Why are so Many People in Denial About Their Weight Problem?

It is difficult to face up to a weight problem, as once you do, you then have to take action to change the situation. Sometimes, it is just easier to bury your head in the sand – to keep on eating your usual diet and piling on the pounds – than it is to address the fact that you're unhappy about your size and concerned about the implications for your health. You can't ignore the problem forever, though, as eventually you will find yourself struggling to find clothes that fit and feeling miserable about yourself, whilst also developing health issues that wouldn't be a problem if you were lighter.

If you're in denial about your weight problem, rest assured you're not alone. Many people avoid tackling their weight until they are so heavy they are classified as 'morbidly obese' and have no choice but to lose weight or else come to a premature end. Clearly, it is better to try to address a weight problem before it takes over your life and you have to confront it head-on. Losing weight is a challenge, so it is understandable why most people would prefer to ignore the issue of their weight, but you only make the whole process harder for yourself if you keep putting it off.

You have to be extremely motivated to lose weight and to keep on losing the pounds week after week, and when you have over 100 pounds to lose, it makes it all the more difficult to stay focused, whereas if you're only 20 or 30 pounds overweight you can reach your goal sooner. However, most people try not to contemplate the idea that they could ever let themselves get that heavy. They watch these documentaries about dangerously overweight individuals trying to lose weight and believe that their weight problem will never get that bad.

Yet, the chances are if they continue to lead an unhealthy lifestyle, gaining weight as a result, they could quite easily end up with such a weight problem. The trouble is when members of your family are also overweight, as well as friends and neighbours, being overweight seems normal and so there is no real motivation to lose weight. You don't have to worry about standing out when all your friends and relatives are the same size. Plus, with an increasing number of plus-size shops you can dress fashionably and look nice, so that you may not see the need to lose weight.

Recognising that you have a weight problem means that you need to consider what has caused you to gain weight, so you can change the situation and stop it from happening again. If you're an emotional eater, this can be a painful process, and even if you just eat food because you love the taste, you still have to find a way to change your eating habits in order to lose weight. Any kind of change is difficult, which is why most people would prefer to believe that they're either a healthy weight or only a few pounds overweight and that the extra pounds are hardly likely to cause them any damage.