Excess weight is a problem for most women. Perhaps every woman has uttered the phrase "It's time to lose weight" at least once in front of the mirror, even if she is overweight. Until recently, pharmaceutical companies and the media actively supported the idea of trying hard, but the trend is gradually fading.
Many companies involve girls of normal weight in advertising photo shoots. How do you know if you are overweight? When do you really need to reduce it? And how to do it right? More on this below.
Excess weight: how to find out the norm and whether to lose weight
There are several formulas for calculating normal weight:
- Women: height minus 100. Men: height minus 110. Thus, the permissible body weight for a woman with a height of 175 cm is 72-75 kg.
- Lorentz formula. (Height (cm) - 100) - (Height (cm) - 150)/2.
- Calculation of body mass index: body weight divided by height squared. Example weight 75 kg and height 180: 75/1. 8 · 1. 8 = 23. 15, which is normal weight. An index below 20 means underweight, above 30 means overweight.
But you shouldn't just pay attention to weight. You need to take into account your body type, as well as the amount of adipose tissue. There are many women with underweight and clearly visible fat folds on the abdomen. Remember that women must have at least 25% body fat for normal body function.
Psychologist-coordinator of treatment programs
If you have calculated your weight and it exceeds 5 kg, you should not immediately follow a strict diet. This may be your normal body weight as all numbers are approximate. But if it becomes difficult to walk, shortness of breath bothers you, as well as other health problems, then your body weight needs to be reduced.
We would like to clarify right away that no pills, enemas or spells will help you get a good figure. The only option is to eat well, respect your caloric intake and increase your level of physical activity.
The problem of losing weight would not be so serious if people accepted the above fact and stopped believing in quick and magical ways to lose extra pounds.
How to start losing weight psychologically?
From a psychological point of view, there are several factors that interfere with weight loss:
- The ability to derive pleasure from food alone.
- If a woman successfully lost 5 kilograms in 5 days, almost completely abandoning most foods, then such an experience introduces into her consciousness the idea that the less you eat, the better. But the body, trying to get what it wants, constantly demands food, and the person inevitably collapses.
- Lack of love for yourself and your body.
- Unconscious benefits that a woman receives due to being overweight. For example, she has already suffered harassment or even violence. The result is excess weight gain as protection against the prying eyes of men (although excess body weight does not in any way guarantee complete safety).
- Eating disorders. This problem is diagnosed in most overweight women who want to lose weight.
Is it possible to lose weight forever?
Losing weight is not as difficult as keeping it off, as many people think. Is this really true? In fact, 58% of women who lost weight gained the weight back within a few years of losing weight. But often the point is this: after the desired body weight is achieved, the person relaxes and stops monitoring his diet.
To maintain weight, you need to maintain your caloric intake, that's the secret. And there is no need to constantly count calories and weigh food; just limit (not exclude) flour, sweets, fatty foods, eat more vegetables and fruits, a sufficient amount of proteins and carbohydrates.
And, of course, working with your internal problems and complexes will help you maintain weight. Psychological weight loss for a woman is self-acceptance and independence from other people's opinions.
Why do people get fat: is it always due to poor nutrition?
Most of the time yes, but there are also cases where nutrition has nothing to do with it:
- Hormonal disorders.
- Tendency to swelling.
- Metabolism failure.
- Taking certain medications.
10 reasons to lose weight
Top 10 reasons women give for losing weight:
- Men like that.
- Wear any clothes.
- Easily climb stairs, reach a bus, etc.
- Have sex without shortness of breath.
- Improve your health, conceive a baby, etc.
- Like you.
- Wear nice underwear.
- Feel free to undress on the beach or in front of your partner.
- Easily fits on public transport seats.
- Improve your personal life.
If the weight really bothers you and it is too heavy, then losing weight will definitely help solve the above problems. But if a girl has 1 extra kilogram and already considers herself a huge mountain, then the problem of self-esteem needs to be resolved, otherwise it can lead to anorexia.
The most failed weight loss methods
In search of magical remedies to lose weight, humanity seems to have tried every option: pills, herbs, Ayurveda, acupuncture, etc. And if some options are simply useless, some are also downright harmful.
Magic tea
Teas that help you lose weight have a diuretic and laxative effect. Due to this, the weight is reduced by a few kilograms, but returns quickly. Additionally, tea removes electrolytes and water from the body, which are necessary for normal functioning.
Pills
Diet pills have different mechanisms of action. Those that can be purchased at any pharmacy without a prescription are usually completely ineffective. The most they can do is remove excess water. The packaging of these medicines usually contains a note: it is recommended to reduce portions, eliminate sweets, flour and fatty foods and increase physical activity. Under these conditions, you can lose weight on your own.
A completely different type of medication are prescription medications that reduce appetite or remove excess fat from food through the rectum. These medications are used for very overweight people only under the supervision of a doctor. And one more thing: these are not magic pills that allow you to eat tons and lose weight. Medicines require a balanced diet and compliance with caloric intake.
Fat burning products
On the Internet you can see an impressive list of foods that "help" burn fat: pineapple, grapefruit, pepper, celery, coconut oil and much more. There is no evidence base, but many still believe this myth. There are NO products that accelerate fat burning.
Low calorie diets
Diets designed for calories below 1, 200 kill the body. This weight loss will be rapid (to some extent), but dangerous:
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Stopping menstruation.
- Hair loss, deterioration of skin and teeth.
- Sudden weight loss leads to sagging skin and the appearance of wrinkles.
- Memory deteriorates.
- Performance decreases.
- The body activates the energy-saving mode, so there is a complete lack of libido and erectile dysfunction is possible in men.
After some time, the body adapts to these savings and stops "giving away" excess fat. How does a person who wants to lose weight think? "We still need to reduce the diet. "This already threatens anorexia, acute lack of nutrients and exhaustion.
Why do you gain even more weight after dieting?
The answer is clear: strict diets force you to attack foods with triple force. Furthermore, it is almost impossible to give up your favorite foods again, so that the weight gains back. Diets with strict restrictions are especially dangerous: 1000 calories, protein, no salt, greens, etc.
Psychological training for weight loss
The basis of any training is the launch of positive thinking, the cleansing of all negative attitudes and the normalization of the emotional context. During the process, a psychologist is always present in the group to help those present relax. A positive psychological attitude often triggers and accelerates the weight loss process.
TOP 5 tips from a psychologist for losing weight
- Decide if you really need to lose weight. It is quite possible that you feel comfortable with your curves and the desire to lose weight is just a result of public opinion.
- Set realistic goals. Healthy weight loss does not involve losing more than 3, maximum 4 kg per month.
- Learn to enjoy the weight loss process: prepare delicious meals, serve them beautifully, buy a new sports uniform, look for new recipes for low-calorie dishes.
- Stop weighing yourself every morning, scolding yourself for adding 100 grams. You can weigh yourself once a week, and weight fluctuations are quite natural, especially in women (for example, before menstruation, body weight increases due to fluid retention in the tissues).
- You should love your body regardless of your weight. So, pamper and please your body, don't leave it until "later" to buy beautiful lingerie or a dress.
Anorexia: anti-motivation to lose weight
Anorexia is a form of eating disorder in which a woman (girl) simply stops eating because she constantly feels fat. The disease often leads to death, so the disorder must be treated together with a psychiatrist. Anorexia occurs in three stages:
- Dysmorphomaniac. Criticism of appearance and caustic comments lead to the first thoughts about how to lose weight as quickly as possible. The person focuses on their shortcomings and fails to see their advantages.
- Anorexic. The lady cuts portions to microscopic sizes, almost all foods are removed from the diet. If you eat food, the person causes vomiting.
- Cachectic. Complete exhaustion stage. Even if a woman weighs 30 kg, she still considers herself fat.
If you have signs of anorexia, consult a specialist:
- Obsessive thoughts about losing weight, your whole life starts to revolve around ways to lose weight.
- The desire to eat separately from everyone else to hide your disorder.
- Excluding almost all foods from the diet; the menu contains only lettuce, kefir and water.
- Sudden weight loss, deterioration of hair, skin, cessation of the menstrual cycle.
- Mood changes, depression.
Consequences of radical weight loss without psychologist support
The most dangerous thing about losing weight without psychological work is the development of an eating disorder. In this case, the person completely excludes food (anorexia) or eats excessively, causing vomiting (bulimia). These are the most popular types of RPP. In addition, the lack of work in the complexes themselves will lead to the emergence of a new "disability" with which the person will have to fight. And so on in a circle.
Psychologist's help with weight loss
Specialists provide care not only for chemical dependency, but also for weight loss. First you need to decide if you are really overweight. If losing weight is really important, then the psychologist uses some methods of working with the subconscious in the program:
- Arrangements.
- Psychophysiological.
- Games.
- Art therapy.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy.
And, of course, the specialist first collects a complete medical history: what family the patient grew up in, what kind of relationship he had with his parents, what kind of relationship he has now and much more.
Classes are taught individually and in groups. You won't be given a list of "bad" and "good" foods, but you will learn to control your emotions and distinguish between emotional and physical hunger.