When NOT to Start Your Weight Loss Journey: Red Flags You’re Setting Yourself Up for Failure
Have you ever had that all-too-familiar urge to lose weight right now? Maybe the number on the scale took you by surprise, or your favorite pair of jeans doesn’t fit you anymore. So you took a deep breath, clenched your teeth, and you promised yourself this ends right now! You’re not alone – studies show that nearly half of all adults attempt to lose weight each year, yet 95% of crash diets end in failure.
The truth? Sometimes the worst time to start a weight loss journey is exactly when you think you should. That feeling of urgency or desperation, the pressure from an upcoming event – these things can be very motivating in the moment. But if you don’t have the right mindset, they might actually be your biggest roadblocks to success.
Timing isn’t just about picking a start date or waiting for the perfect moment. You need to recognize whether you are mentally and emotionally ready to change your lifestyle, and stick to it. And sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is to wait.
Let’s have a look at the top 5 instances when you should NOT start your weight loss journey, if you want those numbers on the scale to go (and stay) down.
When NOT to Start Your Weight Loss Journey
1. When You Are Under a Lot of Stress
Food can mean comfort for a lot of people. In fact, 27% of adults say they eat to manage stress. Have you ever found yourself ordering in junk food after a difficult day? Or gulping down ice-cream in the middle of the night? If the answer is yes, you might be using food to soothe or suppress negative emotions.
Going through a stressful period is not the time to start your weight loss journey. Even if you are not an emotional eater, it is a lot more difficult to deal with calorie restriction and weight loss goals when you are under pressure.
The best thing to do is wait until you are in a more peaceful state of mind and focus on one battle at a time.
2. You Are Looking Forward to a Major Event
A lot of people put pressure on themselves to lose weight before a wedding, before summer or a vacation. If you are indeed overweight and need to shed a few pounds, make sure you do it for the right reasons, and not because you want to fit in a dress.
Your health should be your priority. And healthy weight loss takes time and patience. It certainly does not work on a schedule.
Having a deadline can put a lot of pressure on you, and this is the greatest enemy for a successful diet. Keep in mind that your body needs to find its natural rhythm. Forcing yourself to achieve a certain goal on a deadline is counterproductive and can be unhealthy.
Stay realistic and focus on the process, rather than the end result.
3. You Have a Hectic Schedule
If you have a disorganized lifestyle, starting your weight loss journey is almost guaranteed to fail. Why? Because a sustainable diet requires structure. You have to stick to mealtimes, focus on home-made food. You can’t get away with fast food and sandwiches.
Try to make space in your day for intentional eating. Schedule mealtimes at the same time every day, take time to eat your food rather than having lunch at your desk.
If you can’t afford it, it’s better to wait until you have more time for healthy and nutritious meals.
4. You’re Going on Vacation
For many of us, going on vacation means taking a break – from work, from responsibilities, and from all the restrictions we put up with in our everyday lives. You can finally relax and do whatever you want. The last thing you want to do is count calories.
When you’re on vacation, you want to treat yourself. Take advantage of the local cuisine, try new things, be adventurous. In a week’s time you’ll be back home, there will be plenty of time to start your weight loss journey when you have more structure in your life.
5. You Are Going through Significant Life Changes
Starting a new job or moving to a new city are big changes, and they are perceived by your body as stressors. Whether good or bad stress, it is an added pressure to your daily life that you have to deal with. Add dieting on top of that, and you have a recipe for failure.
Best to take it one step at a time. Focus first on accommodating to the new realities of your life. Get comfortable with your new habits and responsibilities. If you try to do everything at once, you might fail.
Sure, we all know that feeling of urgency when you realized you don’t fit into your favorite pair of jeans anymore. But rushing into it, or embarking on a weight loss journey when you aren’t ready, is not going to solve your problem.
The path to sustainable weight loss isn’t about seizing every impulse to start immediately – it’s about choosing the right moment when you’re truly set up for success.
Take a moment today to honestly assess your current circumstances. Are you ready to give your weight loss journey the attention and energy it deserves? If not, that’s okay. Sometimes, the wisest choice is to wait for the right moment.
After all, sustainable weight loss isn’t a sprint to a deadline. It’s a gradual transformation that requires patience, self-compassion, and most importantly, the right timing.
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