Psychological issues concerning weight loss

Obesity is also frequently accompanied by depression and the two can trigger and influence each other. Although women are slightly more at risk for having an unhealthy BMI than men, they are much more vulnerable to the obesity-depression cycle. In one study, obesity in women was associated with a 40% increase in major depression. There is also a strong relationship between women with a high BMI and more frequent thoughts of suicide.

Depression can both cause and result from stress, which, in turn, may cause you to change your eating and activity habits. Many people who have difficulty recovering from sudden or emotionally draining events (e.g., loss of a close friend or family member, relationship difficulties, losing a job, or facing a serious medical problem) unknowingly begin eating too much of the wrong foods or forgoing exercise. Before long, these become habits and difficult to change.

Binge eating, a behavior associated with both obesity and other conditions such as anorexia nervosa, is also a symptom of depression. A study of obese people with binge eating problems found that 51 percent also had a history of major depression. Additional research shows that obese women with binge-eating disorder who experienced teasing about their appearance later developed body dissatisfaction and depression.

Much of the time the causes of excess weight are unclear. Articles and books that deal with the issue from a habit perspective tend to deny psychological aspects, while those written by therapists sometimes tend to state that "it is always psychological." There are a few circumstances, however, in which some psychological causes are reasonably clear -Think back to a time that you lost weight and had at least partially achieved your weight loss goal. Did you then tend to be always on the go, too talkative, nervous, smoking/ drinking more or exercising too much? If so, it is likely that your extra pounds had some significant psychological basis. -If you regained more than a Kg a week of weight after a diet, at least one probable cause of your pre-diet extra weight was psychological.Eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia seem always to have some psychological basis. If your food binges are instigated by stress, psychological causes are most probable. If your overweight problem started during your growing up years, then psychological problems were important factors. If your extra pounds are at least partially caused by psychological traumas, these pounds may prove very difficult to lose. There is no treatment that can reliably offer a quick high rate of success.

There are a few people who seem able to come to some quick psychological insights about their weight difficulties and readily translate these insights into permanent weight loss. These people are the lucky few. For most everyone else, the road to slimness is much longer and is often filled with detours and potholes. A svelte figure at the finish line is not guaranteed.

There are several books available that describe psychological scenarios that cause overeating. Such books may or may not prove useful for you. The most common scenario is that life events raise our stress levels and those of us who try to relieve stress by overeating then overeat. Maybe we don't want to face some emotions (like anger, rage, grief or love) or maybe we try to deny our competitiveness or aspects of our sexuality. Maybe we have significant childhood trauma associated with food: being overfed, being threatened with hunger, living with a food-manipulative parent, etc. Whatever emotions or parts of ourselves or traumas we would like to avoid will cause us stress when circumstances trigger mind associations to such avoidances. Those with psychological food problems will then tend to eat to relieve the stress.

The ultimate solution is also simple - not to get stressed in such situations. But this ultimate solution is much easier said than done. To change even one of our stress responses to a calm response usually takes energy, willingness and commitment to self-change.

It is often useful to consider fat as just a symptom, like a phobia, a headache or alcohol consumption. The psychological issues underlying all these symptoms are usually much the same.

There is not likely to be one psychological reason you avoid physical play (i.e., exercise). Instead, there are many possible reasons, which may require some change on your part if physical play is to be a regular, routine part of your life. Psychological (sometimes unconscious) causes often are. It can be a role model like a parent or grand parent. It can be trauma, which can trigger a shut down of exercise or physical play as it could open trauma wounds that you want to shut. It can be the belief that he or she is weak and prove it by not exercising.

The Strong belief that competition is bad so exercise should be avoided is another reason. Labeling competition bad is part of the problem. By avoiding exercise, the person gains weight, which feels like added protection against an "unsafe" world. The person can also be traumatized to feel that it is not ok to feel good and feels yucky all the time by not exercising. As a child if a person is traumatized to be inactive, rigid or passive, then vigorous activities may feel dangerous (though he/she may hide the fear from themselves and give themselves another rationale).

How do you solve all these problems. Psychological counseling can give relief . There are a range of other psychological methods that could be used. Here what you can do

Work with a doctor to identify and correct any underlying medical, biological, or metabolic problems contributing to excess weight. Check with a counselor to see if you are using food for a purpose that food cannot fulfill: love, comfort, escape, an antidote to boredom, and so forth. If you are self-medicating with food, work with the therapist to come up with better ways of managing stress, painful emotions, and problems.

Don't ever diet or restrict calories when you are legitimately hungry. If you do, you will set yourself up to binge later. Eat normal, reasonable, moderate amounts of a wide range of healthy foods. Portion control and exercise are probably the two most important factors in a successful weight management program. Emphasize fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Don't cut out sweets and fats completely. If you do, you will crave and sneak them. Besides, your body needs the nutrients found in fats and carbohydrates. Just don't overdo it. Eat a nutritious breakfast every morning. Ninety-six percent of everyone who loses weight and keeps it off eats breakfast every day.

Get enough sleep every night. Scientists have found that sleep deprivation increases levels of a hunger hormone and decreases levels of another hormone that makes you feel full. The combined effect may lead to overeating and weight gain.

Do regular moderate, self-loving exercise. Start with a few minutes of walking and slowly extend the time until you can do 30-60 minutes a day, 3-5 days a week. If you haven't exercised in a while, be sure to check with your doctor first. Find a support system. Friends are great support systems..

Losing one Kg a month isn't very glamorous, but if you go any faster, you will make yourself hungry, and hunger will inevitably make you overeat. The best way to deal with over eating is taking an appetite suppressant like . One can buy phentermine very conveniently through the internet. In fact cheap phentermine is available at the phentermine online portal. Be gentle and realistic with yourself. If everyone in your family is round and sturdy, chances are you will never be a super model. But you can be happy and healthy. Also remember that healthy, realistic weight loss takes time.