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Live Life Like You’re At Your Goal Weight

By Mary Radovich

What are you putting off until the scale hits that magic number? Buying new clothes? Going on a beach vacation? Dating? How long have you been waiting to engage in life, instead of living it? What would it be like to give up that goal weight and learn to live life each day instead of planning for a different future you?

So many of us mistakenly believe that we can choose a weight and if we just try hard enough, we can make our bodies get down to that number and stay there. Unfortunately, that’s not how it really works. Weight is mostly genetic, and just like height, isn’t something we have much control over. Everyone has an ideal weight called a “setpoint”, which is where our bodies are most comfortable and are able to maintain effortlessly, without restricting our intake, over-exercising, or engaging in other weight suppression behaviors. Think about it this way: if you have to starve yourself or run for an hour every day in order to maintain your weight, your body probably isn’t meant to be there.

Instead of making it your life’s work to hit a goal weight, practice taking care of your body now. What practices do you imagine you’d engage in if you were at your goal weight? You deserve to be comfortable in your clothes, go on adventures, and take on the world right now. Nobody is ever going to argue the benefits of eating well and getting in physical activity, so do it! The problem is that a lot of people only do these things when they want to lose weight, which often results in “all or nothing” mindsets around food, obsession with exercise, and sometimes leads to eating disorders. Studies have actually shown that if we exercise with the intention to feel good, we will stick with it, rather than give up when the scale doesn’t budge if we only do it for weight loss purposes.

So how can you shift your attitude about how food and exercise affect your body? Listen to your hunger, move for fun (and endorphins), and engage in all the health and social practices you would if you were magically at your goal weight. Your body and mental health will thank you.

Mary Radovich is a registered dietitian at Elle offering Food & Body Image Services. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please join us at our Elle Sante event on Saturday, March 2nd.