It's all in the mind...

A huge problem in today's society is weight gain.  More people are obese than ever before and that includes children.

Obesity is bankrupting our health services due to obesity related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.  There is a huge weight loss industry generating millions of dollars which tells you to stop eating fat, stop eating carbs, stop eating.... exercise more...

But just as many criticize the medical profession for becoming too specialized; you see a cardiologist for heart disease, an oncologist for cancer, and endocrinologist for diabetes, and not treating people as a whole, the same can be said for the weight loss industry.

People aren't fat just because they eat too much.  There are many reasons why a person puts on weight... eating too much is just one of them.  There are medical reasons and also psychological reasons.  Stress, anxiety, and even emotional attachment to food all play a part in weight and if these are not taken into consideration and treated along with a weight loss program then in most cases, weight loss will not be sustained.

Orlando Health researchers have revealed that only 1 in 10 Americans recognize the importance of psychological well-being in weight loss.  People tend to attribute more importance to other components such as exercise when it comes to losing weight.

31% of Americans think exercise is the biggest barrier to sustaining weight loss, while 26% think that eating less is important and 17% blame the cost of a healthy lifestyle as the biggest problem to losing weight and keeping it off.  12% cited a lack of time to dedicate to changing their lifestyle to be healthier.

Dr. Diane Robinson, a neuropsychologist and the program director of integrative medicine at Orlando Health said:

"Most people focus almost entirely on the physical aspects of weight loss, like diet and exercise.  But there is an emotional component to food that the vast majority of people simply overlook and it can quickly sabotage their efforts."

Food has become the center of the social aspect of our lives.  When you meet up with friends it is
usually over lunch or dinner or drinks, special occasions are celebrated with food like cakes, or Thanksgiving or Christmas are centered around huge spreads of food, Valentine's Day chocolates, Halloween candy and we even reward or pacify our children with sweets.  

Many people turn to food in moments of emotional stress and anxiety, comfort food doesn't tend to be a salad with grilled fish.  Comfort food is high fat, high carb indulgence that leads to extra weight that we then can't shift.  Even when on a diet people tend to reward themselves with "treats" when they have reached a certain goal.  A too restrictive diet and cause feelings of deprivation and then a treat of a piece of chocolate means you end up eating the whole bar.

Finding out WHY you eat the way you do is of vital importance when losing weight.  You can't just treat the fat around your middle, you have to treat the psychological aspect of why you are eating in a way that has lead you to put on weight to start with.

Becoming aware of your habits is very important and isn't as difficult as it may seem.  Ask yourself simple questions when you are considering reaching for the cookie jar;

Am I hungry?  Or am I just bored or upset?  Keep a diary and write down what you have eaten and how you felt prior to eating and afterwards as well.  If you ask yourself the right questions you may discover that boredom is a large part of why you eat between meals.  So, what can you do instead?  If you are bored go out for a walk, or read a book.  I find doing housework keeps me occupied and makes me feel more positive because there is a positive end result.  Find what works for you to keep boredom at bay.

If you eat when you are upset, what is upsetting you?  What can you do about it?

If you eat when you are stressed, then you may need to find something that helps with stress relief.  Depending on what you like, stress relief could be a physical activity such as running or cycling.  For other people meditation works wonders - although here I believe that meditation works wonders for everyone.

We humans have a strong emotional attachment to food which is learned from a very young age.  So if your go-to reward is food, think about other rewards you'd enjoy which aren't food based.  Treat your self to a pampering session or a movie, a new item of clothing, indulge yourself in a non food based way.  Think about how you can reward your children without giving them food, maybe a small toy or movie night at home, a play date with a best friend.  There is so much we can do to reward ourselves without reaching for food.

The minute you identify your psychological triggers you will automatically begin to change your habits and the weight will drop off and stay off and you will be all the more happier for it.  You will also feel more in control of your life and more able to cope.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com