Failure in Fat Loss 

by Scott Kolasinski

Whenever people venture out on a weight loss plan, they usually have a certain enthusiasm and focus that enables them to manage a number of temptations and challenges. They can go to a party and successfully deal with the social pressure of wining and dining, declining or controlling their intake of cocktail and desserts. These disciplined people are planning their meals, eating 5-6 times per day, weighing their food and they know just how many calories they are eating per day. They are in “eating control.”

Meanwhile, they are tearing it up in the gym. Their intensity is high and they are lifting more weight, losing body fat and feeling high on life as the fruit of all of the sacrifices is manifesting into one robust transformation in their physique. Their mind is in a good place: focused and determined to achieve their weight loss goals.

This type of transformation could take place over weeks or months, depending on the amount of weight that an individual loses. In short, the individual feels a sense of control in their life.

But what if the goal is met and an individual is not fully satisfied with the visual results? For example, George originally starts a lifestyle transformation wanting to get down to 14% body fat from 28%. He achieves his goal after 3 solid months of developing a healthier lifestyle, but when he looks in the mirror all he can say to himself is, “This is it? Where’s the lean physique I thought I was going to earn?” He tosses up his hands in the air and decides, “I’ve been at this for too long, I’m taking a break,” and decides to go enjoy a meal he has avoided for the past 3 months.

Or what about another individual who has been committed for several months while trying to lose over 40 pounds and then life throws a curveball and suddenly gets overwhelming, feeling out of control. Something unforeseen and unplanned happens that is outside the realm of the norm, such as an elderly family member becoming dependent, a series of family and business parties piling up (like during the holidays) or a sudden death in the family. Take your pick, I know you get the idea: a lot of unusual stress enters the individual’s life.

Many of us may give in to distractions and find comfort in food…and why not? For many it satisfies their need for love and comfort, or it may be an emotional trigger (depending on the individual, depending on the circumstances); it could be any number of reasons. When there is so much chaos in our lives, food is the one thing that gives us a sense of joy that we can control. For some of us, when we eat chocolate, our stress level temporarily eases. The same could be said for how some of us respond to alcohol: have a glass of wine (or two or three), and the “buzz” from the alcohol eases your mind, which lightens your stress level, which makes life feel good for the moment. Again, there can be a number of reasons a person would start on the road to a setback.

When people react, such as George or those that get blindsided with a sudden change in life’s norm, have they failed? For George, he achieved his initial goal…he thought. Once he was there, he said heck with it.

For the other individual, some sort of organization in the chaos will allow some peace of mind. Food will allow their mind to ease while helping them gather their thoughts.

However, what appears initially to be a little bit of a “cheat” or “indulgence” may become a spark to the fire of bad dietary habits of the past. Has a person failed when they get sidetracked like this? Absolutely not, but a person may certainly feel like he has failed at the moment. This can then create feelings of guilt, depression, failure, and a poor self-esteem. If the individual does not lose their focus and still adheres to his initial goals, then that moment will mean nothing. I encourage everybody on a weight loss program to have an indulgence meal at least once per week.

But when that one meal becomes an excuse to indulge for the rest of the day, or the rest of the week, or when “things cool down in my world,” then there is a problem. This means that a lifestyle change has not been accomplished and the individual only stuck to a temporary fix for weight loss. If this is the case, then this will definitely end in failure. We have heard the mantra many times: Diets will fail, lifestyle changes will not.

There are a number of strategies to try when a setback occurs:

- When things seem so out-of-control, change your perspective. Take pride in knowing you CAN control what food you eat. Circumstances do not dictate food intake. Self-discipline is what got you started; therefore, you have what it takes to get started again. You just need to recapture that motivation.

- Pamper yourself with a manicure, massage or pedicure. You may need some self-pampering to help clear your thoughts, and help you realize why you started your goals in the first place.
- Understand what happened. What started the setback in the first place? Stress (for example)? What was the source of stress? What can be done to rectify the problem? Talk to a friend.

- Take your kids to the park and walk with them.

When setbacks occur for those with an emotional eating history, you really do not want any extra responsibilities, such as weighing your food, in your life. The simplest way to live is to try to listen to your hunger signals only. You still do not need to overindulge. You can eat until you are satisfied, not full, even though you may find yourself eating more chocolate than you should, or you may be drinking more alcohol than usual, or both for that matter. If you listen to your hunger signals and take responsibility for your eating behavior by continuing to weigh yourself on a scale, you can minimize the damage that a setback may create.


Until next time….