Losing weight is a topic on many people’s minds as a priority for their health. But did you know that if you’re struggling with some common health challenges, you may need to put your weight loss goals on hold while you figure out what’s going on with your health?
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In this episode of Fed and Fearless, I’m talking about the 16 signs and symptoms that may indicate that you’re not ready for fat loss. Having one or more of these common health symptoms can be a sign that your body needs a focus on healing before healthy fat loss is even possible.
One of the most common is feeling very tired all the time. Engaging in any purposeful fat loss lifestyle changes like reduced calories or increased movement can make fatigue worse. Don’t contribute to your fatigue if you’re already there.
If you’re not sleeping properly and/or getting up in the night to pee, there’s probably something underlying going on that you should address before focusing on losing weight. Same if you feel cold more often than not, as poor circulation can indicate something more substantial going on in your body.
When you’re ready to lose weight, your mental health should also be good, as lower calories can negatively impact your thoughts. The term ‘hangry’ exists for a reason and if you’re already in a fragile mental state, lowering your calories can be devastating.
Not having your period is also a sign that your body isn’t in the right state for weight loss. This could mean that you’re already over-exercising or under-eating. And similarly, if you have symptoms related to your thyroid function, you should absolutely get these checked out before starting a fat-loss protocol.
If you have a regular exercise routine, you need to make sure that your recovery strategy supports your overall health, even when working toward a fat loss goal. I talk about quite a few different aspects of your recovery and injury prevention to think about before deciding anything about your weight-loss.
Losing your sex drive is another big sign that you’re not ready for weight loss, too. Finally, did you know that, despite some information out there, you should never be trying to lose weight while you’re pregnant, even if you’re already technically overweight or “obese”? There should never be a goal of purposeful weight loss while a woman is pregnant.
Did you find that you have some of these signs or symptoms? Let me know in the comments below!
Got a question you’d love to hear me answer on the show? Leave me a voice message here!
“If you’re feeling that fatigue on a day-to-day basis, you don’t want to be putting energy into an intentional fat-loss protocol because you will most likely experience a worsening of that fatigue.” (8:30)
“If you are someone who’s waking up more than once a night to pee, or if you wake up to pee and you can’t fall back asleep after getting up to go to the bathroom, you may need to focus on eating more for a while and really getting that symptom under control.” (16:28)
“By focusing on your health first and really maximizing your health, you’re actually putting your body at a better place to be able to lose body fat and preparing your metabolism for a short-term calorie deficit so you can really get into a place where you are burning extra body fat.” (33:07)
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