When you’ve had a weight problem for years, it’s very common to experience what’s known as “the big girl mentality.” (Or big guy…)
What it means is, even though you’ve lost weight from your body, your mind hasn’t yet caught up.
It’s not something most programs talk about, because most programs care only about “losing weight.”
“The big girl mentality” isn’t limited to people who have a ton of weight to lose, either. I’ve had Rebels with only 30 pounds to lose experience this mentality.
Here are some examples of how the “the big girl mentality” manifests:
- You hold up a piece of clothing that’s a correct size for you at your new weight, and your eyes tell you there’s NO way it’ll fit
- You look at yourself in pictures and still see heavy you
- You walk into a clothing store at your new weight and head straight for the plus size department, even though you no longer wear plus sizes
- You put on clothes that fit properly, and they feel tight
- You see your reflection in a window and it takes you a minute to recognize yourself
The reason all this happens is very simple.
Your brain’s still used to bigger you, and it hasn’t yet adjusted to your new size.
As it does, instances of this mentality taper off, and for people keep the weight off, eventually stop altogether.
How long that takes depends completely on the person, including whether or not they embrace their new size, or whether they hang on to unfortunate habits like wearing clothes that are too big.
But no matter what, it will take time.
If this is a mentality you’re currently struggling with, do NOT self-sabotage into gaining your weight back just so you can match your brain’s outdated image of you.
Instead, give yourself some grace, and especially, give your brain the time it needs to catch up.
Need help adjusting to your new size? Click here to check out Loving The New You.