We have all come to this dry patch some time in our lives.
So, we worked our asses off the past few months towards our health goals, say, reducing our weight to a healthy one and increasing our fitness. We regularly exercised and controlled our diets –- and we were fit as fiddles. We looked healthier and leaner, and got so many compliments that a polite “No, not really” became an outright “I know right?” Everything was perfect, until two weeks ago.
That day, we woke up to find that the usual body-hugging dress was a little body-suffocating. So we took it off and stood staring at ourselves in full-length mirrors, just looking. It can’t be, we thought to ourselves. So we run to the nearest weighing machine and…. It is. To our worst nightmares, the weight has somehow returned. How could it be?
Then we remember we let ourselves go a little the week before, when mom took us out on that delicious buffet. That same week we missed two training sessions because life caught up with us, and the week before that we binged on a few chocolates here and there. Suddenly, the list of our little ‘sins’ seems to be endless.
Oh no.
And hence, the panic starts. Finding myself in this position, I jumped right on the Insanity workout bandwagon (more on this later) in hopes of shredding off the extra kilos. I watched what I ate but fell prey to sugar once or twice, and at the end of the week I weighed myself again – Oh no, another two kilos up!
Demoralized, I dropped Insanity all together and tried everything. I went running, I cut down my calorie intake, I tried to walk as much as possible… but to no avail. It’s three weeks later and I’m another three kilos up. No go. Nothing’s working, and if you can relate, this may seem like the end of the world.
But it’s alright to rebound.
It’s alright. Don’t take it too harshly, really. So, you’re slightly chubbier now than you were before, but that’s alright. Why? Because you lost this weight once, so you know how to do it again. No biggie. Instead of panicking and trying various weight-loss methods, take a deep breath and a step back to evaluate the situation.
Compare your current lifestyle with the lifestyle that gave you fantastic results – diet, exercise, habits, etc. By doing this, you’re isolating the problem. Once you do, it will be much easier to get back on track. However, if your previous lifestyle was effective but unhealthy (please don’t starve yourself) you know you need to change.
There are two main causes for rebounding:
1) Your choice of lifestyle was unsustainable. Even though the weight was coming off quickly, depriving yourself of a nutritious meal and even snacking once in a while was bound to reach a downfall. This stems from the fact that you could never eat like this forever, and when you reach this realization, you give up and the weight comes right back. Hence, it is necessary for you to take this rebound period to decide on a new lifestyle choice – hopefully, a more healthy and sustainable one.
2) Your body needed a break. You were eating healthily and it was sustainable, but some of us are just sweet-tooths. And so, you find yourself inevitably caving into temptation. That’s alright. Take this rebounding of weight as a realization that you’ve yet to fully counter your sugary desires, and find more nutritious alternatives (like fruits!) to replace them this time round.
Either way, don’t beat yourself up about it and don’t be overly discouraged. We are, after all, only human. Take the time you need to wallow in self-pity, but remember to get back up and fight once again. Find the courage, find encouraging friends, and get right back on track.
(Here’s Joce and I working out together — Finding a supportive workout buddy encourages you to reach your goals!)
Just a tip: Instead of being a weight-watcher, focus on eating healthily and exercising regularly. If you get that right, the weight will come off naturally once again.
Challenge yourself,
Amadea Ng
Featured Image Source: The Dining Table
