Weight Loss
You may be surprised to know that according to the National Institute of Health, over 74% of our American population is overweight or obese. That’s not good! Not because overweight or obese people aren’t good people, but because the excess weight they carry can cause a LOT of problems, both physiologically and psychologically.
People collectively spend billions of dollars each year in efforts to lose weight. And many of them, even if they do lose some or all of their excess weight eventually gain some or all of it back, regardless of weight loss method.
Sustained weight loss is difficult and requires a good deal of continual effort. Having help to lose, and keep weight off, makes the seemingly insurmountable task feel a bit more manageable.
Most weight loss programs, whether medical (to include GLP-1 and other medications) or surgical, emphasize only diet (to include nutrition education) and exercise (which is often included under the “behavior modification” aspect of the program). Some medical/surgical weight loss programs provide resources (primarily in the way of referral services) for anyone in need of mental health or psychological assistance as part of their weight loss process. This is not, however, often the case as most medical and surgical weight loss programs only minimally or completely ignore the emotional/psychological aspects associated with weight. Conversely, most people working to lose or maintain weight loss will adamantly admit there is a tremendous amount of “head work” to be done in the process of losing and maintaining weight loss.
Many surgical weight loss programs offer a “monthly support group.” In my 20+ years working with surgical weight loss programs, these support groups: have low attendance, are most often attended by those who have recently had bariatric surgery (with regular attendance fading rapidly), focus primarily on nutrition, and lack the consistent emotional support noted by researchers as being an essential part of success for individuals.
Many people in the process of working to lose weight or maintain weight loss are at a loss where/how to get help to deal with the myriad of emotional and psychological issues that surface as one loses weight and learns to adjust to a healthier weight and lifestyle. These issues include (but are most definitely not limited to):
Emotional eating and how to overcome it.
Food addiction, which may be an issue for the person.
Body image and “loose skin, “ which may be emotionally distressing as a person loses weight.
Fears about failing in the process or about regaining weight.
Fears related to success and the responsibility that entails moving forward.
(Unexpected) emotional responses that arise as one loses weight.
Self-esteem issues related to stigmas of weight issues.
Shame associated with weight stigma or unresolved traumas that can interfere with long-term follow-through of healthy behaviors.
Lack of healthy coping skills when dealing with stress that often results in turning to food, which may have been a prior coping skill.
While “behavior modification” is a necessary part of weight loss, weight management, and the development of a healthy lifestyle, behavior modification alone is insufficient in helping a person address the emotional and psychological issues that often arise throughout the process of creating a healthy, full-person lifestyle. Research again, particularly in the surgical weight loss literature, indicates that patients know they need additional psychological assistance in the process of losing weight and in working to maintain a healthy weight.
That’s what I do. In individual therapy, in the online, self-directed courses I provide, in my public speaking, and in my books, I affirm to people that the struggle with emotional and psychological issues related to losing weight and keeping it off are indeed, real. Help to work through these issues is available in all of my work.
