Pain of the Gain

Well-Weight-Wisdom: The Pain of the Gain

Not taking care to maintain a healthy well-weight can lead to serious issues and pain of the gain. Not exercising enough (or at all), along with bad eating habits, can contribute to joint and body pain which will affect you physically and mentally. This pain can be a result of underlying issues which can cause inflammation that shows up in different forms.  Not maintaining your healthy body weight can invite or exasperate many conditions and actually increase your pain and discomfort.

There are, of course, different types and levels of pain we all experience at some point in our life, however, an unhealthy body weight can make any condition much worse. Weight gain can also inflict or trigger diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, arthritis, cardiovascular system challenges and digestive issues. Not to mention, if you have pain in the form of joint issues, the extra weight can increase your discomfort and decrease your ability to move your body (exercise) which can compound the problem.  Taking control of the weight gain can help you control the pain and lower inflammation.

Minimizing the impact of the pain of the gain is in your control.  We can work a little harder at keeping our body going and our circulatory systems circulating by increasing exercise/body movement, changing the quantity and types of food we consume and controlling our exposure to environmental influences. Start with one area of your life and make some healthy changes there before you move onto another area and stop the progression of pain where/when you can. The more you lessen the gain, the more you lessen the pain. Let me tell you more about how you can lessen the gain to lessen the pain…. Watch and read more below…

Well-Weight-Wisdom: Pain of the Gain cont’d…

I noticed there were different stages when I was battling my own of pain and gain.  The first stage involves the impact, the second involves the adjustment to and the treatment of the issues causing it.

STAGE ONE – First there is the bloat from water retention. This left me feeling uncomfortable and it was painful for me to carry that extra weight. Along with it I had inflammation, weight gain and thyroid issues which presented as hypothyroidism. For me, it also came with body pain and a diagnosis that included possible fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, fatty liver and several other conditions I never dreamed I’d have at 41 years old!   You can learn more about my journey and how I battled to overcome and return to my well-weight on my About page.

In addition to the initial impact of the weight gain, I felt mental pain. An anguish from not feeling my best. I did not like the way I looked or felt and I had to deal with the emotions of how I felt when I looked at myself because my clothes no longer fit and my body was changing before my eyes.  I began seeing a counselor and doing more to make myself feel better in other areas such as getting massages, facials and spending more time outdoors.

STAGE TWO – Then I entered stage two, as I now refer to it.  A full blown serious body weight issue and a gain of 45 pounds with muscle and joint pain I couldn’t get rid of. I was now beyond my normal 10-20 pound weight gain & loss fluctuations (which are normal for women) and I knew my body was in a crisis situation. I had to get to the bottom of what was causing all of my health issues and if you find yourself in the same boat, please get yourself to a Doctor.  You will need testing to diagnose the conditions that might be causing your weight gain and pain that cannot be reversed by additional exercise and micromanaging your food intake.

I also began having breathing problems and constantly felt out of breath. My performance declined and I couldn’t accomplish as much as I used to nor did I feel I had the energy to get things done. Experiencing the discomfort of my skin stretching to accommodate the additional weight was subtle but still a painful symptom.  Then there was the fact I was not fitting into my clothing. Not only did that cause mental anguish but the result of forcing the closing of my waistband caused pinching and red welts from the extended pressure was agonizing, not to mention that it caused pressure to my internal organs. My body was struggling to carry a load it wasn’t meant to and my muscles and ligaments also struggled resulting in additional pain.

For anyone who has gained weight and had difficulty getting rid of it, you know the physical and mental pain. As difficult as it might be, you still need to commit to moving your body and pay closer attention to what you’re eating to help decrease your symptoms as much as possible.  Working with health professionals (like I did) will also help you determine what other issues may be contributing to your pain and weight gain so you can do what it takes to reverse or decrease the effects.

Now that I have regained my well-weight, the minute I notice the discomfort from weight gain and inflammation, I tune into my body to determine what it needs more or less of.  I will really watch what I eat and increase my exercise routine to help me regain control. When you have setbacks, I suggest that you take time to reflect on what you’ve done, what you’ve eaten, or what changes may have taken place in your diet or your exercise routine before the set back occurred. Consider any medical or emotional issues that could’ve caused the slide and get help from a medical professional who can run the tests necessary.  You may also find it helpful to join with a group of like-minded, health-conscious people to get and give support like my Leaner Ladies® groups.

Reverse the gain before it causes more pain. If you work at it, I promise you will begin to notice improvements and will begin to minimize the pain you experience. I don’t guarantee your conditions will miraculously disappear, but you will feel better in your body so you can be better in your life!  Taking control, losing weight and reaching your healthiest well-weight does take work, but you can do it.  I practice this daily and, though I am mostly successful, I do have my bad days which remind me to stop, reflect and reset to get back on track. This is a life-long journey so be vigilant, take action, listen to what your body is telling you, work with your medical practitioners, commit to eating right and move your body!

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The following links you may be interested in as you take charge of your health and weight:
— Register for my FREE Membership group by clicking HERE
— Reduce inflammation and start fresh with my Gentle Detox Protocol – click HERE
— Take control with any of my Weight Programs by clicking HERE