Mind Power For Weight Loss

Thoughts interact with emotions and behavior follows thoughts, according to psychiatrist Judith S. Beck, M.D. Choices are made in response to one's emotions and the beliefs associated with them. If you are having difficulty sticking with a weight loss program, your beliefs about food and about yourself may be undermining your efforts. This is the premise of cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, a goal-oriented approach to behavior modification. By increasing your awareness of your thoughts and challenging your beliefs, you can develop greater mind power for successful weight loss.

Emotional Eating

Food is a source of comfort in times of distress for some people, according to the Beck Institute. Anger, fear, disappointment and other uncomfortable emotions are often triggers for overeating. Using the CBT approach, you would pay attention to the emotions you experience immediately prior to straying from their weight loss program. Once these emotions are identified, you can adopt new behaviors to comfort yourself and replace the temptation to overeat. Taking a walk to relieve stress, for example, can help overcome the urge to indulge in comfort foods.

Beliefs about Eating

Beck stresses the importance of identifying thoughts and beliefs about eating in order to build mind power for weight loss. For example, in a study comparing the habits of thin vs. obese people, researchers found that overweight people believe hunger is intolerable and must be assuaged immediately. Thin people, conversely, think hunger is normal and are able to tolerate the feeling until it is appropriate and convenient to have a meal. You can strengthen your mind power for weight loss by changing some of your beliefs. "I have to eat right now" can be replaced by "I can wait 30 minutes until it is time for lunch."

Self-Monitoring

CBT teaches you to pay attention to your actions and identify the thoughts that seem to justify straying from your weight loss plan. Self-monitoring keeps your awareness focused on your actions, increasing the sense of accountability and therefore decreasing the likelihood of unconsciously slipping back into bad eating habits. One common CBT tool is keeping a journal in which you would record meals and snacks. Reviewing the day's record helps you determine when you are strongest and learn to apply those coping skills to times when you are more likely to stray.

Positive Thinking

At the core of CBT is the premise that actions are more in line with intentions when the beliefs associated with those acts are realistic. Thoughts associated with failed weight loss attempts are often globally negative. Correcting these beliefs can empower you. Sticking to a diet all week and then overeating at a weekend gathering, for example, might trigger the false belief that "Dieting is too hard for me" or "I'm not strong enough to do this." A more accurate statement is "I did very well this week except for the party. I can do this!" Keeping your thoughts and beliefs accurate and positive increases your motivation and strengthens mind power for weight loss.

Getting Help

While you can apply the general principles of CBT to improve mind power for weight loss, working with a professional will ensure a thorough understanding of the process and teach tools that you can use on your own and in other areas of life. Compared with other therapies, CBT is usually very short-term and goal-directed, focusing on applicable ways to solve the immediate problem rather than on exploring the past.