According to the scale, you lost 45 pounds. That’s a tremendous accomplishment! But your struggle isn’t necessarily over.
Significant weight loss is life-changing. It affects you in remarkable ways — most of them positive, some of them unexpected.
Now, you’re embarking on the next step of that journey: understanding and managing the side effects of your weight loss — physical, mental, and emotional. Read on for tips to embrace the change, face challenges, and “stay the course” after your weight loss success.
A New Way of Living
We live in a society where excess calories are readily available. But our bodies aren’t designed for regular overconsumption. In time, most people are eager to lose excess pounds… and if you’ve achieved that goal, it’s cause for celebration.
But maintaining your new lighter weight calls for a different sort of effort — both inwardly and outwardly.
Inwardly
Even though the weight is off, your body is still changing. It takes about nine to 12 months for your body’s set point to adjust to your new weight.
During that time, the body keeps trying to regain your lost pounds. This phase can be challenging when you’re surrounded by opportunities to ingest extra calories!
Outwardly
As you adjust to your new weight, you’ll face a number of lifestyle changes, including new eating habits, new clothing, and new reactions from friends and loved ones. These changes can be perplexing when you’re a creature of habit who’s always lived your life differently.
Let’s look at a few side effects of weight loss you’ll need to adapt to:
A New Wardrobe
Losing 30 to 60 pounds typically requires revamped attire — new work clothes, casual clothes, and even pajamas.
It may not be easy to shop at unfamiliar clothing stores or to find clothes that fit the “new you.” Plus, purchasing an entirely new wardrobe all at once can strain finances. Also, be prepared for unsolicited (and not always positive) comments about your new clothing choices.
After weight loss, find apparel that fits your new physique.
Less Resilient Skin
Over time, skin loses elasticity. After significant weight loss, a 60-year-old’s skin is certainly not as resilient as a 20-something’s.
Although generally not visible in areas like the abdomen, very loose skin around the face, neck, and arms can suddenly make a patient look older and feel more self-conscious.
In extreme cases where skin hangs, a doctor may recommend surgical correction of excess skin folds to help the patient avoid fungal infections.
And be prepared for some people (well-meaning or otherwise) to make disparaging comments about how thin you look. Many people today are so accustomed to seeing people carry excess weight that people of normal weight appear unwell or undernourished to them.
Lifestyle Changes
At your new weight, you must reevaluate your whole lifestyle and manage your eating habits, including how much you eat, where you eat, and how you grocery shop.
Exercise self-control at gatherings where food and alcohol flow. After an adult beverage, your ability to resist more calories may falter — and before you know it, a bite or two turns into several slices of pizza. Practice the response you’ll give when people ask you why you won’t have a couple of drinks or try the chicken wings.
As you move from a sedentary lifestyle to a more active one, your pastimes will probably change as well. Find active new hobbies that don’t involve eating. Instead of playing video games, go for a walk or run, or play a team sport outside.
Relationship Impact
Even though you’re making changes in conjunction with your weight loss, others around you are not.
Change can be uncomfortable, and friends or loved ones may be unsupportive or even resistant to your new direction. It takes willpower to resist pressure from family members to return to the way things were.
You can’t control how others feel. You can only control your own reactions. Know your weaknesses, and stick to your plan. For example, you might have to find new lunch buddies if the people you eat lunch with routinely choose restaurants that cause you to overindulge.
You may even need to reassess some relationships — or how much time you spend with a particular person — if they sabotage your goal.
Extra Energy
One positive side effect of weight loss is the motivation to get out and do things.
Fat cells are metabolically active, meaning they directly affect hormone levels. When you shed fat, your hormones are better regulated, giving you more energy.
You may find you’ll want to exercise, be outside more, or practice movement-based hobbies. Or, you may be motivated to find a new job or start a new business. If you’re around people who don’t share that energy, it can drain your mental or emotional health.
Find the support you need to stick to your plan.
Embrace the Struggle
Do the benefits of weight loss outweigh the challenges? Absolutely. Weight loss creates possibility.
But most significant physical changes come with a risk-benefit ratio. That includes the side effects of weight loss.
You’ll always struggle with those side effects — so embrace the challenge. Face each scenario with knowledge and awareness. And celebrate successes, large and small.
Your Priority Physicians are here to advise you on every step of your weight loss plan, whether physical, mental, or emotional. Reach out. We’d love to chat.
