Weight Loss Nostalgia: How “The Good Ol’ Days” Are Holding You Back

Let’s reminisce.

Maybe you can recall your childhood home and all your favorite hide-and-seek spots.

Many people grew up with the place to meet up with friends. Maybe thinking of that place reminds you of all the bonfires, game nights, or general shenanigans you would get into.

Perhaps you remember your grandmother’s cookies, the smell of them fresh out of the oven.

Now, driving past your childhood home makes you feel like you’re right back in all those games of hide-and-seek. These days, maybe sitting around the bonfire takes you right back to those nights with friends, and the smell of fresh-baked cookies might as well be like another hug from grandma.

Being nostalgic is a perfectly normal human feeling. Thinking back on “the good ol’ days” can bring back fond memories and emotions. But much like the chocolate chips in grandma’s cookies, it might also be bittersweet.

As we sit in our reveries of days gone by, we might find ourselves dissatisfied with “how things are now” compared to “how things used to be.” While this can be a motivation for positive change for some people (like pushing people to re-explore old, positive habits), it can also be a point of ongoing displeasure and discontent. While longing for the “better times,” we might find ourselves grasping at straws, trying (and likely failing) to recreate what we loved about the past.

So what does all this have to do with weight loss?

There are many, many people I meet who set a certain number as their weight loss goal and share their rationale being, “I felt really good when I weighed that.”

Then I burst their bubble.

Well, sort of. You see, when we wrap up something as big conceptually as “feeling good” into a singular number (like the number on the scale), we ignore ALL the different factors that contribute to us “feeling good.”

For some, they felt better at that weight because they were more regularly exercising, eating fresh whole foods, or had a better work-life balance. For others, the last time they weighed this weight was in high school or college, which was before the responsibilities and stressors of a full-time job, being a home-owner, caring for aging parents, and having three kids and a dog. No wonder they felt so good at that weight! That period of their life was much more stress-free!

An important part of any weight-loss journey is being realistic, and it simply is not realistic (nor necessary) to hit that “magic” number you are hanging on to from the past, even if it is something you once weighed. As responsibilities and stressors stack up, we typically have less time and energy to focus on explicitly controlling our weight.

You can’t recreate the past…and that’s okay!

In the same way that we can’t recreate the past, we can’t always expect that we will be able to hit the exact weight we once were. Our bodies change throughout our lives and there are many factors that go into weight gain and weight loss that change in different phases of our lives. Regardless, achieving that weight goal isn’t going to bring back “the good ol’ days.” In other words, a certain number on a scale won’t magically make your life better.

Bring a little of the past with you to the present

Reminiscing about the past doesn’t always have to be bittersweet. Instead of focusing on the number of pounds you once used to weigh, focus on the other reasons you felt good at that time in your life – the WHY and the HOW.

You may not be able to recreate the past, but you can reincorporate old habits, behaviors, and life scenarios to experience a similar “feel good” of the past. Chances are your weight will change if you commit to improving your nutrition and increasing your physical activity. At the same time, you will probably sleep better, have a better mood, and have generally better energy. Similarly, you can’t recreate the same hangouts you once had in high school, but you can make efforts to plan social time with friends. Continuing to foster this component of health is guaranteed to contribute to that “feel good” you might be chasing – and it has nothing to do with chasing a certain number on the scale.

Focus on the now

Long story short? Stop grasping at a weight-loss goal to recreate the past and start reviving old behaviors and habits to truly rediscover how to “feel good” again, both physically and mentally. You can’t bring back “the good ol’ days,” but you can make today their own “good ol’ days” that you eventually look back on fondly, as well.

Looking for help with your wellness, nutrition, or weight goals?

Consider trying out a consultation to find out more about how I can help! Email me, Tad Taggart, RDN, CD, ACSM-CPT, PN1-SSRC, at tad.taggart@westernracquet.com to book your nutrition consultation.