Someone recently asked me if it is possible to feel comfortable naturally in a weight that is higher than you are ever. As with so many questions, the short answer is: “Yes”, but the long answer is extremely thin. This is the shade is what I want to dig a little here.
First, While the query specifically refers to physical comfort, we cannot ignore psychological comfortSo I’ll talk about both. But let’s start with natural comfort.
What is natural discomfort?
Many customers have told me that they just don’t feel “comfortable” in their current weight. This perceived discomfort can be a negative motivation for losing weight loss (“negative” because you try to avoid or escape something). However, one may have been firmly decided to stop the pursuit of weight loss because of what costs them in terms of time/money/energy/stress, but still does not feel naturally comfortable in their highest body weight. It can lead to a lot of mental struggle.
If one has a smaller body for a long time and/or gained weight quickly, It may indeed feel weird to take/move through the space differently. On the other hand, this feeling of strange can also happen when one loses weight quickly.
But what if one feels that their highest weight has brought genuine natural discomfort – Common aches and pains, shortness of breath when climbing stairs or walking on the hills, etc.?
If I had a nickel for every patient or client who said a version of “I’m easy to get wyped when I climb stairs, so I have to lose weight” I will have many nickelies. However, anyone, at any weight, can experience these difficulties.
Even when I worked in weight management (this was several years ago), I would always ask, “So how often do you climb stairs?” The answer was worldwide, “not very often.” I will explain that because they rarely climb the stairs (or walking on the hills), their bodies were not prepared for this activity, so of course it would be quickly from breathing, feeling their leg muscles burn etc. It wasn’t for weight, it was for the physical preparation.
Is natural comfort for given?
This means that you can be at a higher weight, even your higher weight, and use the planned physical activity to feel naturally comfortable in your daily life. This applies to any weight. For example, last year I changed my strength routine to add (sincerely boring) exercises that include heavyweight transport while maintaining normal attitude. This year, I noticed that it is shockingly easy to carry heavy luggage or carry my huge watering around the yard. Go figure!
This said, Some people will never feel physically comfortable, regardless of weight. People of all weights can develop arthritis or back pain or tendonitis or fibromyalgia. People of all weights can find that as they get older, they are rigid and wound in the morning until they move a little. Unfortunately, “natural comfort” is not the default setting of all.
So if weight gain seems to contribute to natural discomfort, it is worth considering what is happening. Do you participate in less physical activity than you used to? Have you developed a state of health that creates some natural discomfort? You are significantly larger than in these memories you have to be naturally comfortable and To a smaller body?
We often sell the idea that weight loss will take care of natural pain or discomfort. Knee osteoarthritis is a common example. At a conference last year, a physiotherapist/personal trainer mourned that he often takes new clients with arthritis who told them to lose weight from their doctors. The problem with this, he said, is that weight loss comes the muscle loss, and this includes in the muscles surrounding and supporting the knee joint. What is needed is no less weight, but more power.
Where does psychological discomfort come?
I said we can’t talk about natural discomfort without taking psychological discomfort. Why? Because if you are at a higher weight and you are not mentally or emotionally okay with this fact, you will most likely blame your weight for any physical discomfort you are facing. This is an extremely common spiritual leap, which is often referred to as a “scapegoat part of the body”.
- Do you have bad menstrual cramps or hot flashes? It’s because of your weight.
- You don’t like any of your clothes? It’s because of your weight.
- Did you have a confused time at this party? It’s because of your weight.
- Do you feel blah? It’s because of your weight.
If you face body dissatisfaction, bad body image or lack of incarnation, then you are less likely to exercise good self-care – including movement, nutritional food, transition to a doctor when needed. This can lead to natural discomfort.
If you cannot accept that you are the size you are, You may try to squeeze in very small clothes that pinch or rub, causing natural discomfort. And it is not your body’s job to fit in clothes, it is a job of clothing to fit your body.
I want to emphasize that even if you make body image and feel okay for the size of your body and you do not immediately think that “weight loss is the answer” whenever something goes wrong in your life or generally have a bad day, there will to be hit on the road.
Overcoming the body’s dissatisfaction is not one and-done, and it is not perfect. You can feel okay to be in a larger body for the most part, but it is still missing in a smaller body, in part because shopping clothes felt more fun and placing a theater or coach airline was easier. You may even have random days where you see a photo of yourself or draw yourself in a strange corner and have the thought that “maybe just one more diet …” before you catch yourself and offer yourself compassion.
How can you feel more comfortable at higher weight?
If you are currently in weight that is higher than you are used Here are some steps you can take:
- ASK you if you are okay, mentally and emotionally, by being at a higher weight. Be honest. If you are not, you know this can enhance any physical discomfort. That is why the work of the body image is so important to those who face body dissatisfaction, regardless of the actual weight.
- Ask yourself how you take care of your body. Not your weight … your body. We need nutrients and movement and sufficient sleep and supportive ways of stress management. We have to drink enough water and not too much alcohol (if you absorb at all). Most of us need physical contact, be it a partner, massage therapist or water (yes, this may be a substitute for species).
- If you experience pain in your joints or soft tissues (tendons, muscles), tHere are ways of dealing with that they have nothing to do with weight. Physical therapy. Massage treatment. Saunas or hydromassage.
Even if the weight contributes directly to physical discomfort in a manner that slope Restore more movement, a particular type of movement, reduction of stress, natural therapy, etc.Be careful about the idea of losing weight as a perfect solution.
There are disadvantages of deliberate weight loss. Dieters are recovered the weight. Bariatric surgery, like any surgery, can have complications. Weight loss drugs can have unpleasant side effects. We have (or must have) the right to make decisions about our own body, but it is important to take the rose glasses and to fully consider all the angles.
And remember that perfect natural comfort – like perfect health – is not a realistic default setting. If you take care of your body the best you can and work to make peace with being in a larger body and still face some physical discomfort but is manageable, it can help you adjust your expectations. Acceptance of what is can release you from some of the intellectual struggles that can lead to hassle.
Hi, I am Carrie dennett; Mph, rdn, a weight-inclusive Registered Dietitian, Nutrition Therapist and body image consultant. I help adults of all ages, shapes, sizes and sexes who want to escape from disturbed food or chronic diet, Learn how to Manage IBS symptoms with food, or Improve their dietary and lifestyle habits to help manage A current health concern or just support them overall health and prosperity. This post is only for information purposes and is not a personalized diet or medical advice.
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