How to Lose Weight Without Obsessing

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Co-authored by Kelly Gomez

Last Updated: July 31, 2023

Many people these days are trying to lose weight, but becoming obsessed with food and exercise can be just as unhealthy as being overweight. Here are some quick tips to help you stay grounded as you try to improve your health and fitness.

Steps

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   Avoid looking in mirrors too often, especially if you are feeling depressed. Because weight loss usually is (and certainly should be) a gradual process, you are likely not going to be able to notice any real difference in your body anyway. Looking in mirrors too much, especially when you are already in feeling low, can make you feel discouraged about weight loss even if you are on the right track.
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   Get to know how your emotions affect your eating habits. Many people's eating habits are affected by their emotional state. Some people binge under stress, some when they are feeling very confident and good about themselves, everyone is different. It's a good idea to be aware of when you are more likely to binge on unhealthy foods because there is nothing more discouraging when you are trying to improve your diet than a binge.
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   Do a reality check every once in a while. When you are in a good mood and feeling confident about yourself, take a look in the mirror. Reflect on how you have been feeling since you started eating better and exercising. If you have been feeling good, keep doing what you have been doing. If not, make small, gradual changes and see if you start to feel an improvement. These reality checks should not last more than ten minutes. After you've done a quick assessment of your progress, stop thinking about food and occupy yourself with something totally unrelated.
4. 
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   Avoid skipping meals. Skipping a meal is often one of the first things a person does when they are developing an obsession with weight loss. Skipping a meal will not help you lose weight; instead, it will reduce your mental and physical performance and is just generally bad for you. Even if you are depressed or not feeling well, have a little something just to give your body some fuel.
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   Have certain times a day at which you regularly eat and try to eat about the same amount of food every day. This will help make sure that you don't skip meals and also will help prevent binges.
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   Bounce back if you slip up and binge. Your stomach might feel a bit off for an hour or two, but it will pass. Everyone loses control of their eating every once in a while; the occasional binge will not make any difference to your health. Problems arise if you do it too often or if you overreact after a binge.
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   Refrain from using extreme weight loss methods. Promise yourself never to take diet pills or force yourself to throw up. These methods will only hurt your health in the long run. The only healthy and sustainable way to lose weight is to eat well and get some exercise every day, whether it's a 40-minute walk, a half-hour weight workout, or 20 minutes on the elliptical.
8. 
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   Take your body type into consideration. Every person has a different body type; for one woman 120 lbs could be a perfectly healthy body weight, but for another 120 lbs could be dangerously underweight. There are no good and bad body types. Every one of them is healthy and beautiful. Make sure you take your body type into consideration when setting your fitness goals.
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   Reduce the amount of junk food you eat. Don't try to totally cut out all unhealthy foods from your diet because most people will not be able to sustain this kind of eating. A good idea is often to stop buying unhealthy foods at the grocery store and just keep a small amount of healthier alternatives in case you get a sudden craving. For example, if you are a person who gets cravings for chocolate, keep a small box of chocolate chip granola bars in your pantry so that you can satisfy your cravings that way instead of with a jumbo chocolate bar.
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    Stay away from scales. It's a much better idea to go by how your clothes fits. As stated in step 8, your body type will have a huge effect on what body weight is best for you, so for the average person a scale does not really tell them much. If your jeans are getting a bit baggy on you, you know you are losing weight. Don't worry how many exact pounds it is every week.
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    Don't lose weight for the sole goal of achieving skinniness. A lot of people start fitness plans and healthy eating to "look better", but you should try not to make it about losing weight. Make it about feeling better, having more energy, and improving your overall health. Because at the end of the day, your friends, family, coworkers, and people you know don't care if you are a size 4 or a size 4x. Just do it to become a happier, healthier person.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  How can I lose weight without obsessing over calories?

  

  Kelly Gomez
  Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

  Kelly Gomez is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Director of Nutrition Services at DexaBody. She specializes in helping clients understand the relationship between their nutritional choices and overall health. She has clinical experience working with clients who need meal plans, nutrition counseling, and sports nutrition information. Kelly is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a member of the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitian Association (CPSDA). She has a Master of Science in nutrition science and a Bachelor's degree in kinesiology.

  

  Kelly Gomez

  Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

  Expert Answer

  Think about what your motivation for losing weight in the first place is—if it's for health purposes, think about what health actually looks like for you. There's a lot of research out there that suggests lowering weight won't change a lot of health markers that doctors are looking at, or improve health status. Instead, focus on things that will really improve your health, like getting 8 hours of sleep, increasing your fiber intake, and so on.

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• Question

  How can a stay-at-home wife lose weight?

  

  Kelly Gomez
  Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

  Kelly Gomez is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Director of Nutrition Services at DexaBody. She specializes in helping clients understand the relationship between their nutritional choices and overall health. She has clinical experience working with clients who need meal plans, nutrition counseling, and sports nutrition information. Kelly is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a member of the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitian Association (CPSDA). She has a Master of Science in nutrition science and a Bachelor's degree in kinesiology.

  

  Kelly Gomez

  Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

  Expert Answer

  Take it slow! A lot of moms want to get back to where they were pre-pregnancy, and it's important to realize that it can take 9 months to even a year to get even close to your pre-pregnancy body weight. You may also not go back to that pre-pregnancy weight, and that's okay—practicing body acceptance and repeating some positive affirmations can help. In the meantime, look for small openings in your day when you can consistently fit some exercise in.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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