Weight-Loss Fears and How to Overcome Them
Welcome to 2021! Is 2021 the year you’re going to make your health a priority? The beginning of the year is the time when many people refocus their health goals and start weight-loss plans. Even if you desire to lose weight, there can be setbacks. You may even fear losing weight! Let’s discuss the reasons you may be fearing weight-loss and how you can overcome them.
Fear of Intense Emotions
Losing weight can be an incredibly emotional process, especially because many people tie their self-confidence to their weight. The start of a weight-loss journey may consist of analyzing why you gained weight in the first place, and it can be a tough pill to swallow. During this psychological process, you’ll also address the fears holding you back from losing weight.
Fear of the Unknown
Starting a new journey can be scary for many reasons, one of them being that you don’t know where the journey will take you. Fearing the unknown on your weight-loss journey is common. You may not know if you’ll succeed or what will happen on the journey. Fearing that you will not be able to lose the weight is reason enough for many to not even begin the weight-loss process. You may fear what you will look like once you lose weight—if you will have scars or loose skin. You may even fear that once you lose weight, you still will not be happy. Not knowing your final results can be uncomfortable, and change is scary.
Fear of Changing Relationships
Many people wonder how their relationships will change once they lose weight—whether it be romantic relationships, friendships, or family dynamics. Our appearance and sense of self can play a role in how we fit into a relationship and if that changes, you may fear that the relationship will change as well.
Losing weight can be a confidence-booster and encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone. Embracing new experiences, like dating, could ignite some fear within you. You may hold onto excessive weight as a sort of security blanket.
Overcoming Your Fears
To understanding what is holding you back, make a list of your weight-loss fears in a journal. Now, create some goals that will help you overcome those fears. Use a journal to track your emotions as you go through the weight-loss process. Track the habits that are helping you work through your fears and the ones that are holding you back.
Make small, attainable weight-loss goals. Large goals can be too intimidating and scary. It is also important to remember to love yourself at every size and to not tie your happiness to your size.
If you’re looking for a support system or you need some additional resources, visit Illinois Bariatric Center here.