When Weight Loss Isn’t Enough: Healing the Mind-Body Disconnect
Physical health and mental health are deeply connected. Achieving optimal physical health is incredibly difficult if you're not also tending to your mental well-being—and vice versa. Let me share a story that may sound familiar.
A woman in her 40s decides it’s time to lose weight. As her hormones shift, she’s noticed it’s become harder to drop pounds, but that’s a topic for another day! She makes a plan, starts exercising and eating healthier, and voilà—the weight begins to come off.
Sounds ideal, right?
But here's what I’m seeing more and more: even as the weight drops, clients often aren’t satisfied. That dissatisfaction usually doesn’t stem from their actual results. It goes much deeper, often rooted in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. The constant pressure from society and media to look a certain way, stay a certain weight, and keep up with the latest beauty standard runs deep. Add to that the examples we saw growing up including mothers counting calories, taking diet pills, jumping from one fad to the next. No wonder we struggle mentally, even when we’re doing everything “right.”
This sets us up for failure. You can lose 10 pounds and still not feel satisfied or even see the results clearly because your definition of "healthy" may be warped.
Society has reduced “health” to a math equation, dropping us into rigid categories like "healthy," "overweight," "obese," or "morbidly obese." What if you have a body type that naturally builds muscle? You might never reach what you’ve been told is a “healthy” weight. Yet, you could be in the best shape of your life.
There are other, better ways to track progress—but unless someone tells you that, how would you know?
If this story resonates with you, it may be time to pause and reflect. Ask yourself: Why am I not satisfied with my results? Think back to your earliest influences on body image. Were they healthy and realistic? If not, maybe it’s time to challenge those ideals. (Light some sage and burn those toxic beliefs out of your brain. Just kidding—kinda.)
Let’s talk strategy.
Ditch the scale – If weighing yourself leaves you feeling sad, angry, or disappointed, stop. There are better indicators of progress. Try monthly waist measurements, or use a snug pair of jeans or shorts as your marker instead.
Track strength, not pounds – If you’re strength training, measure your progress by what you can lift. Have your weights increased since you started? Are your friends noticing how strong your arms or legs are looking?
Pay attention to how you feel – If something makes you feel bad, stop doing it. Lean into what makes you feel good—physically, mentally, emotionally.
Surround yourself with supportive people – Find a community that doesn’t obsess over body image or weight loss, and that celebrates health in all its forms.
Weight loss might be part of your health journey, but it’s not the whole story. Don’t let a number define your success—or your self-worth.