A lot of hard work and determination go into losing weight and keeping it off. And when you finally do reach your weight loss goal, there’s no better feeling. But as wonderful and exciting as losing weight is, could there be pitfalls in doing so?
We take a closer look and answer the question: “How does weight loss correlate with mental health?” The answer might surprise you if the studies are correct.
Weight Loss and Mental Health: The Positives
For starters, there’s a lot of good that comes from healthy weight loss. Notice the key word: healthy. It’s important to take the proper steps when you set out to lose weight. Whether it’s switching up your diet and trading takeout for weight loss shakes or sticking to a consistent exercise regimen, how you lose weight matters.
A healthy lifestyle promotes healthy weight loss, which then leads to body positivity and greater confidence. What’s more, you will have more energy than you’ve likely felt in a long time, allowing you to complete tasks faster and easier than ever.
Your sleep also is likely to improve. If you often find that you struggle to fall asleep at night — and when you do fall asleep, you’re only able to get a few hours of rest — healthy weight loss can improve your sleep cycle exponentially.
Studies also show that healthy weight loss leads to less depression, as your mood and spirit are instead lifted up, and you feel an overall sense of accomplishment for all of the hard work you put into losing weight. And if you suffer from frequent mood changes, losing weight can reduce or even eliminate mood swings.
Lastly, weight loss can significantly prolong your life. When you’re in shape and eating right, you are far less likely to develop certain medical conditions. For some people, longevity is all the evidence they need to get serious about losing weight.
These are certainly reasons enough to celebrate the idea of losing weight. But there’s a potential dark side that some researchers feel shouldn’t be ignored.
Weight Loss and Mental Health: The Negatives
We’ve seen how healthy weight loss can boost your mental health and well-being. Few would argue that there are plenty of good reasons to try to get in shape.
But there are some people who reportedly had bad experiences after they lost weight, and they all come back to the mental health side of weight loss. As stated, losing weight can understandably make you feel more confident and boost your self-esteem.
This makes sense, as you’ll be happier with your overall appearance and feel more comfortable in your body, not to mention the increase in natural energy you will inherit. Oftentimes, too, weight loss attracts accolades from friends and family, which is only natural when you’ve radical changes to your body for the better.
But what happens when the accolades become fewer and far between? As people get used to the new you, you’re less likely to hear about all the great things you’ve done for yourself. For some people, this can have a negative effect on their confidence.
In many cases, it comes down to the person. If you feed on the compliments of others, it’s only natural to feel down when you stop getting praise and attention.
Another potential problem comes if you put on a pound or two after losing a bunch of weight. You might not fit into your new skinny jeans as easily as when you first lost all that weight. But it’s important that you don’t let this defeat you.
You came a long way from the old you, losing substantial amounts of weight and improving your overall health in the process. If you do put on a couple of pounds, you will have far less work to do to get to where you were at your zenith.
Therefore, it’s vital that you keep a positive outlook throughout your weight loss journey. Like anything else, you might experience roadblocks along the way. But it’s how you handle these brief delays that defines you.
Wrap Up
Are you considering making some changes in your life and want to lose weight? It’s important to know where to start. But it’s equally important to know how to handle challenges along the way. When you learn how to handle disappointments and make it a point to stay focused on the positives, you can look forward to greater success in your road to healthy weight loss.
