The Psychology of Weight Loss

       You see the razor-thin models gracing the covers of magazines…you watch actors and actresses on the big screen who seem to never gain a pound.  And you wonder:  How do I differ from them?  You may be surprised to learn that a number of famous people at one time had difficulty maintaining a healthy weight.  But they were able to conquer their problem, thanks to a new-and-improved, healthy view of eating.

       You may not realize it, but there is a certain psychology at work in successful weight loss.  It is no surprise, then, that the magazine Psychology Today has explored the issue in-depth.  In October of 2004, the magazine posted an article on its website detailing the experiences of Diane Berry, a nurse practitioner who studied women who had shed at least 15 pounds and had maintained their weight loss for an average of seven years. 

       The women shared some important things in common.  For instance, they all achieved their weight loss through either Weight Watchers or TOPS, which meant that they had a firm support network as they tried to maintain their weight.  The group meetings were highly important, because they learned to recognize that they were certainly not alone in their struggles with weight.   The women were also quite unusual because up to 90 percent of individuals who have lost weight end up putting it back on within five years.  

         Another common trait of these women is that they appeared to undergo a profound mood shift as they made the transition from fat to thin.  From all indications, they appeared to be depressed when they were heavy but, as they attempted to lose weight, their mood brightened. 

          For these women, healthy eating became a habit—a habit they refused to break.  They themselves recognized the tremendous role that psychology plays in weight loss.  They refused to give in to negative feelings of frustration and denial and chose a positive path instead.  The women also made it a point to weigh themselves regularly so that they could chart their progress.

          And they recognized that maintaining weight loss would be a lifetime struggle.  They knew that they could not attempt a weight loss program then put it back on the shelf.  They had to learn new eating patterns that they could continue week in and week out.  In some cases, they likened their struggle to that of an alcoholic.  In other words, they recognized the gravity of their problem and took steps to correct the situation. 

       Perhaps the most interesting aspect of these women’s experiences was the fact that their weight loss actually came in spurts.  At times, they regained their weight, but they did not let that deter them from their final goal.  They simply viewed their setbacks as challenges that they needed to overcome.  This may be the key psychological trait that separates successful dieters from unsuccessful ones—perseverance.   In essence, these women were able to change their personalities in a positive way in order to achieve their long-term weight loss goals.

        Another interesting aspect of this study was that it showed that the women who had undergone weight loss transformation were genuinely happy.  This shows the tremendous psychological impact that weight loss can have on an individual.  Once an individual is free from the burden of extra weight, he or she is better able to meet the challenges of life head-on.  The dieter benefits from positive reinforcement, as relatives, friends, and co-workers congratulate him or her for the weight loss.  In this way, losing weight can be quite a life-affirming experience and can lead to a more optimistic outlook on life.

       It must be noted here that the psychology of weight loss is a complicated matter.  There is no single ingredient that can turn a fat person into a thin one.  However, recognizing that there is a psychological component to successful weight loss may, in fact, be half the battle.  Once an individual recognizes that he or she is engaged in a psychological fight, he or she is better able to do battle.  By retraining oneself to seek healthy approaches to diet, one can, in effect, mold oneself into a new individual—one that no longer lives to eat, but simply eats to live.   

How to Eat-- The Right Way

A Lesson in Eating—the Right Way 

It most likely comes to you as normally as breathing—the specialty of eating. Notwithstanding, you may never have been instructed to eat well. This is basically critical in light of the fact that, unless you figure out how to eat well, you may never ace the specialty of counting calories. In our general public, certain unseemly dietary patterns have moved toward becoming routinely. By assaulting these propensities, you can improve the probability that you will really get more fit. 

In any case, it is vital that you figure out how to eat gradually. At in the first place, this may be a significant test. We have been adapted to live in a fast food world. We surge dinners with a specific end goal to have room schedule-wise to raced to soccer rehearse, to a piano presentation, or to class and work. We feel that surging spares us time—however such a routine can without much of a stretch blowback, abandoning us with undesirable pounds. Studies have demonstrated that no less than 10 minutes is required before the mind gets the message that the stomach is full. This implies you could be eating long after you are really satisfied. Your feast—regardless of whether it's toward the beginning of the day, evening, or night—should last no less than ten minutes. Prepare yourself to extend your dinner by taking part in discussion, resting your fork between courses, biting gradually, and drinking a lot of water between courses. You ought to likewise hold up no less than ten minutes after your fundamental feast before choosing on the off chance that you require dessert. Inside that timeframe, you may find that you weren't generally eager all things considered. 

Another trap is to put serving dishes on the counter and abandon them there. Thus, you'll really need to get up out of your seat keeping in mind the end goal to get more sustenance. You may conclude that it's not worth the trouble. Or on the other hand you may find that you find that you require no more sustenance between courses. Likewise, don't eat specifically from a frozen yogurt container, tortilla chip pack, or saltine box. Else, you could get yourself effectively gorging. 

You ought to dependably eat at the table. This keeps you from attempting to take part in multi-entrusting, for example, surfing the 'Net, staring at the TV, or flipping through magazines while you eat. At the table, you'll be compelled to focus on how much sustenance you are putting into your mouth. In the event that you eat anyplace else, you may forget about how much nourishment you're expending. 

Desert you should clean your plate. It is essentially not genuine. Research has demonstrated that the greater part of grown-ups demand cleaning their plates, notwithstanding when they are as of now full. This implies you are indulging just out of courteousness. Such a propensity just serves to include undesirable pounds. Rather than cleaning your plate, take a stab at eating just that segment of sustenance that influences you to feel full. You'll be more advantageous and more joyful that way. 

Try not to keep nourishment on display amid the day. On the off chance that the treat bump is open or the pretzel sack is out on the table, you'll have a gigantic desire to eat, regardless of whether you are not ravenous. After a feast, put your nourishment away in the fridge, inside your organizer, or in the Lazy Susan. Thusly, you'll really need to do some work to get at sustenance before you devour it. 

On the off chance that you happen to gorge, don't invest a lot of energy sulking. Acknowledge your error and proceed onward. On the off chance that you've veered off kilter, make restorative move and forget about it. Else, you could wind up eating out of disappointment, or going off your eating regimen completely. It's smarter to attack a solitary feast than a lifetime of dinners. 

You might act naturally cognizant at first as you endeavor to change your dietary patterns. Understand that your negative behavior patterns did not begin overnight, so it will set aside some opportunity to rectify them. While it might appear an exhausting errand at first, it is definitely justified even despite the exertion. You'll rapidly find that your new dietary patterns have helped you to lose undesirable weight. In truth, such systems as concealing your nourishment and eating all the more gradually won't in themselves make you get more fit, however they will help you to control your gorging as time goes on. Furthermore, you'll be a superior individual for it.