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Weight loss can do a lot of good for our bodies. Physically, it can help relieve stress on our organs and it can lessen our chances of developing health issues. Mentally and emotionally, it can improve our mood and confidence levels. But there are some things that happen with weight loss that could be viewed in a negative light while you are on your journey. While you may experience these bumps in the road, losing weight is a worthwhile pursuit, especially if it means improving your quality of life and overall health. Make sure you are fully prepared for all the aspects of weight loss by reading this guide from fitness writer and nutritionist SJ McShane and speak to your physician before making any major changes to your diet.
You Will Have Cravings
You may find that once you have vowed to cut something (or many things) out of your diet that you crave them all the time. This is a normal part of the weight loss and dieting process that indicates your body was chemically addicted to the foods you have given up. This is most common when eliminating processed food or junk foods that contain a lot of sugar, fat, and carbs which are unhealthy for the body. McShane explains that “When we eat certain foods, they can release endorphins that give us a relaxing or happy feeling. When the body no longer is consuming these foods to spike hormones, chemical cravings begin.” Luckily, once you push through and adapt to healthy eating these cravings will subside. If you need help ignoring cravings but don’t seem to have the willpower to quit cold turkey try out substitutes. For example, if you get a craving for sugar or candy have a small piece of dark chocolate (at least 75% cacao) which is full of antioxidants to help quiet your brain.
You Will Poop More
If you’ve started a diet recently you might have started to poop more or find yourself a little extra gassy. This is completely normal. The reason is that a healthy diet always consists of lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans that are high in fiber. If your system isn’t used to an increased amount of fiber it’s going to take a while to adapt, but McShane affirms that once your body gets adjusted to your new lifestyle your bowels will mellow out. If you notice a dramatic – and perhaps unbearable – increase in gas you may have way too much fiber in your diet so consider adjusting accordingly.
You May Be Irritable
Irritability when dieting is a sign that you need to change your eating habits. Being in a bad mood is usually indicative of low blood sugar. “When you restrict calories too much or wait too long between meals, blood glucose plummets. Because glucose (sugar) is what your brain uses for fuel, going too long between meals or not eating enough, can disrupt brain function and cause fatigue, irritability, and even confusion. When blood sugar drops too low, your body is then forced to increase its production of cortisol to maintain minimum glucose to the brain, which can cause depression and irritability,” says McShane. So make sure you are eating enough calories to sustain yourself throughout the day, but not too many to make you gain weight again. On the bright side, positive changes to your diet can not only make you lose weight but also help you feel better and have more energy.
You May Not See Results Immediately
Don’t be discouraged if the number on your scale isn’t decreasing right away or at the rapid pace you expected. Your weight loss all depends on your body type, your dieting habits, and how much weight you have to lose. McShane shares that if you only have five pounds to lose your body may take longer to lose them because you are lighter and your body needs to burn less calories for survival. Whereas if you are obese the opposite is true and the weight may come off faster. McShane advises that steady dieting – changing your lifestyle gradually instead of a fad diet – is the most effective because it will keep the weight off. She says that it takes about four weeks of dieting to see changes and roughly 12 weeks for other people to notice your weight loss.
Your Feet May Shrink
While it may be obvious that some or all of your clothes may be too big once you start losing weight, what most people aren’t prepared for is losing weight in other parts of their bodies – like their feet! Your feet can actually go down a shoe size when you experience a significantly large amount of weight loss. McShane says that this is because when losing weight your fat is being shed all over your body – and that includes surprising areas like your hands and feet.
You Might Get Stretch Marks
While it doesn’t happen to everyone, stretch marks can be a common side effect of weight loss if a lot of weight was shed from the body. Additionally, losing weight doesn’t mean the cellulite you once had will go away. The appearance of cellulite on your body may improve if you go down a size or two but it won’t be eliminated from your skin completely. McShane recommends using organic coconut oil to help with stretch marks.
Tips to Make Weight Loss Easier
Weight loss is hard. You have to be prepared to make the mind and body commitment to diet in order for it to be successful. The best way to do that is to have what McShane calls a “lifestyle mindset” – meaning making healthy eating a fluid part of your life but understanding that indulging on occasion for a special event isn’t the end of the world. For maximum weight loss results McShane also suggests to avoid diets that remove entire food groups (i.e. all carbs), start out with simple healthy diet swaps and then increase when you are ready, create a vision board to set your weight loss goals and help keep you on track, and buddy up on your journey for a great support system along the way.
