It’s heartbreaking when the person staring back at you in the mirror doesn’t feel like you anymore. You’ve fought the battle to lose weight more than once, only to see those hard-earned results slip away as old habits creep back in. It’s not just the weight gain that’s frustrating—it’s the self-blame and the feeling of starting over, again and again.
“What frustrates me most is my own negative body image and that I have let myself get into this situation. I have been overweight for about the last 16 years and have on at least 3 occasions managed to lose between 3 and 4 stone but have failed to keep the weight off. I have always slipped back into the bad habits/become lazy once I reached my goal weight.” — Emma, 46
The Cycle of Weight Loss and Regain: A Rollercoaster of Emotions
Emma’s story is all too familiar. You set a goal, work tirelessly to reach it, feel a rush of pride when the scale finally shows a number you’re happy with… and then slowly, almost inevitably, you find yourself slipping. A missed workout here, a takeaway there, and suddenly, you’re back where you started—or worse, feeling even more disheartened than before. It’s like being stuck on a never-ending rollercoaster, where the ups are thrilling but the downs make you question why you even got on in the first place.
The frustration isn’t just about the weight itself; it’s the emotional toll of feeling like you’ve failed yourself. There’s the guilt of thinking you’re “lazy,” the shame of thinking you’ve “let yourself go,” and the exhaustion of knowing you’ve done this before. And if you’re like many, each cycle of weight loss and regain leaves you feeling even more disconnected from your own body, making it harder to find the motivation to start again.
Common Mistakes That Keep You Trapped in the Weight Regain Cycle
The yo-yo dieting cycle isn’t just a personal failing—it’s often the result of well-intentioned but ultimately misguided efforts. Here are some of the most common mistakes that contribute to regaining weight after initial success:
- Treating Weight Loss as a Temporary Fix
Many people see weight loss as a project with a clear endpoint: “I’ll diet until I reach my goal weight.” But when the goal is reached, the focus often shifts away from the habits that got you there. Without a sustainable lifestyle shift, it’s easy to slip back into old behaviours, causing the weight to creep back on. - Relying Solely on Willpower
Willpower is like a muscle—use it too much, and it gets fatigued. If your entire weight loss strategy is based on sheer force of will (like avoiding your favourite foods or sticking to intense workouts), it’s only a matter of time before that muscle gives out. When that happens, those “forbidden” foods and skipped workouts come rushing back. - The All-or-Nothing Mentality
Diet culture often promotes extreme approaches: you’re either “on” or “off” a diet, “good” or “bad” with your food choices. This black-and-white thinking leads to a cycle of restriction followed by overindulgence, especially after you reach your goal weight. A small slip-up feels like a total failure, and soon you find yourself back in old, comforting (but unhelpful) habits. - Negative Self-Image as a Motivator
Using self-criticism as a motivator might get you started, but it’s rarely sustainable. When you’re driven by a negative body image or the feeling that you’re “not good enough,” each setback feels like confirmation that you’re failing. This can lead to self-sabotage, where the very thoughts that drove you to lose weight in the first place start pulling you back into old patterns.
The Science of Regaining Weight: Adaptive Metabolism and the Role of the HPA Axis
The frustration of regaining weight isn’t just about willpower or discipline—it’s deeply rooted in your body’s biology. When you lose weight, especially quickly, your body goes into what’s often called “survival mode.” This isn’t just a catchphrase; it’s a complex, physiological response known as adaptive thermogenesis.
Adaptive thermogenesis is your body’s way of fighting back against weight loss. It slows down your metabolism to conserve energy, increases hunger hormones like ghrelin, and decreases satiety hormones like leptin, making you hungrier and less satisfied after eating. Essentially, your body works against your efforts to keep the weight off, driving you back toward your previous, higher weight set point .
Chronic stress and the dysregulation of the HPA axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis) further complicate matters. The HPA axis controls your body’s response to stress, and when it’s overactive due to constant dieting, emotional stress, or lack of sleep, it can elevate cortisol levels, which promotes fat storage, particularly around the belly area .
Breaking Free: A Deep Health Approach to Sustainable Weight Loss and Body Image Healing
If you’re tired of the cycle and ready to make a change, there’s hope. The key is shifting from quick fixes to a holistic, sustainable approach that addresses not just the physical aspects of weight loss but the emotional, psychological, and environmental factors too. Here’s how Deep Health Coaching can help:
- Redefine Success Beyond the Scale
Instead of focusing solely on the number on the scale, shift your mindset to health-based goals. Think about how you want to feel in your body, how you want to move, and how you want to nourish yourself. This approach removes the pressure of reaching a specific weight and helps you build habits that support long-term health. - Create Sustainable Habits That Stick
Rather than drastic diet changes, we focus on small, manageable shifts. It’s not about cutting out entire food groups or extreme calorie restriction; it’s about learning what balance looks like for you. This could be as simple as learning to eat slowly, listening to your hunger cues, or finding a form of movement you genuinely enjoy. - Address Emotional Eating and Self-Sabotage
Working through the emotional ties to food and body image is crucial. Deep Health Coaching incorporates strategies like mindful eating, self-compassion, and cognitive behavioural techniques to help you recognise and change the patterns that have held you back. - Support and Accountability That Lasts Beyond Goal Weight
One of the biggest game-changers is ongoing support. Unlike traditional diets, which leave you to fend for yourself after the initial success, Deep Health Coaching provides ongoing guidance, helping you navigate the ups and downs, celebrate the wins, and work through the challenges. This isn’t about reaching a goal and being left on your own; it’s about creating a lifestyle that feels right and sustainable. - Rebuild Your Relationship with Your Body
Healing negative body image takes time and a lot of compassion. By learning to view your body as more than a project to be fixed, you can start to appreciate it for what it does rather than how it looks. This shift can make all the difference in maintaining your progress and feeling genuinely good in your skin.
The Path Forward: Reclaiming Your Body and Your Life
Imagine waking up each day without the weight of self-criticism on your shoulders, knowing that you’re not just chasing a number on the scale but genuinely nurturing your body. It’s about more than just losing weight—it’s about losing the mindset that’s kept you trapped and embracing a new way of living that supports all aspects of your health.
If you resonate with Emma’s journey and are ready to break the cycle, I’m here to help. I’m looking for individuals who want to lose weight sustainably, without falling back into old habits. Get in touch to learn more about Deep Health Coaching and claim your 2 weeks of free support to see if it’s right for you. It’s time to feel good in your own skin, for good.
References:
- MacLean, P. S., Higgins, J. A., Giles, E. D., Sherk, V. D., & Jackman, M. R. (2015). The role for adipose tissue in weight regain after weight loss. Obesity Reviews.
- Sumithran, P., Prendergast, L. A., Delbridge, E., et al. (2011). Long-term persistence of hormonal adaptations to weight loss. New England Journal of Medicine.
- Dallman, M. F., Pecoraro, N. C., & la Fleur, S. E. (2005). Chronic stress and comfort foods: Self-medication and abdominal obesity. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.