Setbacks

At some time on your weight-loss journey, you may encounter a setback or a bump in the road. Life happens, circumstances change, things interfere. Don’t despair, and don’t beat yourself up for being sick, hurt, in pain, in transition, or stressed. You are developing habits of healthy eating and movement, and that takes time. You may gain or lose a little while you are dealing with your crisis, but things will stabilize once you reintroduce your good behaviors. Whatever you do, don’t give up. Don’t throw in the towel. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater! You don’t have to go backwards. Think of what's happening as bend in the road that will straighten out eventually. Keep going in the healthy direction.

When you are in pain, either emotionally or physically, it is normal to revert to what helped or comforted you at one time. But survival or coping skills that kick in automatically are the result of  well-worn paths in your brain, ruts so to speak. You have been working yourself out of a rut, and it will be easier than you think to get back to your healthy behaviors. Remember, you are in for the long haul. Recommit yourself to doing what is good for you!

It may help to do some benign things that will show you just how difficult it is to change an entrenched behavior. Wear your watch on the opposite wrist. Park your car in a different spot. Part your hair on the other side. Re-arrange the furniture in a room. Hang some pictures in different locations. What does this have to do with weight-loss? It will show you how weirdly uncomfortable it is to change something that you have always done the same way. Lifestyle change is dramatic. It is worth it, though! Just you wait and see!