I will describe a few psychological strategies for weight loss and health in general
Mindfulness
Self exploration
Work on food judgements
Addressing the underlying trauma
Work on self acceptance
Imagery
I previously wrote about diets and weight loss here. The main message was about not opting for “diets” but longstanding sustainable change. It’s the only way to make change possible and to avoid a yo-yo pattern.
There are a few strategies that can be helpful, both with weight management, physical health and with general well-being.
The key message is that what’s in your mind is more important than what’s on your plate!
Mindfulness
In short, what is mindfulness?
It is about being fully present in the NOW, noticing reality as it is. Our thoughts usually go to a thousand different things, but the practice of mindfulness is about bringing your mind back to the activity or experience you want to focus on.
How does mindfulness benefit eating?
The idea is that if we don’t focus on the meal, we are disconnected from how the food feels in our mouth; we can eat a whole meal without even realising how it tastes.
We eat more than the body needs by eating quickly (before the brain can get the message that we are full) and by being distracted.
How to do it?
Step one
- Sit down at a table while eating (if there is no other way than to eat on the go, make that an exception)
- Eliminate distractions (laptop, phone, TV)
- Place the food on a plate, arrange it nicely and appreciate it. If you’re into photography, you can even take pictures!
- Notice the foods’ colours, aromas and textures. Think if it needs any additional seasonings. Eat slowly, chewing the food a few times and focus on the taste and texture. Try to notice what ingredients the meal is made of and how the different flavourings mix.
Step two
- When you master the above, and it has become your usual way of eating, add the body mindfulness.
- Before step one, notice how your body feels and the hunger sensation. Or is it a craving for something pleasant rather than hunger? Whatever it is, explore it and sit with that feeling.
- Do step one while also noticing your body. Notice the sensations of satisfying hunger or feeling full. If there are any associated feelings, see them without judgement.
Self exploration
What do I mean?
I am referring to being aware of your feelings and thoughts before eating.
The mindfulness above helps to notice them.
What happens before you eat? What is the feeling? Is it hunger, or is it anger, upset, or boredom? Whatever it is, notice it without being harsh on yourself. You may start noticing patterns.
What kind of feeling triggers what kind of craving? What’s the thought and action before the feeling? It may be that a specific life event always starts a particular feeling (e.g. stress after a long day at work)
It may be easier to keep track if you keep a diary.
The idea is to be aware of your feelings and their impact on your eating patterns. You may notice that you are more likely to overeat when you are upset or drawn toward sweet things when you are anxious. By noticing, you can identify the emotional need. The next step would be to find more strategies to help with those feelings so that food is not the primary coping mechanism. In many cases, stopping and noticing the feeling helps reduce the craving for food. By identifying the feeling behind the need, the food’s power over our emotions lessens and we gain more control.
You may find my article about self-help for depression useful click here (most of the strategies are helpful in general, not only for depression) here
It is not about stopping yourself from having it. Trying to forbid certain foods makes it more likely to crave them and perpetuates an unhealthy relationship with food. You can tell yourself that you stop and reflect for a minute about the triggers and then you can have it, if you still want it.
Work on food judgements
If you ever call food “good”, “bad”, or “junk”, you may extend these judgements to yourself, call yourself those words when you eat one or the other. The unhealthy or “junk” food serves a purpose for you: it may not be nutritional but emotional. Call the food for what it does for you. For example, “this food gives my body the nutrition or fuel that it needs” or “this food has low nutritional value but is helping me cope with anxiety”. (rather than “I ate good food or junk food”)
Address the underlying trauma
This is not easy to explain in a paragraph, and some people may need therapy or the help of a psychologist.
In some cases it’s about underlying childhood trauma. Some examples are: unhealthy relationships with food when they were bullied as children for being “fat” or forced to eat when they didn’t want to; sometimes, it is about sexual abuse trauma and an unconscious decision to become unattractive or big as a way to avoid unwanted attention.
It is very hard to address the eating difficulties when the underlying trauma is not addressed. In therapy, the person needs to reach a sense of freedom from the past, where they can take their own decisions in the here and now.
Each person’s story is different, and there isn’t one approach that fits all.
Work on self acceptance
You may need to go through the step above. Or it may be something that you can shift your mind towards.
It’s important not to see yourself as “a before” version of yourself, the one you dislike unless you get to the weight you consider ideal. Summing up all the early life circumstances, life and social circumstances,
you are the best version of yourself now.
Fully embrace this idea and appreciate yourself and your life story as it is. Improvement and growth are always possible, but they can start from a place of being ok with the present.
You don’t need the weight loss to value more as a person, it’s still you regardless of the number on the scale.
Imagery
Imagery techniques are used in different forms of counselling, therapy and coaching. If you imagine something in great detail, including the visual aspect, the step-by-step details, and the feelings associated, it helps your brain get ready for that activity. And it prepares you for it.
You may have heard of athletes who use imagery to prepare for a race or event. I use it before long runs or when I want to challenge my limits. I imagine what I am going to do in great detail, including the pain and the possibility of wanting to give up (as I know it’s very likely, so better to prepare to overcome it). I imagine how I motivate myself and go past that and continue running. It helps if I imagine the route, clothing and other details so it’s as specific as possible.
You can use the technique with any action that you want to make a habit of.
Examples:
- Imagine in detail how you fuel your body with nutritional food, that you eat when hungry, slowly and in an enjoyable way. You can go further and imagine how the food is nourishing your body and mind.
- Imagine yourself becoming more physically active. Start by setting realistic goals, and then visualise yourself taking the first steps and how you feel about that.
- You can imagine how you get tired at the end of the day and you listen to some nice song and relax your body and mind (instead of resorting to food for comfort).
- In case of trauma (if therapy is not available), imagine the adult self comforting the younger, helpless child version of you. Imagine yourself giving comfort to the younger you. (it may feel very difficult to do this exercise; start by gentle acknowledgement and work towards encouragement, praise and love to the younger you). This last example is more challenging; practice after imagery becomes easy for you, and you have made some progress.
You can practice any desired behaviour change that you want to make. It helps to make it easier to implement new behaviours, as your brain has already rehearsed the steps needed.
Summary:
- You are the best version of yourself regardless of the number on the scale.
- There are several strategies you can try to improve your relationship with food, so that food serves as nutrition, rather than comfort for difficult feelings.
- It is important to start from a place of self-acceptance. You can at the same time accept the present and work towards emotional growth and self-improvement.
I will write a more detailed version as an ebook, with more strategies included and further explanation about how to apply.
References and sources of inspiration:
Dr R Chatterjee podcast and books click here
Dr Katrina Ubell podcast click here
Disclaimer: this article is general advice; for a more personalised approach please see your doctor. For weight problems at the more severe end of the spectrum a multi disciplinary approach is needed. However, the described strategies can help with overall health regardless on the number on the scale.
Thank you for this! I am currently trying to change my eating lifestyle. It’s so amazing how our mind effects every aspect of our life – even our food.