Just about every diet or weight loss program on the market focuses on nutrition, exercise or a combination of the two. Interestingly, emotional and psychological issues are usually responsible for the most frustration in people attempting to lose weight, but these issues are rarely, if ever, addressed by most weight loss programs. Not addressing these issues limits the effectiveness of most programs, and you should be aware of this when choosing your program. Here are some things to consider when trying to lose weight.
Avoid Triggers – Weight loss is simple, but not easy. It’s simple in the sense that most people know what they should and shouldn’t be eating. Everyone knows that fruits and vegetables are good choices and burgers, fries and cake are not conducive to weight loss. So, why do we find ourselves making bad choices? The answer can be found in what triggers you into emotional eating.
The picture of emotional eating is a depressed woman curled up on the couch, crying about a break-up while she stuff herself with a gallon of ice cream. Of course, that would fit the bill, but most situations are much more subtle than that. It could be as simple as having lunch with a friend at a restaurant that you always order something that derails your weight loss plans. It could also be allowing yourself to pull up to the fast food drive-thru window to order for your kids “because they NEED it.” It could also be going to a big party on an empty stomach when you know there will be a lot of high-calorie food.
Situations like that put you in a dangerous position. It’s hard to make good choices when you put yourself in a bad position. If you know that certain people or places cause you to over-eat, plan ahead by picking the place to meet, eating BEFORE the party or choosing a different meal for the kids so you don’t have to white-knuckle your way through the fast food line. Eventually, those situations are going to get you, and you’re going to start the poor choice cycle all over again.
The poor choice cycle begins when you make one bad eating decision. You end up feeling bad about it, which temporarily leaves you in a vulnerable state where you’re more apt to make another poor choice. Once you start sliding down the slippery slope, it’s hard to stop, so just give up on the diet and tell yourself that you’ll start over next week. This kind of behavior causes a great deal of frustration.
Instead of allowing the slide to gain momentum, make plans in advance (when you’re feeling good) to stop the cycle as soon as it starts by having an action plan in place. When a bad choice is made, you need to have a positive action that you can immediately fall back on to put you back on track. For example, tell yourself that whenever you over-eat, you’re going to go for a walk immediately afterward. The walk may not negate the slip, but you’re taking control of the situation by doing something that will put you back on track.
I believe that most programs lack information in this area simply because the authors or creators either don't have any background or because they want you to believe that there is a quick and easy fix to your problem. If you only have a few pounds to lose, your ability to stay focused and overcome adversity may never be challenged. If, however, you have a relatively large amount of weight to lose, the reality is that you're probably going to encounter some difficult situations at some point in the process. Addressing those situations before they arise gives you a much better chance at getting through them successfully, and should be a part of every weight loss program.
