How important is mental health to weight loss? The answer is: VERY.
Bodyweight, and BMI are important contributors to overall Health.
The World Health Organisation has found that weight affects our mental and physical health more than any other factor.
Being overweight or obese has been linked to more deaths than being underweight. This is why many of us strive to maintain a healthy weight.
If you’ve tried diets, exercise programs, and healthy eating but are still struggling to lose weight it may be time to check in on your mental health.
Jeff Spires is a Life and Diet Coach who says, “When we decide to lose weight we immediately turn our attention to food and exercise when we should really check in on our mental health first.”
“The link between weight, mood and emotional well-being is enormous. If we do not overcome these psychological obstacles, we will block our journey towards a healthy weight even before we begin.
The first step to a healthy body, is a healthy brain.
Jeff reveals mental barriers that prevent you from losing weight and how to overcome these.
- You have a negative body image
Jeff says: You might think that everyone who wants to lose weight is motivated by a negative view of their body. But there is a difference between wanting a change to be healthy for yourself and wanting to make the change due to a serious low opinion of your appearance.
There is nothing wrong with changing your body shape in order to improve your image. However, if your body image is extremely low, you may base your self-worth on your size and what you eat.
This connection can severely hinder your weight loss journey, as you will not be able to achieve a healthy balance when it comes to foods.
You may fear certain foods, or be afraid of social situations related to food.
This usually leads to excessive restriction and then to overeating. You gain weight rather than losing it.
How to overcome it:
Jeff says: “Try changing your inner voice.”
It will not be easy, but you must persevere.
“Write down every negative thought you have about yourself on paper, and then cross it out.
You can start a positive cycle by forcing yourself to see negative thoughts as black and white, and then letting them go.
Write down things you like about yourself, and then do something that makes you proud.
Write down your feelings after a workout, a walk or cooking a healthy dish. This will help you to realize how healthy habits can be for you.
- YOU ARE AN ALL-OR-NOTHING THINKER
Jeff says: ” Recent studies have shown that all-or nothing thinking is associated with a lack control over eating and an inability maintain a healthy body weight.
All-Or Nothing thinking is “persistent, exaggerated, thoughts that either are, ‘I am sticking to my diet choices and losing weight,’ or, I’m completely wrong, binging on all my favourite foods, and a complete failure.
You are either starving and exercising as much as you can or you are eating your favorite foods in large portions, and not exercising.
This all-or nothing thinking can have a negative impact on your mental health, and it can also seriously hamper your weight loss efforts.
How to overcome it:
Jeff says: “The very first thing you need to do is admit that you’re a total or nothing person.
Break down your goals for a healthy lifestyle into smaller, more manageable pieces to avoid becoming overwhelmed with all the changes.
Instead of saying, “Eat three small snacks and exercise every day”, try saying, “Cook dinner this week from scratch” and, “Go for a morning walk.”
Write down your goals, and every little success that you achieve. This will help you to keep track of the journey and stay realistic.
- You suffer from depression and/or anxiety
Jeff says: Over the past few years, a lot of research has shown a link between anxiety and depression and weight gain.
” Early Studies found that people who are ‘healthy weight’ experience fluctuations in their weight when they have periods of depression and low mood.
While this may not be the case for everyone, those who are in a bad mood tend to gain weight as a result of a cycle involving mental health problems.
When you are feeling low, you may feel like you’re worthless. This can lead you to abandon healthy habits in favor of foods that you know contain a lot of calories.
When you do this, high-calorie processed foods can cause your sugar to spike and change the chemical balance of your mind, leaving you feeling worse.
This becomes a vicious cycle, with us reaching for food more and more.
How to overcome it:
Jeff says: “If depression is affecting you, or if anxiety is affecting you, you should speak with your GP.
You can make lifestyle changes in your daily life to avoid the cycle of worthlessness.
Start by including daily exercise in your life, such as walking, swimming, or doing home workouts. These all improve self-esteem by releasing hormones and chemicals that boost mood.
“Next, eat healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and proteins.
These foods will not only improve your gut and mood but also prevent the mood spikes and falls that sugar and processed food create.
- You are stressed
Jeff says: “Many of us use phrases like ‘I had a stressful day,’ or ‘I am so stressed out,’ but don’t stop to see if the stress has an impact on our weight.
” stress can have a significant impact on mental health. It alters the chemical equilibrium in our brain, and can cause other mental health issues like depression, anxiety and insomnia.
When we are stressed, we release cortisol instead of the feel-good hormones dopamine.
This chemical imbalance does not only cause inflammation in our body, but it also makes us unable to make rational decisions because we cannot control our emotions.
” studies found that overeating was a coping strategy that people adopted to manage stress. This is more common in those who were already overweight.
The release of cortisol causes us to crave processed foods, sugary foods and alcohol, resulting in weight gain.
How to overcome it:
Jeff says: “Include stress-busting lifestyle changes for a few days each week.”
Exercise is a great way to reduce stress. You could do calming yoga or home boxing exercises depending on your energy level.
Avoid high-processed foods and cook from scratch for more nutrition in healthy meals.
Follow online Meditation for Beginners and do things that will make you feel better like taking a bath, seeing friends or doing a puzzle.