FIVE WAYS TO NOT LOSE WEIGHT!
Influencers and experts are always telling how to lose weight so I figured it was time to share my top five ways NOT TO LOSE WEIGHT! Ok, now calm down before you go wild on me, and give me a chance. I want to take the opportunity to talk about some of the things those “experts” can be recommending that might actually be working against your progress in the end. These are five things that I have either seen recommended or have noticed develop as patterns in wonderful world of social media. Let’s dive in!
Don’t Worry About Calories
Too often I see it said that if you’re eating a ketogenic diet within proper ratios the calories don’t matter. The truth is much more complex but the simple fact is calories matter. That said, for some folk when you start to clean up what you are eating and start focusing more on whole ingredient foods, healthy proteins and fats, and limit the carbs you will see a natural reduction in appetite that will put you into a caloric deficit. This was my experience when I first got started on keto. I had been overeating to such a great extent that eating more nutrient dense and satiating foods cut my calories for me. Eventually though? My food addiction and problems with intake control took the reins again and I was actually gaining weight while “eating keto.” I needed to shift my attention to not only paying attention to macro nutrient ratios and ingredients but also had to track calories. In the end, during both “phases” of my journey on the ketogenic diet I was indeed in a caloric deficit whether I was conscious of this or not. So if you’ve gotten started and are not seeing the scale move in a healthy sustainable way, and you’re not looking at your caloric intake it might be time.
Change Your Plan Often
We all want change NOW. We want immediate fast progress in all areas of our lives where we focus our efforts. Sometimes that is possible and at others it is not. I hear from too many people that if the scale doesn’t move every day, or every week, that they feel they are doing something “wrong” and they have to try something different. Go carnivore! Fast 48 hours once a week! More water! Less water! Increase their workouts! What I want to suggest is that you take a deep breath and do some real assessment. Are you actually following your plan as intended? Might there be some pieces you are letting slip unintentionally? ALSO, and this is big. Seeing the same weight on the scale for a week or two is NOT A STALL. It might just be that your body is continuing its process of adaptation to the changes you are implementing. Weight loss is a stress on the body, and we know our bodies don’t love stress! I want to encourage you to stay the course and not jump into trying a new trick or completely different plan until you approach a month without results. Then, and only then, you can make a plan to implement some changes. Yes it could be time to decrease your macros, or it might be time to take a diet break and reverse diet to your maintenance level for a short period. Again, breathe and proceed with mindful caution always.
Trust Labels
This one is plain and simple. If you see the word Keto on a product label DO NOT ASSUME it is actually a good part of a healthy ketogenic diet! The label keto and the various certifications offered are not actually regulated on any level. You might flip that product over and see that it actually contains sugar, wheat, or other ingredients you should be avoiding if your goal is weight loss. Don’t get fooled by flashy writing and promises of low or zero carbs on a label. Always do your due diligence and read exactly what you are getting yourself into with a purchase. I also want to encourage you to realize that a product that someone else might eat with no issues could be something that does stall your progress, trigger cravings, or worse. Which brings me to the next point…
Compare, Compare, Compare!
This might be the hardest lesson to learn. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Heck, don’t even compare who you are right now to who you were a year ago. Commonly called the “Comparison Trap” seeing other people lose weight using different tools and at different rates on social media can often send us spiraling in our minds. “Why can’t I eat that way and be successful?” “Why haven’t I lose that much yet?” “Why can’t I just have one Oreo and be happy??” Asking yourself this kind of questions over and over is exhausting. Want to know why? Because you may never find the answers BUT THAT IS OK. You are who are, you react to things the way that you do, not the way someone else does. The sooner you accept this, the sooner you can focus your energy on your journey and the habits you need to build to find success. Social media is a very curated experience, meaning that most people share their highlight real and not their bloopers. If you try to rank yourself against that you will always come up short. Instead, if you truly feel you are doing the work you need to do, in the way that you need to as well, find peace in that. Feel good about what you are accomplishing. Be proud of the hard work YOU are doing. Don’t get wrapped up in someone else’s journey. I do want to also say a bit about why I said you shouldn’t get too caught up in comparing yourself today to your past self. You can make the decision to build lasting healthy change in your life. Looking at your past and getting upset at the choices you made back then just leads to more discomfort and pain. Accept that was has been is what has been. Your future will look a lot brighter!
Punish Yourself for Mistakes
On the subject of past mistakes, we often see people saying that the best way to recover from an off plan weekend or indulgence is to jump right into a fast. Had a cheat meal? Fast 48 hours and all is well! Went off track last week? Time for an egg fast to reset your progress! NO! NO! NO! Punishing yourself will never lead to success in the long run. At best, you stay stuck in that place of self flagellation and at worst you develop new habits that harm your health. If you make a choice you are not happy with there is only one way forward in my opinion, make the right choice next. Get back on your eating plan as you have it set up, get back into your workout routine as it is laid out. Reactionary fasting or punishing cardio is just another form of disordered eating. Empower yourself to acknowledge the choices you have made and focus on what comes next. Do not fall into a pattern of failure and punishments. This is not any way to live your life! You deserve the nourishing food you have planned, and might find that it even helps you counteract any reactionary cravings or off feelings. Give yourself grace, move on.
As you can see, things aren’t always what they seem when you’re browsing. I hope that the overall message here will be a resounding shout of trust the process and trust yourself! Learning to trust ourselves after years of missed signals and poor habits is definitely a challenge and might be something that requires assistance. If you’re interested, let’s talk about how having a coach can help you through those moments of doubt and move you towards a place of greater accountability. Click here to see the programs that Coach Jon and I have available right now!
