It's no secret that we live in a culture obsessed with weight loss. We are constantly talking about ...

1. 4 Downsides of Weight Loss Nobody Ever Tells You
About | Ravishly
It's no secret that we live in a culture obsessed with weight loss. We are constantly talking about
wanting to lose weight, how to lose weight, who has lost the most weight, and how perfect all our
lives would be if we could lose just a little more. What we don't talk about as much? The nuances of
the weight loss process, including the side effects of weight loss that are -- gasp! -- not all positive.
Over the course of the last year, I lost about 25 pounds. As someone who had never lost any amount
of weight before, the whole process was new to me, but there were a few things about dropping
dress sizes that really surprised me. For example...
1. Get ready for some backhanded compliments. Once your weight loss becomes noticeable, people
are probably going to start making comments on it. Some of these comments are really nice. They
might validate the hard work you've put into the process, or underline your newfound body
confidence. But some of the "compliments" you'll receive are incredibly insulting. Don't be surprised
if you hear things like, "Wow, you look so much better," or "I didn't want to say anything before, but
you seemed really unhealthy." Umm . . . thanks?
2. Some people will treat you differently. One of the saddest revelations I gleaned from my weight
loss experience? A few less (or more) pounds really does change the way people interact with you.
As I lost weight, I noticed that my diet-focused friends suddenly wanted to discuss calorie-counting
and gym schedules... and not much else. Some friends made nasty comments about my new eating
habits and self-deprecating comments about their own, which made me want to spend less time with
them. Post-weight loss, a male coworker started making fat jokes about overweight customers in my
presence. I couldn't help but wonder if he would have stifled those comments if he knew me when I
was bigger, or if I would have been one of his targets of ridicule. The crazy part of all of this is that I
didn't even lose that much weight, and I still saw social consequences. A friend of mine who lost over
100 pounds told me that the hardest part of losing weight, for him, was seeing people treat him
dramatically differently than they did when he was bigger, and not knowing who to trust as a result.
3. It's surprisingly easy to get obsessive. I started losing weight just by eating more intuitively and
trying to forge a better connection with my body; I would listen carefully to my hunger and fullness
signals and eat accordingly. Slowly, the pounds started coming off, and I felt healthy and happy
about the way my body was changing. A few months later, I hit a plateau and started counting
calories to break through it. That's when I stopped feeling healthy and happy and started feeling
anxious, controlling, and obsessive instead. I spent way too much time frantically crunching
numbers and feeling guilty and panicked when I'd gone over my daily allotment or eaten the "wrong"
kind of food. I'm a pretty laid back person who had never really dieted before, so this obsessive
streak came as a total surprise to me.
After talking to other friends who had lost weight, every single one of them said they'd experienced
similar phases of obsession that had been hard to kick, even years later. If you're going to count
calories, I highly recommend using it as a loose guideline to follow rather than a strict rule, and if
you find yourself fixating on numbers, take a break and just listen to your body instead. Losing
weight is never worth losing your sanity.
4. Your life won't change all that much when you hit your goal weight. We live in a culture that plays
the "lose x amount of weight and your life will be perfect!" message on loop in every available

2. medium. No matter how thoughtful and conscious your are during your weight loss process, there is
probably a part of you that secretly believes there is a number on the scale that will unlock a hidden
door to total happiness. Spoiler alert: That's not true.
I spent my whole life thinking if I could just lose 20 pounds, people would like me more, and I'd be
more confident, beautiful, and successful. When I finally hit that magic number, confetti didn't fall
from the ceiling. Inner peace didn't instantly wash over me. I was proud of myself for accomplishing
my goal, I was in better shape, and clothes shopping was easier, but everything else... was pretty
much the same. I was slightly smaller, but I was still me, with the same insecurities. If anything, I'm
grateful that my weight loss exposed that "perfect life" fallacy, and forced me to do the emotional
work that takes place on a much deeper level.
The bad news is losing weight won't fix all your problems, and it won't make you love yourself. The
good news? You can start loving yourself whenever you want, no matter what your scale says. Why
not start today?
This story by Winona Dimeo-Ediger first appeared on Ravishly.com, an alternative news+culture
website for women.
You can follow Ravishly on Twitter @ravishlydotcom and read more stories here:
How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love My 185-Pound Body
A Conversation Between A Troll And A Fat Woman On The Internet
What I Learned From Talking Back To Men
If I Wanted To Get An Abortion, I Would Not Be Safe
If you're struggling with an eating disorder, call the National Eating Disorder Association hotline at
1-800-931-2237.
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