What To Do When You’re Caught in the Comparison Trap

When you are losing weight, it’s easy to get caught in the comparison trap. Here’s how to fight back against that discouragement.

Getting Caught in The Comparison Trap on Your Weight Loss Journey

The other day, I got into a discussion with a new friend on health and weight loss (which is a pretty common occurrence for me).

I shared some of my weight loss journey and she shared some of her own.

She became a marathon runner to lose the weight (wow!) and then we got on the topic of the post-weight loss problem of that pesky extra skin.

I struggle with it.

Even when she was running marathons, she struggled with it, too (it still boggles my mind that people can run 26.2 miles and not have perfect bodies…just one of those weird stereotypes I have stuck in my head, I guess).

But then she started doing heavy weight lifting and she said within 6 months, the results were amazing. She looks amazing.

And all of a sudden, I could feel the jealousy creeping in, winding its nasty little green fingers around my usual peppy optimism.

It’s not the first time that’s happened and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

Those thoughts whispering, If only you could be like her. Just another way that you aren’t quite good enough. You could be thinner. You could be fitter. You could be prettier. With all that you’ve done, you still haven’t done enough. You still aren’t enough.

Fighting Back

The difference these days is that I recognize the voice of the comparison trap and I can call those thoughts out for exactly what they are – self-defeating bold-faced lies.

Don’t ever forget that you have a choice when it comes to what you believe.

Just because you think it doesn’t make it true.

Those thoughts listed above do nothing but beat you down and keep you reeling, stuck in the exact same situation, but beating yourself up for being there. But what if you were able to take the same situation and use it to motivate yourself to grow? To take action and do something about it?

Every time I hear those harsh whispers creeping in, I catch them and run them through a filter of questions.

Is this an area I want to improve?

What can I do to make that happen?

Is it realistic to fit those changes into my life?

Am I doing everything I can right now?

Sometimes, there are situations I wish were different, but I can do nothing to change.

Sometimes there are situations I wish were different, but I don’t want to change.

But most of the time, if I truly have the desire for things to change, I can find ways to do just that, no matter how small they may be.

When I realized that I’d gotten caught in the comparison trap the other day, I ran myself through those questions.

Realistically, I am not going to become an Olympic style lifter. I don’t enjoy it, I won’t do it regularly, and I don’t have the time to devote to learning another skill like that right now.

But it’s not all or nothing.

There are still things I can do to improve that area. Even though I don’t really want to get into heavy lifting, I can still build onto the strength training I’m already doing.

I already follow the Rule of 3 as a simple way to have some strength training in addition to my running, but I can add another exercise. I can add more weight or more reps to be more intentional.

And coming up with those action steps wiped away my discouragement and discontent and replaced it with empowerment.

Be on alert and as soon as you catch yourself getting caught in the comparison trap, call out the lies and fight back with action!

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