Excess weight is a problem for most women. Perhaps every lady has at least once uttered the phrase "It's time to lose weight" in front of the mirror, even if she is overweight. Until recently, pharmaceutical companies and the media actively supported the idea of turning yourself into a stick, but that trend is gradually disappearing.
Many companies include girls of normal weight in advertising photos. How to understand if you are overweight? When is it really necessary to cut back? And how to do it right? More on that below.
Excess weight: how to find out the norm and whether you should lose weight
There are several formulas for calculating normal weight:
- Women: height minus 100. Men: height minus 110. So, 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 of weight 75 kg and height 180: 75/1, 8 · 1, 8 = 23, 15, which is a normal weight. An index below 20 means underweight, above 30 means overweight.
But you should not pay attention only to the weight. It is necessary to take into account your body type, as well as the amount of fat tissue. There are many women who are underweight and have clearly visible fat folds on their stomachs. Remember that women must have at least 25 percent body fat for normal body function.
Psychologist-coordinator of the treatment program
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, you suffer from difficulty breathing, as well as other health problems, then it is necessary to reduce your body weight.
We want 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 problem of weight loss 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 mentally?
From a psychological point of view, there are several factors that hinder weight loss:
- The ability to derive pleasure from food alone.
- 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, is constantly looking for food, and the person inevitably breaks down.
- Lack of love for yourself and your body.
- Unconscious benefits that a woman gets because of extra weight. For example, she once experienced harassment and even violence. The result is gaining extra weight as a protection against prying male eyes (although excess body weight does not guarantee complete safety at all).
- Eating disorders. This problem is diagnosed in most obese 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 this really true? Indeed, 58% of women who lost weight regained their weight within a few years of losing the weight. But often the point is this: after reaching the desired body weight, a person relaxes and stops paying attention to nutrition.
To maintain weight, you need to maintain caloric intake, that's the whole secret. And it is not at all necessary to constantly count calories and weigh food, it is enough just to limit (not exclude) flour, sweets, fatty foods, eat more vegetables and fruits, a sufficient amount of proteins and carbohydrates.
And of course, working with your inner problems and complexes will help you keep the weight off. Psychological weight loss for a woman is self-acceptance and independence from other people's opinions.
Why do people gain weight: Is it always due to poor diet?
Most often yes, but there are also cases when diet has nothing to do with it:
- Hormonal disorders.
- Tendency to swelling.
- Metabolic disorder.
- Taking certain medications.
10 reasons to lose weight
TOP 10 reasons for losing weight given by women:
- Men like it.
- Wear any clothes.
- Easy to climb stairs, catch the bus, etc.
- Have sex without shortness of breath.
- Improve your health, conceive a baby, etc.
- Like you.
- Wear nice underwear.
- Feel free to undress on the beach or in front of your partner.
- Easy to install on public transport seats.
- Improve your personal life.
If the kilos really bother you and there are a lot of them, then losing weight will surely help you solve the mentioned problems. But if a girl has 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 unsuccessful methods of losing weight
In search of magic weight loss cures, mankind seems to have tried all options: pills, herbs, Ayurveda, acupuncture, etc. And if some options are simply useless, then some are completely harmful.
Magic tea
Teas that help with weight loss have a diuretic and laxative effect. Due to this, the weight decreases by several kilograms, but it 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 I can do is remove excess water. The packaging of such medicines often contains a note: it is recommended to reduce portions, eliminate sweets, flour and fatty foods and increase physical activity. In such conditions, you can lose weight yourself.
A completely different type of medication is prescription medication that reduces appetite, that is, removes excess fat from food through the rectum. These drugs are used for people with a lot of weight, 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 caloric intake.
Fat burning products
On the Internet, you can see an impressive list of foods that "help" burn fat: pineapple, grapefruit, chili peppers, celery, coconut oil and many more. There is no evidence base, but many people still believe this myth. There are NO products that accelerate burningfats.
Low-calorie diets
A diet designed for calories under 1200 kills the body. Such weight loss will be rapid (up to a certain point), but dangerous:
- Hormonal imbalance.
- Cessation of menstruation.
- Loss of hair, decay of skin and teeth.
- Sudden weight loss leads to sagging skin and wrinkles.
- Memory is deteriorating.
- Performance decreases.
- The body includes a way of saving energy, 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 have to reduce the diet. "It already threatens anorexia, acute lack of nutrients and exhaustion.
Why do you gain more weight after dieting?
The answer is clear: strict diets make you attack food with triple force. Moreover, it is almost impossible to give up your favorite food again, so the pounds are gained again. Diets with strict restrictions are especially dangerous: 1000 calories, proteins, no salt, greens, etc.
Psychological training for weight loss
The basis of every training is the initiation of positive thinking, the clearing of all negative attitudes and the normalization of the emotional background. During the process, a psychologist is always present in the group to help the participants relax. A positive psychological attitude very often initiates and accelerates the process of losing weight.
TOP 5 tips from psychologists for weight loss
- Decide if you really need to lose weight. It is quite possible that you are comfortable being curvy, and the desire to lose weight is just a result of public opinion.
- Set realistic goals for yourself. Healthy weight loss does not mean losing more than 3, maximum 4 kg per month.
- Learn to enjoy the process of losing weight: cook delicious meals, serve them nicely, buy a new sports uniform, look for new recipes for low-calorie meals.
- 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 for women (for example, before menstruation, body weight increases due to fluid retention in the tissues).
- You should love your body regardless of your weight. So, pamper and pamper your body, don't put off buying nice underwear or a dress until "later".
Anorexia: antimotivation 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. Appearance criticism, scathing remarks lead to the first thoughts about losing weight as quickly as possible. A person concentrates on his shortcomings and stops seeing his strengths.
- Anorexic. The lady cuts the portions into microscopic sizes, almost all foods are removed from the diet. If food is eaten, the person induces vomiting.
- Cachectic. The stage of complete exhaustion. Even if a woman weighs 30 kg, she is still considered fat.
If you have signs of anorexia, you should contact a specialist:
- Obsessive thoughts about losing weight, your whole life starts to revolve around how you can lose weight.
- Wanting to eat separately from everyone else to hide your disorder.
- Excluding almost all foods from the diet, the menu contains only green salad, kefir and water.
- Sudden weight loss, loss of hair, skin, cessation of the menstrual cycle.
- Mood swings, depression.
The consequences of radical weight loss without working with a psychologist
The most dangerous thing in losing weight without psychological work is the development of an eating disorder. In this case, the person either excludes food completely (anorexia) or eats excessively and then induces vomiting (bulimia). These are the most popular types of RPP. In addition, the lack of work on one's own complexes will lead to the appearance of a new "deficiency" with which a person will struggle. And so in a circle.
Psychologist's help in losing weight
Experts provide help not only for chemical addiction, but also for weight loss. First you need to decide if you are really 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 groups. 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.