Why having fun is important for weight loss

Hi lovelies, Dr Lucy here. In our Real Life Momentum Membership, the January Challenge was all about planning out the year ahead. Not a rubbish New Year’s resolution plan, but a really in depth look at our goals and aims for the year ahead.

The wheel is divided into segments, and we grade how well we are doing in each area. Areas include things like work, health, finances, social connection, etc. Being a self-confessed workaholic, I scored myself a 9 in work but a 2 in fun and leisure.

Fun and leisure has been my focus for 2022.  Ways in which I have been increasing my fun and leisure have included things like:

⭐️ Introducing more bright colours to my wardrobe - it's amazing how wearing bright clothes can make you feel brighter.

⭐️ I have recommenced reading for fun - not for learning.

⭐️ Listening to fun audiobooks (Hello Harry Potter) - again all previous audiobooks and podcasts have been about learning.

⭐️ Creative pursuits - today I bought some amazing paint pens and I’m looking forward to using these and just doing some free-flowing art. * Note I have no artistic skills. The aim is to focus on the process, not on the end result.

⭐️ Jigsaws - I love jigsaws but just never prioritised doing them. I felt guilty like I was wasting time.

This month I have been to 2 live theatre performances. The first was Anh Do, “The Happiest Refugee”. Anh is an immensely talented man with the most amazing storytelling skills. He was warm and funny. His story is ultimately about resilience. His dream of being a stand-up comedian was realised after he spent years working at it, doing small gigs for anyone that would listen. He spoke about being a refugee, the hardship his family endured and the estrangement between his father and the rest of the family. He has an incredible ability to see the best in people. He was raw and vulnerable, and the audience loved him for it. 

The other day I went to see Moulin Rouge. Oh my gosh, it was the absolute epitome of fun. The story was a tragic love story, but the singing, the dancing and the costumes were amazing. So much colour and razzle-dazzle! The music was infectious.

As I sat there with my hubby and 2 friends, I thought about the gift live performance gives our society. For those 2 hours, we were fully engaged. We were in the moment - fully present and immersed. There were no thoughts of work, stresses, family dramas, - nothing else. Our attention fully focused on the show. Throughout the show, there was clapping and singing and at the end, the performance got a standing ovation.

Watching the joy on people’s faces as they left the theatre was really amazing. My appreciation, not only for the talent these men and women have but their ability to engage, entertain and elevate the audience is immense. The four of us went for dinner afterwards and we chatted about the performance, rehashed some scenes, and belted out a few lines here and there.

You can have fun whilst losing weight

Our overall wellbeing is a complex thing to measure. As we get older, we tend not to prioritise fun. We are so focused on ticking things off our to-do list. However, wellbeing is about balance. Weight loss is about balance. Most people equate losing weight with retraction, punishment and missing out. But it doesn't have to be like that. Having fun is just as important as working hard. It is not indulgent. It is not frivolous. Having fun can build resilience and help us weather future storms.

Most people want to lose weight so they can feel better and do more things. Life is to be lived and having fun is part of that. So you can have fun, while you're losing weight. Don’t wait till you’ve done it to have fun. Start now. We’d love to hear some of the things you are doing for fun!

To read more about why having fun keeps us more in balance which is crucial for weight loss, check out our blog https://www.rlmedicine.com/blog/weight-loss-balance