Emotional Roller-coaster: How Does Weight Loss Affect You?

There’s no denying that weight loss leads to major physical changes; you’re slimmer, you need new clothes because the old ones don’t fit, and chances are the healthy diet you’re having has made your skin look amazing! However, these aren’t the only ways that weight loss affects your wellbeing; it can also send you on an emotional roller-coaster.

In the beginning, when you first see the needle on the scale pointing at a slightly lower number than usual, you are elated. You want to dance around your bedroom, run to the top of the nearest hill and fist-bump the sky. Your family and friends see the results, and smother you in compliments about how impressed they are, and how good you look. In short, you’re a rock star.

However, soon you realise that you’ve only just begun, and the feeling dulls. You remember that you’ve still got to tackle that emotional relationship with food, and your family gets used to your new look. That means less attention and praise to spur you on when the initial thrill of the challenge wears off. Now comes the weary task of just maintaining your progress.

According to LighterLife psychologist Mandy Cassidy, ‘as you begin managing your weight, you realise it’s not as simple as you thought it would be. You may feel bored, anxious or depressed and be tempted to fix these feelings with food, slipping back into your old habits.’ Weight loss tends to slow down the lighter you get, and even though you’re still losing weight, it doesn’t feel like it and that can be a little bit difficult to deal with.

This is something every dieter goes through, so the good news is that you’re not alone. The even better news is that you can do it. ‘As individuals we have an enormous ability to make things work and we can apply this to weight-management. The longer you work at it, the easier it gets. The best thing about any transition journey is that once it’s embedded it becomes habitual, which makes life much easier,’ says Mandy.

Look at all the other steps you’ve taken in your life, and how you got through them. How did you overcome the early nerves of starting a new job? Did you ever try to learn the guitar, and, after months of frustration, finally manage to play a whole song without stopping for 30 seconds between chord changes? Channel those magnificent feelings, and remember that hard work and perseverance can pay off. You’ll be fist-bumping the air again in no time.