Weight loss goals - should you set them?
When asking clients what their goals are, it isn’t uncommon to hear something like this: Lose x kg in x months. In theory, weight loss goals seem simple and incredibly tangible. You can easily measure your weight (just step on the scales!) and track it over time.
But if losing a certain amount of weight is a goal you want to achieve, have you ever stopped to ask yourself why?
Below is an interesting concept from the book Thinsanity, written by psychologist Glenn Mackintosh, which highlights the importance of focusing on your “why”.
Source: Mackintosh, G, 2019, Thinsanity
In this diagram, the aim of eating, movement and self-care is to achieve weight loss. Once weight loss is achieved, you expect to be happy. Unfortunately, this approach often makes eating, movement and self-care feel like “punishment” you must push through to achieve weight loss. Sounds unsustainable to us!
Source: Mackintosh, G, 2019, Thinsanity
Above is an alternative diagram: the “body love” model. Here, the aim of eating, movement and self-care is to feel good and connect with your “why”. While weight loss may or may not be the added cherry on top, it is not the main focus. In short, achieving your health-related goals are not dependent on seeing weight change.
When this approach is established, the benefits of weight loss you are truly after are no longer something that occurs as a result of a lower number on the scale. They are immediate.
So, what goals should you set?
Shifting your focus from weight loss to “why” you want to achieve it is important. This is because a strong focus on weight is linked with disordered eating such as binge eating, poor body image, depression and weight regain over time. Overemphasising weight undermines your ability to listen to and honour your true hunger and fullness cues and make food choices that work for you as an individual. Rather, you are too hung up on how each bite of food will impact the number on the scales.
Challenge: identiFy your “why” and set a non-weight way to measure your progress over time
Ask yourself, “why is weight loss important to me?”. Some reasons may include comfort, fitness, health, illness and even body image, self-esteem or intuitive eating.
Next, set your measures of progress to align with this. Here are some examples:
Run 1km without stopping
Reduce my cholesterol to the healthy range
Improve my energy levels across the day
Reduce my dose of type 2 diabetes medication
Improve my inner self-talk from critical to compassionate
Once you are clear on your why and have a non-scale measure of progress, taking steps towards goals that will move you closer to this becomes a lot more clear and attainable.
Here are some non-weight goals focusing on health behaviour change:
Drink one bottle of water before lunch each day
Add two cups of colourful vegetables with dinner on weeknights
Prepare and pack a homemade lunch for work three days each week
Get off the train one stop earlier and walk the remainder of the way to work
Sit at the table and remove distractions when eating dinner
We understand that reducing the focus on weight and the scales can be challenging. If this is something you are struggling with, book in with one of our Accredited Practising Dietitians for one-on-one support
To hear Michelle Theodosi speak more on this topic - CLICK HERE to listen to Michelle’s interview with Mark Seto on the Virgin Active Minds Podcast.
