A psychologist's view on how to stop wanting to lose weight and start losing weight.

When and how to start losing weight?

Yes, perhaps you don’t look completely disgusting, especially compared to women of indeterminate age with the figure of an antique chest of drawers, whom you constantly meet in transport and behind the counter in post-Soviet territories. However, most of them were once thin girls. Now you look down on them and with slight pity, but it would be worth looking at your future in 10-20 years: the metabolism in the body slows down every year, losing weight is becoming more and more difficult, there are more and more things to do, there is less and less energy for playing sports. Will the husband leave for a more beautiful woman who likes him? Well, what would you do in his place? A man does not change that much in appearance over the course of his life; women, alas, get fat and age more rapidly. And men are aesthetes, they want to live, and not throw pills for an erection and, crossing themselves, begin the difficult task of fulfilling their marital duty with their walrus-like missus.

If you are over thirty, there is a second good reason to declare war on what resembles disgustingly swaying plastic bags of kefir sewn under your skin. Previously, the issue of weight was a matter of aesthetics: intelligence and communication skills could well compensate for the extra ten kilos in the eyes of your partner, and nothing threatened your happiness. Now this is a health issue, and the risk of developing chronic diseases directly threatens the quality of your life - even with the most successful job and a selflessly loving man, you cannot enjoy life if you feel tired in the morning, out of breath after running twenty meters after the bus, constantly want to sleep, You wake up to your own snoring and greet every warmer and colder weather with a headache. These are not yet the kind of illnesses that make old people grumpy, but it will only get worse.

Ways to lose weight: carrot or stick

Mountains of spears have been broken on the issue of effective motivation, without which it is hardly possible to complete the odyssey in search of a waist. There are two types of motivation - negative and positive. In fact, the negative one works better (you won’t be able to set a national record in the 100-meter run for a million rubles, but how can you if an angry bear is rushing after you). However, there are also nuances here. Excessive escalation of negativity (“if I can’t, he’ll leave me,” “I’ll die fat at thirty-seven,” and “a little more and I’ll become the fattest among my colleagues, and yet our friendly team consists of eighty women on the verge of retirement”) can cause depression , and depression, as we know, kills a person’s desire and ability to do everything.

Therefore, I suggest that you conditionally divide your psyche into “mind” and “soul”. Negative motivation for a fragile soul is like a bulldozer in a garden bed. You need to fill it with positivity: make a list of things that you can do in a renewed body (dancing without embarrassment, amateur striptease, seducing sultry brunettes on an Italian beach, buying a leather dress in which you won’t look like a sausage). The mind, on the contrary, needs to be intimidated. Read books and articles about the consequences of overusing your favorite food. Memorize a list of diseases caused and aggravated by excess weight. Study research on how many years of life each extra kilogram takes away. Find out your BMI, your limits for weight fluctuation, your ideal weight taking into account your constitution, measure all possible volumes and calculate your calorie intake with a nutritionist. The more numbers, the more confident you will feel on the path to a good figure: the abstract “art of losing weight” will turn into very concrete mathematics, and each change in the number will support your enthusiasm.

Lose weight with help... or help yourself

Whether to inform the whole world about the start of your marathon to a seductive figure is up to you. If you are proud and despise the eternal women's talk about diets, pretend that you are not at all concerned about weight, you are simply motivated by healthy eating - it looks more respectable and will allow you to avoid gloating from those same women. On the other hand, group support always improves results and avoids breakdowns. One thing is worth remembering firmly: fixation on weight and constant monologues with the refrain “I’m fat” irritate the vast majority of men. You will lose weight, but it will be in their head that you are fat, and what we fought for, and why do you need this?

Where to start losing weight?

You should start with a visit to a nutritionist. First, it will help you treat your excess weight like any other medical problem, from tooth decay to scoliosis, and deal with it dispassionately, rather than mourning your lost buns. Secondly, the doctor will make sure that obesity in your case is not associated with any hormonal disorders, and will also form together with you a diet and physical activity regimen in which the process of losing weight will not seem something terrible. Of course, you don’t have to go to the first nutritionist you come across. Let them recommend it to you, look at reviews on the Internet, read what the doctor writes on the clinic’s page or on his social networks. Not only qualifications are important, but also goodwill and energy. The doctor should give you confidence that you can handle everything and that extra pounds are a misunderstanding that you will soon overcome.

Will it be bad?

No, it will not. The start of the weight loss process is often slowed down by fears such as “my life is already bad, and now I have to limit myself in food, in general, take off the chandelier and hang yourself.” These fears are only justified if you are losing weight incorrectly. Feelings of hunger, fatigue and apathy are the companions of a poorly chosen weight loss plan. There is no universal recipe for losing weight, but there is a logic on the basis of which an individual scheme is built specifically for your body and your psyche. Is it possible to do without the costly “guidance” of a specialist, when each consultation leaves holes in the family budget and calls into question the feasibility of your self-improvement? In most cases it is possible. Especially if you have more than ten extra kilos. We will talk about the logic, mechanisms and methods of weight loss, as well as the myths associated with losing weight in the June issue of Health magazine.

Excess weight is a serious problem for many women, which can lead to depression and significantly reduce self-esteem. It would seem that if kilograms cause inconvenience, then you need to get rid of them. How to mentally prepare yourself for losing weight? In fact, not everything is so simple, and girls know this firsthand. Hunger strikes, diets and restrictions at best give short-term results. In such an important matter as the fight against excess weight, an integrated approach is important, and you need to start by working on your inner attitude. He is the guarantor of victory.

Why do breakdowns happen?

To avoid them, you need to understand how to mentally tune in to losing weight. After all, so often a woman, after the first failures, gives up and promises herself not to fight nature anymore, so as not to experience new disappointments. This approach is rarely successful. And the root of evil lies not only in the fact that the diet was chosen incorrectly, but also in the fact that the psyche was not ready for change.

If you don’t find your own way to mentally tune in to losing weight, the scenario will be predictable. At first, the woman gets down to business with zeal, but over time, the enthusiasm disappears, especially when the effect of all the efforts is insignificant. It is not enough to calculate calories, undereat and overload yourself. It is very important to develop a psychological attitude towards losing weight.

Define the goal

To defeat unsightly folds on the body, a woman must understand why or for whom she started this. To figure out how to psychologically set yourself up for weight loss, you need to determine which stimulus is the strongest: dissatisfaction with your appearance, health problems, or the desire to wear tight-fitting clothes? You need to have an honest conversation with yourself, throwing away complexes. The mistake many women make is that they pass off imaginary incentives as their own motivations. For example, if a girl is thinking about how to mentally prepare herself to lose weight after someone reprimanded her, but she is quite pleased with herself, then the goal is unlikely to be achieved.

You need to sort through all your thoughts, desires and aspirations, and only after you have made a clear and informed decision that losing weight is worth certain sacrifices, start the fight. This goal should become the slogan of every day.

Indicate the desired proportions

As a reference, you can take your own photograph in which a woman likes herself, or choose another image. The photo should be hung in a prominent place and admired daily. If a woman is shy and does not want to highlight her own shortcomings in the eyes of her household with such a demonstration, the photograph can be hidden in a desk drawer and regularly examined, simulating the situation. This method is especially effective when you want to treat yourself to unhealthy foods.

Keep a diary

It can be traditional or electronic, the main thing is to fill it out daily. The sheet needs to be divided into two columns to write down the pros of a slim body and the cons of a fat body. It is better to write honestly, down to the smallest details. Such records will become an additional incentive when the mood drops.

You can write about what you want to do when you become slim, for example, buy a nice swimsuit. This will help you figure out how to mentally tune in to losing weight, and clearly see what benefits await you.

You can enter any information in your diary that will motivate you to succeed. The numbers will be especially revealing. At first, the weight and volumes practically do not change, but then the values ​​will decrease significantly, which will become an additional and quite powerful incentive.

Control over emotions

Outlook on life is of great importance. If you think that losing weight is an unrealistic task, then the process of losing weight will only bring bitterness, disappointment and gloomy thoughts. There is no need to perceive the path to as a punishment, because this road leads to beauty, health and self-confidence.

Two sides of the coin

When thinking about how to prepare yourself psychologically for losing weight, you should not forget that there are also positive aspects to this difficult task. These include visiting saunas, swimming pools, beauty salons and group sports. There you can not only gain strength and get a boost of energy, but also make new acquaintances and communicate with people. Compared to such advantages, giving up cake or fried chicken no longer seems so terrible.

Communication with a psychologist

In severe cases, working with a specialist will help a woman gain confidence in her abilities. He will conduct a conversation and reveal hidden fears and worries. You can try teamwork, because in the company of people who have faced the same problem, it is much easier to overcome difficulties.

Set the date

Determine the moment that will become the starting point in If you are not ready to start right tomorrow, you should not go against internal uncertainty. It’s better to spend time figuring out how to psychologically tune in to losing weight. Then the subsequent process will go much faster and easier. But there is no need to put things off for a long time: 5-7 days are enough to gather your thoughts.

Shopping

Shopping is considered a motivating factor. Take time to visit fashion boutiques and try on the items you like. For many women, this helps them get angry and take action. The desire to become slim will acquire special value, so all the efforts made to lose weight will no longer be a reason to feel sorry for yourself.

You can buy something you especially like, but one size smaller. Hang it in your closet and admire it regularly, imagining what a sensation you will make when you wear it to work or at a meeting with friends. Imagine how men will look at you admiringly and how women will look enviously.

Self-hypnosis is a great thing

Every time before taking it, do a little auto-training. This practice was developed by Dr. Sytin and has proven to be quite effective. It is necessary to instill that you can control your own feeling of hunger, consciously refuse harmful foods, and now you will eat exactly as much as your body requires. If the inner voice sounds firmly and convincingly, the body itself will understand how to tune in to losing weight and dieting.

Grocery list for the first week

In order not to deviate from the schedule, it is worth planning your diet for the first time. When the job is done, empty the refrigerator completely and fill it only with the products that match the list. Then there will be no temptation to deviate from the chosen direction and treat yourself to something sweet or spicy.

Don't get hung up on kilograms

It is useful to talk to women who have already lost weight. They can give recommendations on how to get ready to lose weight, advice. So that you don’t have to constantly count how many folds have already gone and regret about uneaten dishes. It is better to direct your energy in a different direction and find a hobby that will bring satisfaction. You can do anything: sew, draw, write, read books, etc. Then there will simply be no time left to feel sorry for yourself, because you will be passionate about a completely different, more constructive activity.

Create a photo collage

Many women have experienced firsthand how difficult it is to understand how to force and psychologically prepare themselves to lose weight. A good incentive would be to do it yourself. You need to take pictures of yourself in a swimsuit every month and post the pictures in chronological order. This way, you can clearly see that there are results, and they are quite good.

There are certain tricks that really help you lose weight easily without experiencing much discomfort.

Today's phones are multifunctional, and it would be stupid not to use this in everyday life. Before each meal, you need to set yourself reminders why you are losing weight, and how your life will change when your body becomes slim. After reading such an affirmation, you are unlikely to want to eat something that will not have the best effect on your figure.

Stop eating after your children or other household members. There is a stereotype in the heads of many women that they should not throw away food. Of course, there is some truth in this, but the extra pounds are not worth it.

The correct psychological attitude towards losing weight requires work on yourself, but the results will definitely please you. Right now you need to do a little experiment: give yourself a regular portion, but eat only half. After this, you need to put the plate down and listen to your own body. As a rule, the feeling of hunger has already passed, so there is no need to eat the remaining food. Over time, a woman gets used to eating less, and this no longer causes inconvenience. And the lightness after the meal will be a pleasant bonus.

There are many sayings and proverbs that our laziness hinders us in many of our endeavors. Every day in all our affairs there is a struggle between laziness and the level of our desires. Unfortunately, no one can help you start losing weight until you yourself are ready for it.

The first step is to overcome your laziness. If you are constantly looking for an excuse, and ideas like “I’ll definitely take care of myself from Monday”, “after I see my friend’s results”, “after payday”, etc. constantly appear in your head. etc., then this indicates that you are not ready yet. Many people know that we implement spontaneous ideas best. This means there is no need to plan.

Many of you have heard about the so-called comfort zone. This is such a conventional line, only outside of which we feel calm and confident. Excessive factors include such as looking for a new job, meeting new people, and everything that we have already mentioned above. After encountering such new circumstances, our brain begins to contradict us and look for any excuses to avoid it.

Most modern people are accustomed to living “on a schedule”, knowing every day how they will survive this day, because nothing changes in their schedule except consistency. This is normal for them, so they don’t complain to anyone.

That is why other people who are trying to “find themselves” constantly take risks, change types of activities, they consider them to be anything but adequate members of society.

In most cases, such people are not supported by friends and relatives; they try in every possible way to convince them and adjust them to their plans, putting pressure on pity and the most valuable thing. Even if you start the process of losing weight, your loved ones may consider it a stupid idea and say a lot of such cliched phrases as: “You feel good as it is,” “It’s bad for your health,” or simply respond to your idea with laughter. Therefore, you must tune in and be ready for anything.

After numerous persuasions from relatives to change their decision to lose weight, many other temptations “help”, for example, high-calorie food. Everything is in use, starting from and ending after eight in the evening. You must convince yourself that this negatively affects not only your figure, but also your health. Also make it clear to your family that you are indifferent to this food, that now you are only interested in natural food.

For those who have a wonderful sense of humor, we advise you to get a notebook in which you will write down all your “successful” and effective excuses and those that you have heard from others.

In the gym, you shouldn’t be afraid of the curious glances of other beginners or professionals. If at first you feel a little awkward and constrained, this is a completely adequate reaction, because you are moving beyond your comfort zone and starting a new life. During initial lessons, you should seek help from an instructor. He will select an effective set of workouts for you and give you a lot of useful advice and instructions.

All sports activities must be supported by a light diet, which can be prepared by an experienced nutritionist. Set yourself up for a good result, and we are sure that you will succeed. After all, as the song says, if you really want to, you can fly into space.

For most people, losing weight becomes a way of life: they lose it, gain it again, and lose it again. This process seems endless and resembles a “swing”.

After another set of extra pounds, a person again and again asks the question of how to force himself to lose weight. The thing is that the process of correcting your body begins at a subconscious level. Therefore, to lose weight, it is often not enough to cut down on food or start working out intensively. The wrong approach and obsession with losing weight turn into chronic stress, fatigue and irritability. You begin to wonder whether it’s possible to lose weight at all or whether it will never happen. To avoid nervous shocks and doubts about your strengths and capabilities, you need to prepare yourself mentally. Psychologists give some advice, using which you can part with excess weight and love yourself with all your shortcomings.

Let go of thoughts about excess weight

If a person constantly tortures himself with the thought of how to force himself to lose weight, then it becomes obsessive and turns into the meaning of life. This is basically what blocks weight loss or causes anorexia.

By letting go of the thought of excess weight, you can learn to love yourself with all your shortcomings, adequately plan a weight loss program, avoid stress and increase self-esteem. Losing weight is not a one-day process, so you need to be psychologically prepared for the fact that you will need to work on yourself long and diligently. It is also necessary to prepare for periodic minor weight gain and the “plateau” effect (stopping weight loss).

Set realistic goals

A correctly set goal is already half the success. There is no need to give unrealistic goals and think about how to force yourself to lose 10 kilograms in a month. Most likely, this is impossible, so if you don’t achieve your goal, you will give up and suffer stress again. Even having achieved your goal, it is quite difficult to keep the weight in place: only slow weight loss is fixed almost forever.

Making a weight loss plan

As you know, losing weight is a complex consisting of a moral attitude, proper nutrition, and physical activity. The first point is the main one. By repeating to yourself in the morning in front of the mirror the phrase “I really want to lose weight, I can lose weight,” you set yourself up for positivity and determination in achieving this goal. As for nutrition and sports, it is recommended to keep a diary and plan your actions for the week in advance: frequency of training, menu, weight and volume, etc. This will help you stay on schedule and track your weight loss progress.

Take action

Now you know how to force yourself to lose weight. Start acting strictly according to plan: buy a gym membership (fitness, swimming pool), purchase the necessary products for several days in advance, decide on additional procedures (massages, body wraps, etc.). Choose a few motivators for yourself, read stories about “magical” weight loss from real life, be resistant to life’s temptations in the form of cakes and believe in yourself.

How to force yourself to lose weight - almost every woman asks herself this question every day. The problem of excess weight appeared a long time ago, so it will not be possible to eliminate it in a short period of time. Excess weight not only makes our appearance unattractive and unpresentable, but is also accompanied by the risk of serious health problems. Almost everyone understands that it is simply necessary to fight excess weight, but not everyone takes decisive measures due to the lack of proper motivation.

After all, constantly watching your diet, going to workouts, leading a healthy lifestyle - this is so boring, uninteresting, and most importantly, unusual, and therefore difficult. And it’s also difficult because you don’t see immediate results from all these actions. And if you have never had a successful experience in losing weight in your life or you have been on diets, but to no avail, there is a certain subconscious expectation of obvious failure. This situation is very natural, since it is a protective reaction of the brain in order to save energy and resources. Agree, it is difficult to force yourself to do something if you are not one hundred percent sure of the result.

Do you really need to lose weight?
Before you start tormenting your body with all sorts of diets and intense physical activity, you need to understand whether you really need to lose weight? To do this, you need to listen to common sense, and also resort to a method for calculating the optimal weight. Two kilograms of excess weight is not a reason to wage a long-term struggle with weight. Moreover, this may be a temporary phenomenon, since it is no secret that in winter the body gains several kilograms, and in spring and summer it gets rid of them. But if you have five or more extra pounds, then losing weight is simply necessary. Extra pounds not only gradually lead to the development of serious diseases, but also negatively affect psychological comfort. But in almost every case, as soon as a girl decisively begins to lose weight, some “important circumstances” arise that distract from this process. As a result, after a month, two or even six months, no changes are observed. What is the reason?

Motivation is the main factor of success!
Not everyone can force themselves to lose weight through sheer force of will. It’s good when a person can say to himself “today I am starting a new life and I will definitely bring my figure to ideal condition.” But in most cases, willpower alone is not enough. If it is absent or weak-willed in losing weight, a person simply needs to replace this “shortcoming” with a method that is more effective for him. And this way is often motivation. The right motivation will allow you to force yourself to lose weight and maintain your ideal weight throughout your life. To do this, the process of losing weight must come to the fore. As a rule, most women who want to lose weight are motivated by concern for health and the desire to become attractive in their own eyes and the eyes of those around them. It is very important to focus on achieving these goals. To do this, you can take and write down on paper everything that you can do after losing excess weight (a new open swimsuit, tight T-shirts and jeans, playing with children, hiking, etc.). Or imagine the expression on your husband’s face when a slender girl walks past him. How many health problems will simply disappear? How will the attitude of the people around you change towards you after your transformation? Don't you want to catch admiring glances on yourself? What about fashionable clothes? After all, many people had to buy not what they liked, but what suited them? Agree, all this is an effective motivation to fight excess weight than useless daily measurements of the waist and abdomen.

Make losing weight fun.
One of the important points of effective weight loss is a positive attitude. There is no need to force yourself to lose weight! Who said that this should be done at all? After all, internal resistance will sooner or later still have the upper hand. It is better to realize the current situation and understand that if you sit and do nothing, you will only gain more fat. Decisive action is needed now! At the same time, you should not hope for quick results, especially if you have been gaining weight for a month or even a year. All you can count on is a stable two to three kilograms per month. This option does not harm the body and does not affect metabolism. It is necessary to treat weight loss as a source of pleasure and positive emotions. We swam in the pool for about an hour, stepped on the scale, which showed a slight weight loss - great news! If you’ve been on a diet for a week, and the scale needle is still in the same place, it doesn’t matter, it won’t get worse, just better!

If you are determined to lose weight, you should not give yourself any concessions, even if you are tired of everything. Be sure to make friends who have successfully lost weight. There will be something to talk about. Be sure to sign up for personal training, which will give you an additional energy boost for success.

Spice up your active lifestyle.
It’s difficult, of course, to change your bad habits to healthy ones. For most, the problem of how to force yourself to lose weight is based precisely on the fear of possible changes in life. Gradually, you yourself will begin to give preference to light and healthy salads, instead of sandwiches and French fries, and you will spend your free time not on the couch in front of the TV, but going out into nature with friends or engaging in active sports (skiing, tennis, swimming pool, yoga, running, ice skating, etc.). Be sure to visit the fitness center several times a week. In fact, it is very easy to add variety to your lifestyle, which you can then enjoy. Today running, tomorrow something else, by the way, high-quality sex also contributes to the formation of a beautiful figure. Having trouble giving up delicious food? But you can eat delicious food without using harmful products! Today, a huge number of recipes have been developed, the use of which is not only healthy, but also promotes active weight loss.

Use pleasant procedures to lose weight.
The process of losing weight can be turned from dull and monotonous into an endless experience of pleasant emotions. A visit to the sauna, taking a bath with essential oils, a shower with a scrub or anti-cellulite product, a course of anti-cellulite massage - these pleasant procedures will not only charge you with positive emotions, but will also effectively help you lose weight. Use your imagination and approach this process creatively.

Track your results.
A very important point in the fight against extra pounds is tracking the results achieved. This is necessary in order to see and know about the ongoing metamorphoses with our body. If we do not see the results of purposeful activity, we cannot enjoy the process, and as a result, the goal begins to fade. A diary, or better yet a blog on a weight loss website, can help you track your results. On the site you will find many virtual like-minded people who will share their achievements and secrets on how to force yourself to lose weight, as well as encourage you, which is not the least important in this difficult matter.

Take action!
In order for the weight loss process to begin, decisive action on your part is required. Reduce the amount of flour, sweets, and fatty foods in your diet, refuse to eat at night, start exercising, take walks in the fresh air, etc. Everyone makes their own list of actions, but everyone will be united by excessive concentration on the fact that it is very difficult to force yourself to lose weight. Change your attitude towards the process, start thinking about weight loss as a real, achievable goal, then success is guaranteed.

It is worth noting, however, the moments of the weight loss process in which you will have to force yourself:

• if you are losing weight, you cannot buy or keep any goodies at home;
• visit the fitness center regularly;
• eat five to six times a day in small portions of healthy foods.

The last one is probably the most difficult. But the difficulty lies not in doing it, but in remembering to do it.

If you want to bask in male attention, catch admiring glances and blossom from the smiles of others - lose weight! This will give you strength, increase self-confidence, and your life will become full, harmonious and varied.