my ‘philosophy’ on weight loss
Maybe it’s because it’s that time of year…
when everyone is setting a New Year’s Resolution to lose X kilos or get the ‘beach body’ of their dreams.
or maybe it’s because I’m currently evaluating my own health and fitness goals…
but recently, I’ve found myself thinking about weight loss a lot.
I am quite conflicted about the whole concept.
I’m always really hesitant to post anything about it on my social media channels, but I recently finished editing some reels with various learnings and tips from my weight loss journey, and I do plan to post them.
It’s just that, as a Personal Trainer, I think I have a responsibility to not add to the continuous bombardment of messaging that’s put out on social media, explicitly or implicitly shaming people for their weight, or making them feel like it’s a moral failing to not have a six pack.
But somehow I also have to square that with the reality that:
a) a big percentage of the population is overweight or obese
b) so many health issues, diseases and conditions are either caused or made worse by, being overweight
c) I myself have first hand experience of the improvements to overall health that losing weight can bring.
It’s a really difficult line to tread.
Where I’ve landed on it, so far, is as follows:
1/ If/when I post about weight loss, be as mindful as I can be of the language and tone I use, and avoid any unnecessary moralising or shaming.
2/ As much as possible, talk from my own experience. I feel like if I’m sharing what I did, and how it impacted me, I am not engaging in ‘bandwagoning’ but instead just offering my story, in the view that it might also help others.
3/ Frame weight loss in the way it should be framed - as only a part of a much bigger and more important journey towards living a healthy and active life, that includes building muscle, improving cardiovascular fitness, maintaining mobility and flexibility, consuming a nutrient-rich diet, getting good quality sleep etc.
I also think that how most people view exercise in relation to weight loss does both things a disservice.
Yes, of course exercise burns calories, to greater and lesser extents, and therefore could be used as a way to hit the calorie deficit required to lose weight.
But I think viewing this as the purpose of exercise just leads to resentment towards it - it begins to feel like a chore, or a punishment, or the payback for enjoying eating, rather than the intrinsically joyful experience it should be - the opportunity to give your body the care and attention it deserves.
Thankfully, one positive trend I have noticed recently is the number of clients who now come to me with goals beyond just losing weight.
A few years ago, I think this would probably have been the number 1 goal of most people working with a Personal Trainer.
Now, I think there are as many people who mention the likes of building muscle, ‘getting fit’, improving mobility, posture, flexibility, as there are who mention weight loss.
I don’t love the word ‘holistic’, but I haven’t encountered a better term yet, for describing my approach or philosophy to health and fitness.
Because I really do believe that focusing on just one element of what constitutes living healthily, such as being a ‘healthy’ weight, is an inefficient, and misguided way to approach things.
Living healthily means prioritising all the ways in which you can give your body (and mind) the fuel and energy and care and consideration it needs to thrive - it’s not just about the calories you consume, or the number on the scale.
If however, like me, you’ve found that weight loss is your entry point into that, then great.
But just remember, that’s all it is.
It’s the entry point.
It’s one piece of an enormous puzzle.
It’s up to you to put all the other pieces together.
