Stop kidding yourself – there is no secret to weight loss.
Science already has figured out the formula: Take in fewer calories than those used. Duh. So if we know what to do, then why are so many of us still overweight?
And if we manage to trim down, why do the pounds tend to creep back on?
Experts say the mind could be the culprit holding our bodies back. Examining how we were raised and our attitudes about food and our bodies could be just as important as measuring portion sizes and increasing our physical activity.
“Some people can go through weight management and never have a problem with mental challenges,” says Bonnie Jortberg, a nutrition instructor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. “But mental aspects do need to be addressed for the majority of people. Ignoring them could be a big reason why people fail.”
We interviewed seven individuals who have had varying degrees of success with weight loss. The mental challenges they faced are common to many people trying to shed the pounds.
Mental and emotional challenges sometimes can be the biggest hurdles to overcome when trying to lose weight. Burying loneliness, anger or boredom in a half-gallon of ice cream can be easier than facing what’s really wrong. Enduring the lack of support from family members and friends also may be the way of least resistance, but it won’t take off the pounds.
Experts – and individuals who successfully have lost the pounds – say those who want to win the battle of the scale must identify the inner demons that derail their efforts.”When it comes down to it, it’s all about what goes on inside,” says Rachel Smith, 31,of Westminster, who has lost 99 pounds. “Weight loss is so much more emotional and intellectual than it is physical.” – Sheba R. Wheeler
