3 Little Known Benefits to Losing Weight
I am sitting on the plane the other day and the woman next to me, Katie, strikes up a conversation …
… well, lo and behold, after asking what I did, the conversation turned to fat loss and how she can get the number on the scale to be lower.
That seems to be a regular occurrence.
After a few basic common questions like “how do I get rid of this and this (as she pinched the back of her arm) and stomach.”
It turned to “What do you think of Alli?” (over the counter FDA approved weight loss product).
Now, coincidentally, this woman weighed was not overweight … so as I sat there and listened to everything she was asking and thought about this later (we talked almost the entire 1 hour plane ride), I wondered what she REALLY wanted. Did she REALLY want to lose weight?
She didn’t need to.
Did she REALLY want to tighten up her arms? Her stomach? Again, she was very small and in seemingly great shape.
But with the questions she asked, she wasn’t looking to achieve small outcome goals (firmer arms or stomach) – there were other underlying questions she was trying to find the answer to.
That brings me to the 3 Little Known Benefits of Fat Loss. It’s not just about the scale.
- A boost in confidence. We recently sent out a survey asking women what one word would summarize why they exercise and eat well. 72% answered “more confidence.” Research backs this up too.
- Higher self esteem. Fitness and fatness are directly correlated to having a self esteem. Higher body fat and body weight means lower self esteem and vice versa. Are there exceptions? Of course…but as a whole this is how the data fall.
- You’ll be paid more. Seriously. Research shows those who weigh less are paid more. Maybe it’s connected to the boost in confidence and how you carry yourself.
As I talked to Katie, the Syracuse alumni who is now working in DC, I thought about her questions.
Asking about an FDA approved weight loss drug for someone who is clearly not overweight (that’s a story for a different newsletter).
What I think most people (women, in particular) are after is a boost in confidence and self esteem. Not actually "losing weight" or living and dying by a number dictated by the scale.
It’s NOT the number on a scale.
