Excess weight is a problem that has become for many the main thing in life. Currently, there are many ways to help get rid of unnecessary kilograms, to become slimmer and more attractive. However, far from everyone helps regular sports training, diets, proper and healthy nutrition. What is the reason for the appearance of excess weight and the fact that he does not leave, despite all the efforts of a person?
Personality Psychology and Overweight
There are three groups of reasons why a person suffers from weight gain.
- The first group. Biological reasons. Among them: age-related features, diseases, lack of exercise. If a person understands that he cannot lose weight due to his own physiology, then he definitely needs a doctor’s consultation, perhaps treatment is necessary.
- The second group. Social reasons. This includes the family, society, and the processes that occur in them. Currently, food is diverse and affordable. Every day, a person entering a store is “tempted” by discounts and promotions that are hard to resist. Result: he buys what he does not need at all – junk food with additives, a lot of sweets, ready-made food. In this case, the excess weight gradually increases and a person once realizes that his usual clothes have become small for him or the numbers on the scales are unpleasantly surprising. Social reasons also include holidays and traditions that are customary to follow. At this time, it is difficult for a person to resist in order not to eat food, along with everyone at the same table, however, after that, he blames and scolds himself for not restraining himself and gaining excess weight again.
- The third group. Psychological reasons. It should be noted that a person, in addition to the feeling of hunger, which can be satisfied only with food, can also experience emotional hunger – such is his psychology. This happens when he is going through a difficult life period, problems, or living in a state of persistent psychological trauma. Then he feels hunger for communication, love, affection, attention, security, solitude, pleasure, rest. If he does not realize his need — for example, why he is now feeling bad, anxious, or bored — he seeks to drown out the unpleasant feeling within himself. Go to the refrigerator and eat something, in this case – the safest option to satisfy the need. Most often this occurs during the absence of a physiological feeling of hunger. The emotional need, in this case, is temporarily satisfied, however, the food is not absorbed and excess weight appears.
Why diets do not save from excess weight?
If the cause of extra pounds is overeating as a way to drown out unpleasant feelings and satisfy the need, diets will be ineffective on the path to harmony. The “jamming” of stress and food as a way to calm anxiety is familiar to many people. As a rule, it is difficult for them to understand what is happening, because they are not in their thoughts in the present moment – when they are eating at the company, at night or in front of the TV – but in the past or future. What to do? To realize the need that makes you overeat, to understand that a diet will not help to lose weight until all negative emotions are recognized.
“What is happening to me?” Is a question that should become the main thing for a person who understands that he cannot stop himself and eat, even when he is not hungry.
“What need do I jam? What feelings am I trying not to hear? ”Is what will help me learn to stop myself on the way to the refrigerator.
As soon as a feeling is revealed, recognized and named by name, for example, fear, anger, anxiety, boredom, you need to understand what you would like to experience instead. If a person is scared, then he needs security or to be reassured. Mental pain requires support from, perhaps, the release of tears, anger – to be recognized and expressed.
Thus, when a person learns to understand himself, he will cease to experience emotional hunger and use food in order to alleviate his psychological state.
The body and psyche are closely related to each other. Work with a psychologist or an independent return to inner harmony will make you feel satisfied with yourself and your life. After that, there will be no need to “hide” in excess weight. Diet – if there is a desire with its help to get rid of extra pounds – will help to improve the body and soon achieve harmony.
Weight loss motivation
Setting a goal and achieving its result are important steps towards harmony. In this case, motivation is of great importance. If it is not, then losing weight can be problematic. In what cases is it absent?
- A person wants to get rid of extra pounds not by himself, but by obeying the desires of others, for example, a partner, friends or parents. In this case, his own body will resist weight loss and not “let go” of excess weight from himself, if he does not cause inconvenience.
- When a person does not know why he needs to lose weight. Sometimes women strive to become slim, following fashion trends, wanting to look like more attractive friends, celebrities.
- All the time there are more important things than his own appearance. For example: problems in relationships, the health of loved ones, career and others. Then we can assume that a person has a secondary benefit, which forces him to save extra pounds. Why might they be needed? Perform the function of protection from close relationships, maintain the image of a good and good person, serve as “armor” from emotional pain.
When a person says, “I know that I need to lose weight,” however, he does nothing for this, perhaps he needs to work on developing motivation. How to do it?
- Set a goal. For example: losing weight. Indicate how many kilograms you need to lose and for how long. Clarify with what actions the goal will be achieved.
- Introduce the image of yourself who has achieved the goal. Answer questions: how will my appearance change? What will happen in my life? How will my character change? My surrounding? Professional activity? Health? How are you feeling? Behavior? Having before his eyes an image of himself changed, a person should feel everything that will happen to him – feelings, thoughts, emotions. The positive changes in life that will come after losing weight should be the main motivating force and support on the way to harmony.
Motivation should be the factor that constantly pushes to achieve a goal. For this to be so, one must have a sincere desire to change not only the appearance, but also the inner world.