According to research, more than half of people who try to lose weight have done it “in secret.” Many of these people do this out of fear of being judged or of failing their diet.
According to the findings of research that looked at 2,000 persons who are actively attempting to lose weight, even among those who are candid about their desire to do so, 83% had tried to lose weight on their own at some point.
Yet, the data demonstrate that attempting to lose weight on one’s lonesome is neither a simple nor a foolproof approach to do it.
Nearly a quarter of those who secretly slim down admit that they find it difficult to stay motivated (28%), and a similar amount think that it’s simple to get off track since no one will ever find out.
The research was conducted by Slimming World, which is the largest weight-loss organization in the United Kingdom. It found that one in three people who secretly diet (31%) are concerned about being judged for being overweight, and approximately the same number are embarrassed about the fact that they need to lose weight (32%).
Almost one-third of people confess to trying to lose weight in secret so that if they are unsuccessful, no one would know. When asked how this method of weight loss made them feel, one-fifth said it made them feel lonely (20%) while another 17 percent said they felt alienated.
On the other hand, 87% of individuals who had attempted to lose weight covertly before joining a Slimming World group said that they had been more effective after they had joined: 73% of participants reported that the support of other members was valuable, and 90% of participants felt that the accountability of the weekly private weigh-in was an important component in assisting them in successfully losing weight.
Sophie Ratcliffe, who is 29 years old and is from the town of Hayle in Cornwall, made a number of unsuccessful attempts to shed pounds in private due to her anxiety about being judged and her embarrassment over the amount of weight she believed she needed to drop. She even tried to lose weight covertly by hiring a personal trainer, but none of her efforts were successful in the long run.
After being frustrated with her attempts to shed weight on her own and reaching a weight of 23 stone 13 pounds, Sophie went to see her primary care physician, who suggested that she have a gastric band. But, when the scheduled time for the operation arrived, Sophie changed her mind and opted against going through with the procedure.
She was resolute in her goal to improve her physical health for the sake of her two children and to cultivate long-lasting healthy habits that she could also teach to her children. Hence, in September of 2021, she made the decision to enroll in the Slimming World program at her neighborhood center, where she ultimately shed 11 stone in weight.
She said that her health was fast deteriorating and that she was unable to go up the stairs without becoming out of breath, forcing her to sit down instead. I wasn’t getting any rest, and I didn’t even bother to do any exercise. My kid was being tormented at school due to my weight, which made me feel so bad, but I had no idea where to begin when it came to altering the situation. My son was the target of the bullying.
“The only thing I did with my children during the lockdowns was eaten and bake,” she said. After hearing that several of my close friends were going to sign up for the nearby Slimming World group, I decided to accompany them and we signed up on the same day.
“I’d tried so many different approaches to losing weight, but I never told anybody about it because I was certain that I wouldn’t be successful – just as I had been each and every time in the past.
“I even hired a personal trainer, but along with the workout plan there was a protein shake diet, and I knew that I wouldn’t be able to adhere to it long-term because it left me hungry. I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep to it long-term because I hired a personal trainer.
When I initially joined Slimming World, I was ashamed of how much weight I’d gained, but no one in the group ever made me feel this way, and after the very first meeting, I felt hope for the very first time.
“As soon as I realized how the eating plan worked – and that I wouldn’t have to give up all the things that I liked – and I met the other members who were such a beautiful set of people, I knew that I was secure and that I wasn’t going to be judged. ” When I’ve had a rough week, knowing that I have the support of my group helps keep me on track and gives me a boost of confidence. My life was in the midst of one of its darkest periods when I decided to become involved with an organization in my community.
“In January of 2021, I began getting what we thought at the time to be anxiety attacks; on average, I had around eight of them each day.
“I also had a big seizure, which was first misdiagnosed as brain cancer, but it turned out to be epilepsy instead.” Since the seizures posed a potential threat to my life, I was prescribed medicine to help manage the condition.
“It was a very stressful time when I could have easily given up on my plans to lose weight, but because of the support of those around me, both in my Slimming World group and my friends and family, I knew I had to carry on.” “It was a very stressful time when I could have easily given up on my plans to lose weight.”
“I am very pleased with myself that despite the challenges I was facing, I was able to continue with my intentions to lose weight. I am certain that if I had been attempting to reduce weight on my own, I would not have been able to succeed.
“Every step of the way, both my Slimming World group and Charlotte, the consultant who organizes it, have been there for me.
Since I’ve lost 11 stone, I’ve become a totally different person. I feel like I’m more suited to cope with the challenges that life presents, and I’m not letting life pass me by.
“Since the month of August, I have been seizure-free and have been able to maintain my weight loss. I have the distinct impression that Slimming World has provided me with a new family, and I am certain that I have provided myself with the greatest opportunity I can be a healthy mother.
Both of my children are extremely proud of me, and the bullying that used to happen to my son has stopped. When kids look at images of me before I started exercising and eating healthier, they often wonder, “Mummy, who is that?”
They couldn’t believe my turnaround when I visited both my epilepsy nurse and my neurosurgeon lately, and they attempted to convince me that it had saved my life. ”
“I feel that becoming healthier has also helped save my marriage.
“My husband was very concerned as he stated he was witnessing me lose the lively person I used to be. He said he was watching me lose it right in front of his eyes.”
My children are much healthier now as well, and it’s brought us closer together as a family. The wonderful thing about the food-optimizing eating plan that Slimming World offers is that it’s all based on healthy foods, which means that the whole family can enjoy the same meals, and I don’t have to make different dinners for everyone.
“I’ve gone from a size 26 to a size 12, which is eight dress sizes smaller than before.”
“At my own speed, the activity assistance plan provided by Slimming World enabled me to become more active. From hardly exercising at all, I worked my way up to going to the gym four or five times a week by gradually increasing the amount of work I did each week. Spinning, aerobics, and even the odd weight-lifting session are some of my favorite ways to work out. I used to be one of those people who didn’t think that working out could ever be anything but boring and tedious.
My life has been turned upside down as a direct result of my weight loss. It’s as if a new door has been unlocked for me, and I can’t wait to see what is beyond it. Today, whenever people see me going about my daily business, they ask me what my secret is and how I’ve managed to lose weight, and I can’t wait to tell them – and it’s amusing that my secret is that my weight loss ambitions aren’t a secret anymore.”
“When Sophie initially joined my group, she was with some friends, and she didn’t seem confident that she was going to lose any weight at all,” said Charlotte McCleary, who leads the Slimming World group in Hayle and is Sophie’s consultant.
“From that first week on, she simply sailed through it, and she’s been such an inspiration for all of us as we’ve watched her achieve her goal weight, dropping an unbelievable 11 st in the process.
“Even with all Sophie has been dealing with herself outside of the group, she has not ceased offering suggestions and recipe ideas, as well as caring for and encouraging other members,” said the group’s members. “She is an incredible lady with a large heart.”