Does anyone out there have a New Year’s resolution to lose
weight? Many of us do. It is hard not to think about your weight after you've
gotten through two months of holiday celebrations and winter weather. An article on Yahoo News today, “Psychology Hits the Gym” highlighted the importance of paying attention to the psychology
of weight loss in addition to the usual stuff we should think about like diet
and exercise. Many studies have found that combining both a physical and
psychological approach to weight loss is most effective. Many weight loss
programs across the nation and programs that offer bariatric surgery partner
with psychologists to offer the most effective treatment. So what are some ways that psychology can help with weight
loss? Here are a few:
- Help people identify triggers to eating and reasons for eating
- Help people develop coping skills to replace emotional eating
- Teach people about the difference between “physical hunger” and “psychological hunger” or “emotional hunger”
- Teach people about effective goal setting
- Teach skills like mindful eating
- Help people to identify their emotions
- Address body image and self-esteem issues
- Address emotional trauma related to many body issues like abuse, bullying, and medical concerns
- Address the psychological implications of things like diabetes and physical disabilities
- Help people have healthier relationships that support healthy lifestyle changes
These are just a few of the ways that a psychologist can
help with weight loss or other health goals. While you are in line to sign up for
the gym this January you may want to think about scheduling an appointment with
a psychologist to talk about ways that you can make your New Year’s resolution
more successful than ever!
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