Excess weight is a problem for most women. Perhaps every woman has uttered the phrase "It's time to lose weight" in front of the mirror at least once, even if she is overweight. Until recently, pharmaceutical companies and the media actively supported the idea of working alone, but the trend is gradually disappearing.
Many companies involve normal weight girls in advertising photo shoots. How to understand if you are overweight? When is it really necessary to reduce it? And how to do it right? More on this topic 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. Therefore, 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 the 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 the type of body and the amount of adipose tissue. There are many women who are low weight and have clearly visible folds of fat on their abdomen. Remember that women must have at least 25% body fat for the body to function normally.
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, as 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 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 calorie intake and increase your level of physical activity.
The weight loss problem wouldn't be so bad if people accepted the above and stopped believing in quick and magical ways to shed 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 what it wants, constantly requires food, and the person inevitably collapses.
- Lack of love for yourself and your body.
- Unconscious benefits that a woman receives due to excess weight. For example, he once experienced harassment or even violence. The result is weight gain as protection from prying male gazes (although excess body weight by no means guarantees 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 it, as many people think. Is it really true? In fact, 58% of women who lost weight regained weight within a couple of years of losing weight. But often the point is this: after reaching the desired body weight, a person relaxes and stops watching his diet.
To maintain weight, you need to maintain your calorie intake, that's the whole secret. And it is not at all necessary to constantly count calories and weigh foods, just limit (not exclude) flour, sweets, fatty foods, eat more fruits and vegetables, 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 means self-acceptance and independence from the opinions of others.
Why do people gain weight: is it always due to a bad diet?
Very often yes, but there are also cases in which nutrition has nothing to do with it:
- Hormonal disorders.
- Tendency to bloat.
- Failure of metabolism.
- Taking some medications.
10 reasons to lose weight
Top 10 reasons to lose weight given by women:
- Men like it.
- Wear any outfit.
- Easily climb stairs, reach a bus, etc.
- Have sex without breath.
- Improve your health, conceive a child, etc.
- Like yourself.
- Wear nice underwear.
- Feel free to undress on the beach or in front of your partner.
- It fits easily on public transport seats.
- Improve your personal life.
If weight really bothers you and there is a lot of it, losing weight will definitely help solve the above problems. But if a girl is 1 kilogram extra and 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 magical remedies to lose weight, humanity seems to have tried all options: pills, herbs, Ayurveda, acupuncture, etc. And if some options are simply useless, others are also downright harmful.
Magic tea
Teas that help lose weight have a diuretic and laxative effect. Due to this, the weight decreases by a couple of kilograms, but quickly returns. Additionally, tea removes electrolytes and water from the body, which are necessary for normal functioning.
Pills
Slimming 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. On the packaging of such drugs there is often a note: it is recommended to reduce portions, eliminate sweets, flours and fatty foods and increase physical activity. In such conditions, you can lose weight on your own.
A completely different type of drug is prescription drugs that reduce appetite or remove excess fat from food through the rectum. These drugs 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 calorie 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 under 1200 kill the body. Such weight loss will be rapid (up to a certain point), but dangerous:
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Stop menstruating.
- Hair loss, deterioration of the 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 a while, the body adapts to such savings and stops "giving away" excess fat. How does a person who wants to lose weight think? "We still have to reduce the diet. "This already threatens with anorexia, severe nutrient deficiency and exhaustion.
Why do you gain even more weight after dieting?
The answer is clear: rigid diets force you to attack food with triple force. In addition, it is almost impossible to give up your favorite foods again, so the weight increases again. Particularly dangerous are diets with strict restrictions: 1000 calories, protein, without salt, green, etc.
Psychological training for weight loss
The basis of any training is the initiation of positive thinking, cleansing of all negative attitudes and normalization of the emotional background. During the journey a psychologist is always present in the group to help those present to relax. A positive psychological attitude very often triggers and accelerates the weight loss process.
The 5 best tips from a psychologist for losing weight
- Decide if you really need to lose weight. It is quite possible that you are comfortable with curves and the desire to lose weight is just the result of public opinion.
- Set realistic goals. Losing weight in a healthy way does not mean losing more than 3, maximum 4 kg per month.
- Learn to enjoy the process of losing weight: cook delicious meals yourself, serve them beautifully, buy a new sports uniform, look for new recipes for low-calorie dishes.
- Stop weighing yourself every morning, berating yourself for adding 100 grams. You can weigh yourself once a week, and weight fluctuations are completely 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 postpone the purchase of beautiful lingerie or 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 fat. The disease often leads to death, so the disorder must be treated together with a psychiatrist. Anorexia manifests itself in three phases:
- Dysmorphomaniac. Appearance criticism, caustic remarks lead to the first thoughts about weight loss as quickly as possible. A person focuses on his shortcomings and stops seeing his advantages.
- Anorexic. The lady cuts portions to microscopic sizes, almost all foods are removed from the diet. If food is eaten, it induces vomiting.
- Cachectic. Phase of complete exhaustion. Even if a woman weighs 30 kg, she still considers herself fat.
If you have signs of anorexia, you should consult a specialist:
- Obsessive thoughts about weight loss, your whole life begins to revolve around ways to lose weight.
- The desire to eat separately from everyone else to hide one's 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 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 disorders. In this case, a person either excludes food completely (anorexia) or eats excessively, later 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 "defect" with which the person will have to struggle. And so on in a circle.
Psychologist help to lose weight
Specialists provide assistance 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, the psychologist uses some methods in the program to work with the subconscious:
- Provisions.
- Psychophysiological.
- Game.
- 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.
Lessons take place individually and in group format. You won't get a list of "bad" and "good" foods, but you will learn to control your emotions and distinguish between emotional and physical hunger.