real life weight loss story, US-based Justin O’Regan, self-proclaimed weight loss The coach has gained attention on social media for his major weight loss journey and he keeps sharing tips about his fitness regime. In his early 20s, Justin often shares his experiences on Instagram, where he reflects on the emotional challenges of losing more than 130 pounds (58.9 kg).

In his recent video from July 2024, Justin explained how losing weight has been “less-embarrassing” for him, a topic not often discussed in the weight loss community. He captioned the video, “Can anyone tell?” Expressing an emotion that appealed to many audiences.

In the video, Justin candidly discussed his mixed feelings about receiving praise during his weight loss journey. “Why doesn’t anyone talk about how embarrassing it is to lose weight?” he asked. “I’ve lost over 130 pounds, but whenever I was younger I would try to lose weight, someone would tell me, like, ‘Hey buddy, I saw you lost 5 pounds. ‘Good job’ or ‘How’s this diet going?’ I felt as if my deepest secret had been revealed.”

Justin explained that the public acknowledgment of his weight loss made him uncomfortable, as it reinforced the idea that other people knew about his past struggles with weight. “It’s almost like if someone didn’t realize I was actively trying to lose weight, they wouldn’t even know I was fat,” he said. This insecurity led her to hide fitness-related apps, such as the Fitness Powell app, on her phone so that others would not associate her weight loss efforts with her past weight-related issues.

She also elaborated on the denial many people experience during weight gain. “This is the next level of denial you have when you gain weight — avoiding the scale because it will make it real,” Justin said.

The feeling of being “a little embarrassed” about losing weight, as described by people like Justin O’Regan, is caused by a number of emotional and psychological factors:

1. Increased Attention and Visibility: Losing weight often attracts attention and people may comment on your progress. Although compliments are usually well-intentioned, they can feel uncomfortable or offensive, especially if the person losing weight prefers privacy or is not used to being in the spotlight. Public approval is a constant reminder of their previous weight, reinforcing the idea that other people are always watching their bodies closely.

2. Shame or insecurity about past weight: For many people, losing weight is a personal journey associated with deep feelings of shame, insecurity or low self-esteem about their previous weight. Being complimented for losing weight may inadvertently remind them of their struggle with being overweight, making them feel self-conscious.

3. Fear of Judgment: There is often a fear that people will judge or label them based on their weight loss journey. “How’s the diet going?” Comments like “You’ve lost weight!” Can make someone feel as if they are under constant scrutiny. The fear is that if they fail to maintain their progress, people will notice and evaluate them negatively.

4. Feeling exposed: Trying to lose weight is an extremely personal endeavor, and when people comment on it, it can feel like exposing a vulnerability. Some people, like Justin, feel as if their “darkest secret” is being exposed, as their weight loss efforts become public knowledge, even though they prefer to keep that part of their lives private.

5. Linking weight loss to self-esteem: Society often places too much emphasis on appearance, and weight loss can be linked to perceptions of self-worth. When someone accepts their weight loss, it can make the person feel as if they are being valued only for their physical change and not for who they are beyond their body.

6. Denial of weight issues: Some people like Justin admit that they were in denial about their weight issues for a long time. Acknowledging weight loss can be tantamount to admitting that they had a weight problem to begin with, which can be difficult to deal with emotionally.

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