You might get bummed out
Weight loss success doesnโt automatically guarantee success in other areas of your life. So if you think a thinner you will lead to a happier you, you might experience a letdown and not the euphoria you expected. โSometimes other things are making you unhappy, and the expectation that weight loss will fix them doesnโt pan out, which makes you even more unhappy,โ says Gail Saltz, MD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of medicine. (Check out other surprising things experts wonโt tell you about weight loss.)
The routines of your own life could feel unfamiliar
If you think youโre going to step out into the world ร la Mary Tyler Moore, tossing your hat skyward in a state of look-at-my-body-now excitement, you could be in for a surprise. Losing weight after being heavyโespecially if you were overweight for a long period of timeโmay be an uncomfortable adjustment. For example, you may still find yourself unsure of your movements in public, still turning sideways to navigate crowds or to fit into restaurant booths when in reality, you no longer need to. (Related: Use these tricks from skinny people to keep the weight off.)
You may struggle with body image issues
Even if youโre sporting a slimmer silhouette, you still consider yourself fat. Experts even coined a term for this non-existent excess weight: โphantom fat.โ Psychologist Elayne Daniels, PhD, explains that when you lose weight, you may wrestle with lingering memories of your heavier selfโa confusing dichotomy that can create inner turmoil. โPeople who were formerly overweight often still carry that internal image, that perception, with them,โ she says. โBody image is a lot harder to change than the actual physical body is.โ Uses these science-backed tips to boost your confidence now.
You may get anxious
After you lose weight, the drive to maintain your new, trimmer figure could make you feel anxious on a regular basis. Situations such as holiday meals, outings with friends, and business lunches could trigger anxiety as you become tempted by foods you used to enjoy. The behavioral changes youโve had to makeโand continue to maintainโmark a significant departure from the food comfort zones toward which you used to gravitate, creating moments of anxiety regularly. (Related: Use these 14 magic phrases to quell your anxiety.)
Youโll want to climb a mountain
Youโll likely feel surges of energy that spark a new interest in physical experiences. Weight loss and improvements in your oxygen efficiency go hand in hand, bringing about higher energy levels that make it easierโand funโfor you to take on physical challenges that might have been uninteresting and nearly impossible when you were overweight. So donโt be surprised if youโre more spontaneous and eager to try activities like mountain climbing or even skydiving. (Steal the secrets of women who manage to work out every day.)
Youโll learn to love exercise
Even if you used to inwardly curse the thought of a fitness routine, youโll probably start loving it nowโor at least like it more. Adam Tsai, MD, a physician at Kaiser Permanente Colorado and a spokesperson for the Obesity Society, says that weight loss eases stress on your body in ways that make heading to the gym more enjoyable. Itโs hard to enjoy exercising when youโre suffering from weight-related aches and pains, but in your lighter body, youโll truly look forward to long walks, squats, and bicep curls. These tips can help you get the most happiness out of your daily walk.
You might become more adventurous in the bedroom
Donโt be surprised if your sexual desires intensify after weight lossโand itโs not just because youโre more body confident. Weight loss and increased libido are linked; a too-high BMI can interfere with hormones, making physical intimacy the last thing on your mind. Additionally, physiological changes such as slowed blood flow to your clitoris can occur when youโre overweight, interfering with sensations. Carrying around less weight will likely make you friskier than youโve felt in a long time, and feeling great about the new you certainly helps.