Losing Weight is Lonely

I’m a horrible dieter.

I am always struggling to lose weight or keep it off. I’m pretty sure my “happy� weight is a size 14 … but given my fitness profession, that’s not good for business.

So I’m constantly trying to lose another pound or two. It’s nothing horrible — not more than 10 pounds — but it’s a constant. Up a bit, heavy sigh … down a bit, happy dance … up a bit, heavy sigh. What I’ve discovered is that losing weight is pretty darned lonely.
We Make Our Own Choices

It is my choice what I put in my mouth. From cupcake to celery … from chocolate to sweet potato … my portion size, how long I eat, the balance of color on my plate, they are ALL up to me.

Yes, there is a constant pull to the “dark side,� the bad stuff from the outside world, but we brush away so many other messages without a moment’s notice. Why does that ad for hot cocoa leave me wanting one two days later?

There are a LOT of dynamics to weight loss and probably the biggest one is our environment. What we watch on TV, what our family prefers to eat, what our co-workers tote back to their desk for lunch.

We don’t just make one or two food decisions a day, we make dozens. Literally dozens of opportunities to go in the right direction instead of the wrong one. And it only takes a few bad decisions to wipe away the good. It’s maddening.
Losing Weight in a Community

Dieting can definitely be isolating from the people around us. We can struggle to feel like others understand us, and that makes it so much easier to backslide on the scale. But there’s an easy way to find a sense of community when you’re trying to lose weight. Several studies show that weight loss with support is way more successful than solo dieters.

The internet is our salvation. Ironically, what keeps us on our butts for hours at a time, couch and laptop, barely burning any calories, can also give us a portal to like-minded people. From a short term community, such as DietBet.com, to a long-term community like the Weight Watchers forums (there have been people on here literally for years), you can find a place that works for you. Maybe an action-oriented group that tracks runs and workouts or a “love your body� group like the Sweaty Betties.

Through the screen you’re currently staring at is a place where you’ll find a place to vent frustration, a place to share a silly story, and a place to get an “atta girl� when you need one. So start Googling and see what you find. You might be surprised to find some real people who enter your life. It’s definitely happened to me.

And feel free to comment below and have my site be a small part of that community as well.

Cheers,
Lisa