What the Psychology Of Weight Loss

You see the sleek models holding the covers of magazines ... you look at the actors and actors on the big screen who seem to never gain a pound. And you wonder: 'How am I different? You may be surprised to find that a few celebrities once had a hard time maintaining a healthy weight. But they were able to overcome their problem, thanks to a new and improved diet. You may not realize it, but there is some psychology that works in effective weight loss. Not surprisingly, Psychology Today has done much to explore this subject. In October 2004, the magazine published an article on its website that described the experience of Diane Berry, a nurse who examined women who had lost at least 15 pounds [15 kg] and maintained an average weight loss of seven years. Women shared the same essentials. For example, they all gained weight by using Weight Watchers or TOPS, which means they had a stronger support network as they tried to maintain their weight. Team meetings were very important, as they learned to recognize that they were not alone in their weight struggle. Women were also uncommon because about 90 percent of people who lost weight eventually got it back in five years. Another common feature of these women is that they seem to change dramatically as they change from being fat to being thin. In all indications, they seemed depressed when they were weighed but, as they tried to lose weight, their mood became clear. For these women, healthy eating became a habit — a practice they refused to give up. They themselves recognize the great role psychology plays in weight loss. They refused to give in to negative feelings of frustration and denial and chose a better course instead. Women also make it a point to measure themselves regularly so that they can plan their development. And they recognize that maintaining weight can be a lifelong struggle. They knew they would not try a weight loss program and put it back on the shelf. They had to learn new ways of eating each week. In some cases, they liken their fight to alcohol. In other words, they realized the gravity of their situation and took steps to correct the situation. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this women's experience was the fact that their weight loss came quickly. At times, they even got fat, but they did not let that hinder them from reaching their final goal. They simply saw their obstacles as challenges to overcome. This may be a key psychological factor that separates successful dieters from those who fail-to-endure. In fact, these women were able to change their personality in a positive way in order to achieve their long-term goals of losing weight. Another interesting feature of this study is that it showed that women who have experienced weight loss were really happy. This shows the great psychological impact that weight loss can have on the individual. Once a person is free from the burden of excess weight, he or she is better able to cope with life's challenges directly. The dieter benefits from good fitness, as relatives, friends, and colleagues congratulate him on losing weight. In this way, weight loss can be a life-affirming experience and can lead to a positive outlook on life. It should be noted here that the psychology of weight loss is a complex matter. There is no single ingredient that can make a person obese. However, realizing that there is a psychological component to effective weight loss may, in fact, be part of the battle. Once a person has realized that he is in a mental war, he is better able to fight. By re-training yourself to find healthy eating habits, a person can, indeed, shape himself into a new person — not to live to eat, but to eat to live.