Today, I want to tell you a story about two of the biggest weight loss mistakes of my life—which caused one of the top obesity researchers in the entire world looked me dead in the eye and said, “You’re going to gain all the weight back.”
Yes, really.
Now, before you get all fired up on my behalf (don’t worry, I was feeling a little fire myself in that moment), let me explain. This wasn’t some internet troll. This was one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever worked with—and also probably my favorite boss ever. He was wicked smart, kind, and very direct. And now that I’ve been coaching clients for years, I totally understand where he was coming from. He was calling out a couple of the biggest weight loss mistakes he’d seen play out again and again.
If I had witnessed my own behavior at that time? Honestly, I might’ve said the same thing.
Shredding for the Wedding: A Crash Course in What Not to Do
Let’s rewind to fall 2005. I had just taken a job overseeing a nutrition outreach program at a medical school, which was basically my dream job at the time and the thing that ultimately inspired me to become a dietitian.
A few weeks into the job, I got engaged to my now-former husband. And like many newly engaged women, I kicked off what I thought was a brilliant plan: shredding for the wedding.
And, surprise! This led to my biggest weight loss mistakes.
At that point, I hadn’t yet learned a thing about balanced nutrition. Vegetables were optional. Protein was minimal. Fiber? Who dat? My daily meal plan looked something like:
- A SlimFast shake for breakfast
- Two Zone bars for lunch (because obviously one wasn’t enough)
- Dusty, cheese-flavored soy crisps when I needed something “savory”
- Appetizers and vodka gimlets at dinner
- Enough Diet Coke to dissolve steel
Looking back, I’m amazed my gut microbiome ever recovered.
“You’re Going to Gain All the Weight Back.”
So there I am, sitting at my desk in a shared office, choking down a soy crisp. My boss walks in, starts chatting, then pauses, looks at my “lunch,” and says casually:
“You’re going to gain all the weight back, you know.”
Cue internal panic. My face flushed. My jaw dropped. I might have squeaked out a reply, but honestly? I was too shocked to process words.
What I Know Now About the Biggest Weight Loss Mistakes
Fast forward 20 years. Did I gain back the weight? Some of it, sure—but now a lot of that’s muscle (thank you, barbell back squats). And more importantly, I finally understand why that conversation went down the way it did.
My boss wasn’t being cruel. He was trying to teach me something important about the biggest weight loss mistakes people make:
- My motivation was all wrong. I wasn’t thinking about energy, strength, or health—I was chasing external validation and compliments in a white dress. Can an extrinsic reward be a good catalyst for behavior change? Sometimes. But that validation is fleeting. My wedding was one day. What’s the motivation to keep the weight off after the wedding?
- My approach was wildly unsustainable. If your “plan” involves meal bars, vodka, and zero joy, it’s not a plan—it’s a countdown to burnout.
And honestly? Those are two of the biggest weight loss mistakes I see all the time in my work now.
Here’s What Actually Works
If I could go back and talk to that 25-year-old version of myself, I’d say this:
- Stop trying to earn your worth by shrinking yourself.
- Nourish your body in a way that feels good and supports your goals.
- Choose a plan that still works when you’re busy, tired, stressed, or just not in the mood to “be good.”
- And please, for the love of your gut flora, ease up on the Diet Coke.
That dusty soy crisp may be long gone, but the lessons stuck with me. And now, I help clients avoid the same trap I fell into—so they can build something real, sustainable, and actually joyful.