Throughout 2020, we all confronted a new way of life as we also pursued our health goals and medical weight loss plans. Social distancing, gym closures, and other pandemic safety measures didn’t exactly make things easier. As we head into the new year, it looks as though little will change in the short term, although you might have begun to settle into a new routine.

For many of us, loneliness is still a key factor in both our mental and physical health. When we’re feeling lonely, cravings and “stress” eating can undermine a medical weight loss plan. You might also lose accountability, if you can no longer work out with a partner or use socializing as an outlet for boredom. Your health goals might even feel less important now. After all, what’s the use of getting into shape for a reunion or wedding that might not happen this year?

But just because things are different, that doesn’t mean you should give up on your goals entirely. You just need to reframe things in a new way, so that you can keep working toward better health and/or weight loss.

Remind yourself of the real motivation. It can be easier to focus on a specific social gathering as a motivation to lose weight. But truly, you were following a medical weight loss plan for your overall health anyway. That event might be rescheduled for a future date, but being healthier will benefit you every day for the rest of your life.

Try something new. It can be easy to lose track of your weight loss progress when you wear sweatpants every day! If you’re working from home, remember to get dressed in your favorite, nicer clothes at least a few times per week. Try different workouts, even if you’re just doing them in your living room, garage, or neighborhood streets. And try to add one new healthy habit to your daily routine, such as an after-dinner walk, meditation, a short morning yoga routine, or something else that inspires you.

Identify lonely feelings before they trigger stress eating. Do feelings of loneliness tend to strike at night, on weekends, or some other particular time? Go ahead and schedule a distracting or fun activity before those emotions catch up with you. And if you haven’t gotten into video chat yet, give it a try! There’s no need to get too formal about it. Set your phone or tablet on the kitchen counter while you cook dinner, or some other time you feel like chatting. It can really help to connect this way.

If you’re struggling with other challenges to your medical weight loss plan, give us a call to schedule an appointment. We can troubleshoot your situation and help you identify solutions that work for you.