Ok. You Gained Weight. These 5 Tips Will
Get You Back on Track
BY KIRBY BUMPUS, MPH (MYFITNESSPAL
BLOG)
MARCH 25, 2017
“I’ve gained 15lbs and I CAN’T stop eating!”
That’s the text I received from a friend recently. She told me
another friend asked — purely out of kindness and concern — if something terrible had
happened because they noticed she had gained a decent amount of weight recently. This
gain was after a check up where her doctor mentioned she needed to lose about 20
pounds. Eek!
This was the wake-up call she needed.
She was mortified, and while she knew things had gotten out of hand, the idea of trying to
lose a total of 35 pounds seemed out of reach. A former Division I athlete, she couldn’t
believe she was in this position at age 30.
I knew how she felt; I’ve been there (a few times)…well not the DI athlete part.
In college, I tore my ACL and meniscus. One surgery turned into two and a third all within
a year. I gained at least 40 pounds in a few months. I’m 5-foot-6 and I weighed about 200
pounds (no, that wasn’t muscle weight). It was a tough moment. I can’t remember the
exact number on the scale at the student health center that day. I knew it was a problem,
and I didn’t feel together physically or emotionally.
“I felt hopeless. I gave up. I took a golf cart just to get to class.”
2. LOSE THE GUILT
It’s easy to feel ashamed, guilty and embarrassed if you’ve
gained or regained weight. Weight gain happens, so shift
your focus from the past and set your sights on the concrete
actions you can take to move forward.
So quit beating yourself up over that cup of ice cream you
ate late last night, instead focus on what you are going to do tonight. Have a
banana, greek yogurt or string cheese on hand just in case that nighttime
hungerstrikes again.
Make attainable goals and celebrate yourself when you’ve hit them – strive
for progress, not perfection. If you are struggling with intense feelings of
shame and guilt this next tip might be especially helpful.
3. CONSIDER HELP FROM THE PROS
Whether it’s a personal trainer, nutritionist, medical doctor or therapist, it can
help to have someone holding you accountable. Depending on your situation,
it can also help to sit down with a professional to unpack why you may have
gained the weight in the first place and what you should be doing to make a
change that sticks. If you have preexisting conditions, are trying to lose more
than 100 pounds or have a BMI of 40 or greater, consulting a doctor ensures
you are embarking on the plan that is best for your health.
For me, getting back on track after surgery required checking in with my
physical therapist and surgeon about my game plan. It was important to learn
what exercises were off limits for the moment and which I’d have to modify or
avoid long term (I won’t be running any marathons or doing deep jump
squats anytime soon and that’s ok).
While that might not sound like a huge number, it was “crisis weight” for me. Pre-surgery I
was active, working out daily and biking a ton, I weighed 150 pounds and thought I need- 4. MAKE A MEAL PLAN
ed to lose 5 pounds (ha!) After surgery, my goal weight felt so far away — I would’ve been
grateful to hit 160 — that my approach was, “what’s the point in trying?!”
It’s always helpful to plan out your meals when you first start to prevent you
I felt hopeless. I gave up. I took a golf cart just to get to class. I didn’t do any cardio. I hit
up In N Out and then went directly to Krispy Kreme to top it off. I was eating my emotions.
I say this to illustrate that I know firsthand how weight can spiral. Quickly.
Getting out of that slump took years and a combination of logging my meals, making
healthier choices, setting realistic goals, taking care of my body and upping my workout
routine. I discovered I had more energy and felt better, which was empowering. Until I
started feeling better, I didn’t realize I had forgotten what healthy felt like.
OK, back to my friend. I listened to her worries. She vented. We laughed. We came close
to tears. Then we started troubleshooting.
Whether you are starting your weight loss journey, finding yourself in the middle of the
struggle or working on maintenance, here are tips to keep you on track:
1. START NOW AND START SMALL
You gained weight…it’s a bummer, but you can’t harp on it: move forward. Stop saying
“tomorrow will be the day I start.” Once you start you are closer to finishing. Most people
love that post workout high, but the toughest part is starting that workout. On days I don’t
want to work out, I tell myself to just do a little cardio. I get on the elliptical and push my-
self to the 5-minute mark, and I know I’m halfway there. Since I’m already in the gym and
sweaty, it’s easier to talk myself into 10 minutes of strength moves, too. Some days 20–30
minutes is enough.
Apply the same philosophy to food and goal setting. Instead of focusing on the 80 total
pounds you want to lose, put your energy towards the five pounds you can realistically
lose [within a month].
The most exciting part is, if you’ve fallen off the wagon completely, taking a few small
steps typically results in changes pretty quickly.
from falling back into old bad habits. Personally, I love to cook (plus, cooking
at home saves money) and incorporate as many veggies as possible into
every meal (even breakfast). If your schedule isn’t conducive to meal plan-
ning and getting groceries in advance, try a meal delivery service. My friend
signed up for a paleo food delivery service to jumpstart her weight loss plan.
5. REACH OUT TO FRIENDS
Tell your family and friends you are working on your weight-loss goals. They
may want to join you, and even do a challenge together. Your family can also
create an environment that’s more hospitable to your goals by keeping junk
food out of sight or better yet, not bringing unhealthy food into the home in
the first place. Sometimes it just helps to have someone to vent to.
Today, I weigh around 165 pounds, have a a decent amount of muscle and
feel better than ever about where my body is and what it can accomplish! I’m
happy at this weight, which is bizarre, because according to the charts,
I’m overweight (with a BMI of 26.6), but weight and BMI can only tell you so
much. So I’ve released the power that number held over me. It would be
great to lose a couple pounds just to ensure the long-term health of my knee,
but I’m no longer obsessing about the number, and I’m embracing myself as I
am. My weight still fluctuates (I’ve gained and lost countless pounds), but I’m
more focused on how I actually feel and how far I’ve come. I’ve
even embraced the athlete moniker, which has made my workouts more
effective.
Weight gain happens and weight loss is hard work, so don’t give up or feel
defeated if you are struggling: You’ve got this and you are not alone.
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