Everybody knows that being overweight or obese is far from ideal, as carrying extra weight means individuals are putting their body under greater strain, which can have a negative impact on their health. An overweight person is more likely to experience bullying and discrimination, as well, which can affect their self-esteem and leave them with very little confidence in themselves. Yet, despite how hard it is being overweight; for most people losing weight is tough, even tougher than coping with being heavier than their ideal. They therefore choose to avoid dealing with their weight and the underlying problems that lead them to use food as a source of comfort, fearing they may fail.
For those with a considerable amount of weight to lose it can be extremely difficult to take the first step towards weight loss anyway, as it is going to take them a long time to get to their ideal weight, and they can find it to stay motivated to stick to a healthy diet and exercise routine for long enough to notice any change. They know it is in their best interests to lose weight, and their family and friends are likely to support their aims, especially because of the health implications of being obese. However, obese individuals tend to have very little confidence to begin with, having suffered at the hands of bullies and being convinced that they are unable to lose weight.
It can be hard for an overweight individual to reach the decision to lose weight, as they automatically assume any diet they follow will not help them achieve their objectives. They don’t want to tell their friends and family that they are on a diet, as it puts pressure on them to succeed, and they don’t really believe they can. When they try to tackle their weight they imagine that everything they eat is being scrutinised by those around them, and may end up bingeing on junk food secretly, as they can’t cope with the weight of expectation.
Many overweight individuals therefore opt to avoid trying to diet and lose weight, as they have almost grown used to being fat and the negatives associated with being this way. They don’t believe that they can ever reach their goal weight, and usually this belief is fuelled by past experiences where they have lost a few pounds, only to regain it all and even more. If they have become used to eating lots of junk food and rarely exercising it can be challenging to alter the mentality that makes this normal. Consequently, most overweight individuals stick with their usual routine, simply hoping that they don’t gain any more weight, but too fearful to try to change their habits and convinced that doing so will not make any difference anyway.
