Excess weight is a problem for most women. Perhaps every lady 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 \u200b\u200bworking yourself into a stick, but the trend is gradually disappearing.
Many companies involve girls of normal weight in advertising photo shoots. How to understand 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 pay attention only to weight. It is necessary to take into account your body type, as well as the amount of fatty tissue. There are many women who are low weight and have clearly visible fat folds on their abdomen. Remember that ladies must have at least 25 percent body fat for normal body functioning.
Psychologist-coordinator of treatment programs
If you have calculated your weight and it is exceeded by 5 kg, you should not immediately go on a strict diet. This may be your normal body weight, since all numbers are approximate. But if it becomes difficult for you 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 immediately clarify that no pills, enemas, or spells will help you get a good figure. The only option is to eat well, respect your calorie intake, and increase your level of physical activity.
The problem of losing weight would not be so acute if people accepted the above fact and stopped believing in quick, 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 only from food.
- If a woman successfully lost 5 kilograms in 5 days, almost completely giving up 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 its way, constantly demands food, and the person inevitably breaks down.
- Lack of love for yourself and your body.
- Unconscious benefits that a woman receives due to excess weight. For example, she once experienced harassment, or even violence. The result is gaining excess weight as a protection from prying male gazes (although excess body weight does not at all 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 maintaining weight, as many people think. Is this really true? Indeed, 58% of women who lost weight regained their weight within a couple of years after losing weight. But often the point is this: after the desired body weight is achieved, a person relaxes and stops watching his diet.
To maintain weight, you need to maintain your caloric intake, that’s the whole secret. And it is not at all necessary to constantly count calories and weigh foods; it is enough just to limit (not exclude) flour, sweets, fatty foods, eat more vegetables and fruits, a sufficient amount of protein 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 often, yes, but there are also cases when 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 for losing weight that women give:
- Men like it.
- Wear any clothes.
- Easily climb stairs, catch up with a bus, etc.
- Have sex without shortness of breath.
- Improve your health, conceive a baby, etc.
- Like yourself.
- 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 weight really bothers you and there is a lot of it, then losing weight will certainly help solve the above problems. But if a girl has 1 extra kilogram, and she already considers herself a huge mountain, then it is necessary to solve the problem with self-esteem, otherwise it can lead to anorexia.
The most failed weight loss methods
In search of magic remedies for weight loss, humanity seems to have tried all the options: pills, herbs, Ayurveda, acupuncture, etc. And if some options are simply useless, then 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 couple of kilograms, but quickly returns. In addition, 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 bought at any pharmacy without a prescription are usually completely ineffective. The maximum they can do is remove excess water. The packaging of such drugs often contains a note: it is recommended to reduce portions, eliminate sweets, flour and fatty foods, and increase physical activity. Under such conditions, you can lose weight on your own.
A completely different type of medication is prescription drugs that reduce appetite, or remove excess fat from food through the rectum. These medications are used for people who are very overweight, 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. The drugs 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, chili pepper, celery, coconut oil and much more. There is no evidence base, but many still believe in this myth. There are NO products that accelerate fat burning.
Low calorie diets
Diets designed for calories below 1200 kill the body. Such weight loss will be fast (up to a certain point), 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 switches on 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 such savings and stops "giving away" excess fat. How does a person who wants to lose weight think? "We still need to cut back on the diet. "This already threatens with anorexia, acute lack of nutrients, and exhaustion.
Why do you gain weight even more after dieting?
The answer is clear: strict diets force you to attack food with triple force. Moreover, it is almost impossible to give up your favorite foods again, so the weight is gained again. Diets with strict restrictions are especially dangerous: 1000 calories, protein, salt-free, green, etc.
Psychological training for weight loss
The basis of any training is the launch of positive thinking, cleansing of all negative attitudes, and normalization of the emotional background. During the process, a psychologist is always present in the group to help those present relax. A positive psychological attitude very often triggers and accelerates the process of losing weight.
TOP 5 tips from a psychologist for losing weight
- Decide whether you really need to lose weight. It is quite possible that you are comfortable being curvy, and the desire to lose weight is only the result of public opinion.
- Set yourself realistic goals. Healthy weight loss does not involve losing more than 3, maximum 4 kg per month.
- Learn to enjoy the process of losing weight: cook yourself 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. Therefore, pamper and please your body, do not put off buying beautiful lingerie or a dress until "later".
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 like she is 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, caustic remarks lead to the first thoughts about losing weight as quickly as possible. A person concentrates on his shortcomings and stops seeing his advantages.
- Anorectic. The lady cuts portions to microscopic sizes, almost all foods are removed from the diet. If food is eaten, the person induces vomiting.
- Cachectic. Stage of complete exhaustion. Even if a woman weighs 30 kg, she continues to consider herself fat.
If you have signs of anorexia, you should consult a specialist:
- Obsessive thoughts about losing weight, your whole life begins to revolve around ways to lose weight.
- The desire to eat separately from everyone else in order to hide your disorder.
- Excluding almost all foods from the diet; the menu only contains lettuce, kefir, and water.
- Sudden weight loss, deterioration of hair, skin, cessation of the menstrual cycle.
- Mood swings, depression.
Consequences of radical weight loss without working with a psychologist
The most dangerous thing in losing weight without psychological work is the development of eating disorder. In this case, a person either completely excludes food (anorexia) or eats excessively, then causing vomiting (bulimia). These are the most popular types of RPP. In addition, the lack of work on one’s complexes will lead to the emergence of a new "shortcoming" that a person will struggle with. And so on in a circle.
Psychologist's help with weight loss
Specialists provide assistance not only for chemical dependency, but also for weight loss. First you need to decide whether you really are overweight. If losing weight is really important, then the psychologist uses some methods of working with the subconscious in the program:
- Arrangements.
- Psychophysiological.
- Gaming.
- Art therapy.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy.
And of course, the specialist first collects a complete medical history: what kind of 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 held individually and in group format. You will not receive a list of "bad" and "good" foods, but will learn to control your emotions and distinguish between emotional and physical hunger.