Those who want to lose weight face many difficulties. It is worth admitting that the lion's share of these difficulties refers to the psychological barriers that a person builds in his subconscious, whether he realizes it or not. Therefore, Estet-portal decided to share with you tips that will increase your chances of success in the psychological fight against excess weight. You can lose weight by changing your eating behavior and correcting distorted thinking. How does it work and does it work at all? Read more.
The roots of incorrect eating behavior lie in two main areas: distorted thinking and acquired behavioral patterns. The system of psychological weight management – is a series of interrelated cognitive-behavioral techniques that allow you to get rid of incorrect psychological attitudes and form healthy patterns of eating behavior. Simply put – this is the answer to how you need to think in order to lose weight.
Studies on post-diet weight changes Jeffery, French, Murray, 1999
1. "Straighten" distorted thinking.
Distorted thinking – they are untrue beliefs that shape our thinking.
For example, by thinking "I'll never lose weight" or "I have a slow metabolism/big bone", people convince themselves that no matter what they do, they won't lose weight. Having accepted fullness as an inevitability, people begin to believe that nothing can be changed, and act – meaningless. Negative ideas about the impossibility of changing one's own reality become self-fulfilling prophecies, because they deprive a person of the motivation to make changes in his own life.
Yes, genetic predisposition and constitution matter. However, let's be honest with ourselves: are you currently at the peak of your physical form? Have you used the maximum of the resource given to you by Mother Nature?
2. Increase your self-esteem.
Make a list of your accomplishments. If you were successful in raising a child, built a career or renovated an apartment – You are able to achieve success in regard to the regulation of your own weight. Treat yourself with respect and kindness, perceiving your own mistakes and failures from the position of your best friend, that is, solely as an opportunity to draw conclusions and learn.
3. Let go of the guilt.
In contrast to conscience, which corrects our further behavior, guilt – absolutely useless emotion. We feel guilty after the fact, after what happened, so why worry about the past, which we cannot change? Ignore the guilt, get rid of it, forgive yourself – and honestly look at your problems.
4. Analyze your behavioral patterns.
Carefully analyze your own eating behavior. The reasons why you overeat may be related to certain situations, for example – automatically eating chips or cookies in front of the TV.
An example of a cultural eating pattern would be the habit of eating everything on your plate. Our grandmothers, who went through the famine of wartime, overfed our mothers, and mothers – us, forcing everything on the plate, ignoring the signals of satiety.
The concept of reward is the historical pattern of behavior. From birth, we all have the same source of satisfaction for the need for love and the need for food – maternal breast. Over the years, these needs are normally isolated. However, in our unconscious, eating is inseparable from getting emotional pleasure. The danger of emotional overeating, in addition to weight gain – the emergence of a feeling of guilt, which a person, not knowing the methods of an adequate response, tries to drown out by eating, repeating the whole cycle.
5. Keep a psychological food diary.
Write down not only what you ate during the day, but also your own emotions before, during and after eating. Why did you decide to eat it? How did it happen that a large plate was eaten, when in fact it was tedious to limit yourself to half a serving? What prevented you from stopping? How can you avoid repeating the situation?
Journaling allows you to analyze emotions, identify and understand your personal food triggers, so that you can then purposefully work with each of them. Let's say in advance that most likely you will identify boredom, stress and loneliness. And it will be necessary to get rid of them in order to lose weight.
6. Fight boredom with alternative methods.
Make a list of activities that would be of interest to you. For example, a walk, meeting with friends, a dance lesson, preparing an exotic salad, searching for an answer to an exciting question on the Internet, watching a specific exciting movie, etc. When you get bored, instead of reaching for a box of cookies, implement one of the items on your – and hunger will disappear because it is not real hunger.
7. Strengthen your resilience.
Stress is also one of the biggest causes of emotional overeating. Deal with stress openly, by consciously addressing the issue that caused the stress. Instead of eating emotional tension – , increase resistance to stressors by developing a healthy tolerance for stimuli. Sports, sex, reading, meditation and friendly communication will help you!
8. Break free from loneliness.
Stop clinging to natural shyness. Leave the house, slamming the door behind you – to the yard, to the park, to the sports club, to the disco, to the exhibition. Call old friends – many will be flattered by the attention and glad to see you. Meet interesting people – talk, initiate communication, even if at the beginning it will be very scary. An interesting solution might be to get a dog – You will be forced to regularly go to the nearest park and interact with dog lovers around.
9. Think and act like a slim person.
On your way to perfect shape, don't give up visiting the beach, the gym, riding a motorcycle, buying trendy jeans. Yes, in a crowded place there may be a tactless person who will speak unflatteringly about your figure. But is his opinion more important than your pleasure? Live life to the fullest, enjoy the fulfillment of your desires, you deserve it.
10. Build confidence in yourself.
If you are overtaken by doubts about your own abilities, write a few short affirmations, for example: "I am successful in everything I undertake", "I am getting leaner and healthier every day", "My body is actively weight loss processes. Make it a habit to say them to yourself in the morning and at night, while eating and traveling in transport, work and leisure. Even if you are incredulous and feel uncomfortable saying it, a positive attitude takes root in your unconscious and works.
Armed with the proposed psychological techniques, you will make a healthy diet and exercise an integral part of your life forever. You will not just switch to new models of eating behavior, but will form the way of thinking of a healthy, slender person, which, as a result, guarantees the achievement and preservation of the result. Weight management will no longer be a problem! We are what we think. It works.
Be beautiful and slim with Estet-portal!
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