results while skipping through the meadows? If your approach has been slow and sustainable then this will be easier. Keep doing what you are doing because you have clearly cultivated some good habits. Maybe even pivot your focus if you need to. For example, if you used hiking or lifting weights to see definition in your muscles and you have achieved that but want to maintain it, focus now on what it does for not just your arms and legs but your mental health. Does it improve sleep? Do you feel as good about yourself when you skip it? Keep the habit and find more and varied reasons for doing it.

Finding friends who share your passion is also key in the sustainability of your success. Hopefully by now you have found people who share your passion and you can feed off of each others energy. This maybe a hiking buddy, a spin class or even an online community focused on nutrition. The ‘new’ for you may have worn off but now our experience can benefit others in our orbit.

I hope you get to experience this phase if you have not. I wanted to touch on this subject because sometimes the journey is so difficult we lose sight of the destination or expect too much out of it. Reaching your target weight and developing the healthy mindset that got your there was just the beginning. Make new goals and find hobbies that you may have previously overlooked for health reasons. Take that salsa dance class or train for that half marathon! Focus on what you will do and the things you can now enjoy with this healthier version of you and continue crushing your goals and enjoying your life.

Get well, stay well