The Bumpy Road to Weightloss

At Vitaflow I focus on eating for health, nourishment and happiness rather than solely for weightloss.  But of course, there will be times for all of us when we know we could feel better if we lost a few pounds.  

In fact a recent study suggests that around 22% of people experienced significant weight gain during the pandemic lockdown periods.  Lockdown brought many physical and mental challenges so it is important not to be self-critical if you have noticed weight gain over this time and are feeling bad about it.  

Long term success with any weight loss programme can sometimes feel like a bumpy and uneven path.  There are lots of obstacles, some of which are perceived, that might keep you from achieving a sustainable healthy weight.  Initially, learning to identify your personal potential roadblocks and confront your most challenging temptations is an important part of being successful in weight loss. 

It is always possible to make small gradual adaptations to daily routines to bring things back to where you want them to be and often the smaller more consistent changes lead to much greater long term sustainable results. 

 To get past the rough spots, it is important to have clear strategies in place that you can revisit to help navigate your problems as they arise.  

Barriers to weightloss can generally be grouped into 3 categories, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Behaviours (this is where perceived barriers might come into play).  To lose weight and become healthier in a sustainable way, you should address all these components, remembering that we should see ourselves as a whole.  This means we need to feel physically, emotionally and spiritually whole to thrive and make sustained changes for health. 

First, it is extremely important to identify and remove obstacles that are physical barriers.  Issues impacting your physiology such as lack of sleep, thyroid function, adrenal function, pancreas and blood sugar dysfunction, digestion and immunity.  An Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach (NLC) can tell you in detail about how each of these factors impacts your health.  

Secondly, adopting a healthy eating and nutritious meal plan approach will give you major results once all the key systems of your body are functioning properly.  An NLC can help you get a practical, manageable and enjoyable plan in place that you can adapt together over time as your health goals evolve. 

Lastly but of real importance is facing up to any perceived obstacles or behaviours that are blocking your progress.  Together with your NLC you can devise an action plan to get on and stay on the right path for you.  This will involve small not drastic changes to lifestyle, nothing that will cause you to give up.  

At the same time, accept, that as in any area of your life, there will be setbacks.  Remember it is not an ‘all or nothing’ approach.  You can start fresh every day if necessary.  The sooner you can put a lapse behind you and move on again by revisiting your plan with your NLC, you will see and feel success.