The “Paper Towel” Analogy Explains Why Weight Loss Is a Slow Process



When you try to lose weight, the process can be so agonizingly slow that you wonder if it’s happening at all. The truth is that weight is coming off and the slowness is normal — and better for your long-term health. There’s a perfect analogy to keep your mindset positive and motivation high: Think of that fat like a new roll of paper towels. Called the “paper towel analogy,” it’s a brilliant way to put the process of weight loss in a healthier perspective. Fat, like paper towels, comes off in sheets. When you’re heavy, you’re big around, and when you’re big around, the fat is spread over a much larger area…….just like that outside sheet on the paper towel roll. The closer you get to the lean you, the more each lost pound of fat shows, because it’s spread over a smaller area. While the outside sheet may only cover one layer of the roll, the inside sheet may go around four times. That last sheet looks like it gives you four times the result of the first sheet, but in reality the results are the same — your perception is just different. If you aren’t patient while the outside is coming off, you’ll never see the inside. The takeaway here is that fat that’s been accumulating for many months and years can come off like paper towel sheets — one at a time and slowly at first. It’ll take time and patience for visual progress to catch up. Digging your toes into more realistic expectations will help you to stay motivated and keep up with your process and regimen.