The #1 Reason People Gain Weight
What if someone told you that you could not only lose the weight you’ve been struggling with for years, yet that you can also keep it off - for good. You can break the never-ending cycle of losing weight, short term maintenance, gaining the weight back, frustration, repeat.
I’m here to tell you that you CAN. And that it all comes down to one thing: habits.
Weight gain is something most men and women think about every day. We also try to avoid it for our entire life. Most people can’t seem to escape it.
So, why do people gain weight? Despite what you may think, it’s not because they aren’t counting calories or aren’t exercising every day.
The reason people gain weight is simple: they lose their habits.
Why do they lose their habits? Because they were unsustainable. Life got in the way, they got too busy, they got burnt out…and before they knew it, they were back to square one, or worse yet, worse off than when they started.
So many of us have been there. We take on too big of a new behavior or lifestyle and we simply can’t maintain it.
For example, let’s say Sally has been gaining weight over the course of a few years. She used to be an avid runner and healthy eater, yet the stress of her job and taking care of family took over. Over time, she was exercising less and less, eating more take-out and frozen meals, and letting her stress consume her. One day she decides enough is enough - she wants to finally lose the 10 pounds she’s gained. She has not exercised regularly in years, has a few lingering injuries that she hasn’t addressed, and rarely practices healthy eating habits anymore. She’s tried numerous diets, joined a few gyms, yet she can’t get something to “stick”. After years of gaining weight, lacking confidence, and simply not feeling her best, she decides she needs a big change. She commits to a low carb diet, no alcohol, exercising five days per week, and counting calories on a popular app.
The problem is, Sally has taken on WAY too much change and all at once. She is doing a complete 180 from her previous lifestyle. This new lifestyle may last a few days. I sadly see this quite a bit. Clients take on a new diet, a new way to approach their health and wellness. When they over-reach, it backfires. I rarely see new behavior changes this extensive last longer than a week. Sally may lose some weight, yet statistically the odds of her gaining it back, are great. Why? Our bodies - namely our brains - need TIME to form and adjust to new habits. Our brain is forming new pathways to make that habit stick. So, a new habit must be small and achievable. Once we master a new habit, we can build on it. Eventually, our healthy lifestyle is simply a compilation of hundreds of healthy habits we’ve established and built on over time.
If I were coaching Sally, I would suggest she starts by simply addressing her injuries with a professional and working on stress resilience practices. Often stress is at the foundation of most weight struggles. Stress leads to lack of sleep and motivation to exercise. Lack of sleep leads to craving food or even not feeling full when your body has had enough food.
Next, I would add in daily walks for a manageable duration of time - like 20 minutes. Once walking has become a habit and normal part of her routine, and she is able to move pain-free, add in some strength training. Sally can then add in new habits, like adding color to her diet, getting her seven and a half hours of sleep, and so on. This new “lifestyle” may happen over the course of six months, and it will continue to evolve over time.
This is the key to success: starting small and slooooowwwww.
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