In this digital era, everybody wants to look slim and active. So, weight loss has become the most common topic in the healthcare world. Millions of people search for the best and effective ways to lose weight daily. But you are advised to choose the ways that are safe, realistic and sustainable for your normal life.
& Here weight loss therapy comes in.
Now the question arises:
What is weight loss therapy?
In actuality, weight loss therapy is not a single step technique. It involves many strategies like medical, nutritional, psychological and behavioral to get healthy weight change. Weight gain is not all about physical gain only, so this therapy covers the emotional, social and environmental factors that shape your personality behaviors.
Before going for the therapy directly, you first need to understand the complex system that regulates weight. People think that weight is all about ‘calories in and calories out’. But in reality, the human body is very complicated as weight is influenced by genetics, metabolism, psychology, emotions, environment and lifestyle.
What is weight loss therapy?
Weight loss therapy is a professional approach designed to help people lose their weight in a very healthy way. It focuses on:
- Supporting long term consistency
- Creating realistic goals
- Understanding behaviors and triggers
- Building a positive relationship with food
- Addressing emotional and psychological problems
- Collaborating with healthcare professionals
The psychological side of weight loss:
Here, we will try to understand the other factors behind overeating and weight gain.
(i) Why people overeat:
Overeating is directly linked to willpower. So, its common triggers are emotional stress, habitual snacking, social pressure, fatigue, restrictive dieting and low confidence. Therapy can help you to address these triggers and treat it using healthy strategies.
(ii) Understanding emotional eating:
Emotional eating can help you to relax but it doesn’t solve the root issue. A therapist helps people to be confident without any guilt, understanding emotional hunger, identifying the underlying emotion.
Most of the time, people try to lose weight using a painful pattern like strict diet, low confidence, feeling weak and ashamed etc. Therapy can be helpful to break this loop using balanced eating.
Cravings:
One of the common reasons for overeating is cravings. Cravings feel out of control but for therapists, these cravings are signals that help them to respond intelligently instead of impulsively.
Common cause of cravings:
- Nutritional needs
- Emotional needs
- Habitual patterns
- Food restriction
How therapy can help you to manage cravings?
- Using the pause method.
- By mindful eating habits
- Understanding emotional triggers
- Eating balanced meals
- Enjoying treats without guilt
Types of weight-loss therapy:
There are many evidence-based approaches that can be helpful to lose weight in a healthy way. These include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Mindfulness based eating therapy
- Behavioral therapy
- Nutrition counseling
- Medical weight loss therapy
Foundations of sustainable weight loss
If you have decided to lose weight using therapy, diet change or any medical intervention, just remember that long term weight loss depends on some basic principles.
(i) Understanding Hunger Signals
- Physical hunger: In this type, your body needs fuel.
- Emotional hunger: It is a desire to distract.
- Habit hunger: You are eating just because it’s time to eat.
Therapy can help you to respond according to your body needs.
(ii) Building balanced eating patterns:
A balanced eating lifestyle includes consistent hydration, moderate portions, regular meals, whole foods etc. This lifestyle helps to stabilize energy levels and reduces cravings.
(iii) Movement that fits real life:
Exercise should not always be painful. You can have easy movements like swimming, walking, cycling, household activities, strength training, dance etc. Your goal should be consistency, not intensity.
(iv) Sleep and stress management:
Poor sleep and stress can disturb your metabolism so include strategies like time management, breathing techniques, stress reducing activities, quality sleep, boundary setting etc to make weight loss easier without any painful dieting.
Barriers people face in weight loss:
Here are some basic barriers that people face during their weight loss journey:
- Emotional eating: Therapy can help you to have emotional awareness so you can deal with it in a better way.
- Low motivation: If you don’t feel motivated in life, therapy can be a helpful tool to reconnect actions with personal values.
- Negative body image: Therapists can help you to deal with realistic expectations.
- Stress and exhaustion: Therapy can improve your energy and emotional resilience.
Weight loss journey is not easy but community support can make it easier. This support can be from anyone like your therapist, a coach, family, friends, support group, online communities etc. Their support can give you motivational and enjoyable experiences.
Risks of extreme dieting:
Excess dieting can affect your metabolism, mental health, obsession etc.
Myths and misconceptions about weight loss:
- Myth: You just need willpower.
Fact: Not only willpower, other factors like emotions, biology, lifestyle, obsession, environment also play major roles.
- Myth: Fast weight loss is normal.
Fact: Slow, natural and steady change can stay longer.
- Myth: You should not eat carbs to reduce weight.
Fact: Carbs are a very important energy source. So, quality matters.
- Myth: Weight equals health.
Fact: Overall health includes mental well-being, lifestyle too. It’s not only about size.
How to maintain weight loss:
After losing weight, the next challenge is to maintain it. So, therapy helps people to:
- Continue self care practices
- Recognize early warning signs
- Build lifelong habits
- Stay accountable
- Adjust routines during stress
When to seek professional help?
You should contact a professional when:
- Diets repeatedly fail.
- Trauma or mental health challenges
- Emotional eating feels uncontrollable
- Food causes anxiety and guilt
Therapists offer judgment free guidance to help you to lose weight.
Conclusion: Weight loss is not about perfection. Every step counts so progression is everything, even if you haven’t achieved your goal yet.
Therapy can offer something which is not possible through diets. It includes sustainable change and support. Your therapist can recognize that every human is unique with different bodies and goals. So, don’t apply the same strict rules to everyone. Therapy helps you to have a healthy relationship with food and self care.