Weight loss

Few things are more inspiring than a dramatic change in your health . But in typical narratives about weight loss, the trend is to focus on the obvious: health benefits, improved self-esteem and sleep.It’s true that losing those extra pounds brings a lot of health gains (strengthened bones, lower risk of diabetes and strokes, and a longer life, just to mention a few , but there are challenges we do not always hear about. As we know it is not easy, here are some of the challenges of losing weight that do not usually have so much prominence.

1. Your perception of one’s body will not change overnight.

“I still have a hard time seeing what I’ve achieved in the past two years,” said Huffington Post Kristin Griffin , who lost 38 pounds. “Losing weight was the easy part; seeing my new self has been a daily struggle. Many people attribute their disappointments to being obese and think that by losing weight, everything will miraculously improve. But the reality is you’re still you. ”At first, I thought I would simply have this self-confidence,” Shannon Britton , who lost 120 pounds after undergoing stomach-reduction surgery , told CNN . “I’d be thin, wanting to run around naked. OK, maybe not naked, but I had this fantasy in mind that one day I would wake up loving my body and feel comfortable in a bikini – that I would not be ashamed of my body. In fact, body image may be the last thing to change in such a transformation; just like people who have lost a member feel grief or tingling ghosts, those who were obese still believe to occupy the same space. This does not mean that it is impossible to get there. “In the first two years of my journey, I still had a hard time seeing myself as a new person,” Maia Sutton told HuffPost in 2013. She lost 40 pounds. “I only recently had an epiphany and I realized: ‘I’m good enough! I deserve! For the first time in my life, I looked in the mirror and found myself marvelous. I see things worth praising, not criticism. I’ve never felt so confident. ”

2. There will probably be leftover skin. 

If you’ve lost a certain amount of weight, you’ll probably be reminded of it physically: flabby, stretchy skin . Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done to avoid this problem. “How do you lose your skin after weight loss depends on a number of factors: how many kilos you lost, how old you are, how many times you have gained weight, and how fast you have lost weight (the faster you lose weight, the less time you have to lose weight) naturally), “says Women’s Health magazine. Some opt for surgery. Brian Beck , who lost more than 135 pounds, told HuffPost in 2013 that he had surgery to remove more than 4.5 pounds of excess skin. Of course, any type of surgery can have serious health consequences, and operations for excessive skin removal are not usually covered by health insurance. “I’m happier, but I have this constant memory of my past … serious mental scars,” Robbie Siron , who lost 52 pounds , told Huffington Post . “I had skin left over. I’m frustrated because my health plan would pay for a triple-bypass, but not an operation to remove excess skin. “Body image also interferes, says Abramson. It encourages people with excess skin to be at least somewhat skeptical of what they think. “Sometimes when you look at yourself in the mirror, the brain fools you,” he says. “The brain’s representation of your body may not be totally accurate.”

3. Some relationships may change. 

Maybe your new favorite workout is just about the time of that TV show you watched religiously with a friend, eating nonsense. Maybe your wife thinks her vegetable-filled dinners are a silent hint for her to change her diet. Changing habits may show that you have less (or more!) In common with certain people around you.New relationships started in the gym or weight loss group can be extremely motivating, but research suggests that older  relationships, especially romantic ones, can suffer if one member loses weight, and the other does not. One study even pointed to higher rates of divorce among people undergoing weight loss surgeries. Weight can be a kind of balance factor in a relationship, explains Abramson. He theorizes, for example, that one partner may feel more confident to face the other after losing weight, or else he may fear losing his partner if he slims. Siblings may feel an increase in rivalry if one of them loses weight. “You move the balance,” he says, “and sometimes conflicts arise.”

4. Your new wardrobe can be expensive. 

Once you reach your ideal weight, you will probably start looking for new clothes. The more dramatic your transformation, the more likely you are to find yourself buying clothes throughout the process. “Although it was expensive, I’m thrilled to have to buy smaller clothes every month, ” Brad Bishop , who lost 30 pounds , told HuffPost . “My waistline dropped almost six inches. I had to cut and drill new holes in my belt several times. The bracelet on my watch has also diminished a lot. “Buying cheap clothes or making exchanges with friends can help fill the wardrobe without emptying the wallet. If you can put it off, leave it to buy clothes only when you need it. Instead, give yourself something that does not depend on size, such as a new hair product or jewelry, Abramson says.

5. Others may think they are helping …

You will probably meet people who realize the change you are going through. Many of these people will support and encourage you. Others do not. This kind of attention is not always welcome. In fact, a simple “You look great!” May seem definitely embarrassing. To begin with, this kind of comment forces you to ask yourself: are you great now, as you were before? Focusing only on the physical can be a stimulus for some people. For others, however, it may seem like a lack of education. “I’m not fat, I’m not thin, I have reasonable proportions, and people ask if I lost weight,” says Abramson. “[I feel like saying:] ‘It’s none of your business.’ I would encourage people to change the subject. “

Source: Quora