It’s Not Fair {Why Does Weight Loss Require More Discipline for Me than For Others}

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Hi Friends! 

It’s Mindset Monday, and I just wanted to share my current feelings about health and weight loss! 

Because you know what I’m feeling- I’m drowning today in that “It’s not fair” self talk.

You know what I’m talking about? This usually happens the day after something like a Super Bowl Party, when you eat clean, you stick to your goals, have a tiny extra treat because = hey, you’re at a party!  And then you wake up Monday morning, and the scale is up 3 lbs!  

You know what: It’s NOT fair.  I should be able to live a life that isn’t so disciplined. I should be able to have an occasional treat and not gain weight. 

You know what else is unfair?  People who eat clean, healthy food and exercise their whole life and still get cancer.

Or people who get plenty of sleep, exercise, eat their fruits and veggies, and still get Alzheimer’s.  

So, I know other people are more justified in the unfairness of it all, but, instead of throwing myself a pity party, I’m taking a step back and reasoning with myself.   

If you’re drowning in the “It’s not fair” talk today like me, here’s how we’re reframing things!

1. Effort is still meaningful, even when outcomes aren’t perfect

Taking care of your body is never wasted effort. Tracking your food, choosing protein, going for walks, lifting weights, drinking water…
none of those things are pointless, even if the scale moves slowly or life throws something unexpected your way.

You’re building strength, protecting your future, and becoming someone who shows up for herself.

2. Acceptance over fairness

This has been on my mind a LOT!  I actually have called it in my own mind, the “acceptance theory of weight loss”.  At some point, I just have to accept that I can’t be the kind of person that can eat whatever I feel like if I want to maintain my weight loss.  It takes intention. It takes planning. It takes being careful.  Fairness isn’t something we get to control, but acceptance is.

When we stop arguing with reality and start asking, What’s the best choice I can make today anyway?  we take our power back.

3. A 3lb weight gain from one high day of eating is just scale noise.

I started understanding this the most this past year.  Scale noise vs scale signaling.  Noise is the day to day fluctuations.  It’s not helpful to place unnecessary meaning to a day-to-day change in the scale.  

Weekly averages give a much stronger signal if you need to make changes.   

4. Hope isn’t found in guarantees.

We don’t get guarantees in health, weight loss, or life, but we do get our agency.

Anyway, while I wish you weren’t like me, and you could live a carefree life of eating whatever you want, whenever you want, I’m guessing you have said to yourself the same thing, “It’s not fair!”. And it’s not.  But I think we can accept that this is how we grow, this is how we get better, how we get stronger, and I’m here for it!

I’ve long believed that If I didn’t have to live with this struggle, I wouldn’t be in the gym, preparing myself for aging well.  And I’d probably be eating Valentines “candy salad”, and feeling like crap every day.  So, I try to remind myself, I’m grateful for the struggle and for the hard work I have to do, because I’ll be a better future me! 

Let me know if you struggle with this too!

In the meantime, I’m pretty jazzed about yogurt bowls right now! I look forward to it EVERY DAY! So, here’s one to get you started below, and I’m hoping to take some photos of the next few days with more!

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