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By: Carlin Flora
Summary:
The secret to losing and
keeping off unwanted weight
is as much a psychological
challenge as a physical one.
Practically anyone can lose
weight. But those who keep
it off are a rare species.
Theirs is not an entirely
mysterious phenomenon --
they stay slim by
maintaining the behaviors
that got them there. They
eat healthier foods,
decrease portion sizes and
exercise.
But how, exactly, do they
keep it up? The answer
suggests a psychological
overhaul as much as a
physical one.
Diane Berry, a nurse
practitioner and
postdoctoral fellow at the
Yale School of Nursing,
conducted in-depth
interviews with true
weight-loss champions: 18
women who had lost at least
15 pounds and up to 144
pounds, and all had kept it
off for an average of seven
years. "Eighty-five to
ninety percent of people
regain any weight they've
lost within 3-5 years,"
Berry says, "so these were
the real outliers." Except
for one, the women were
involved in either a Weight
Watchers or TOPS program.
Common patterns jumped out
from the women's success
stories. Each tale began
with a fragile character:
Before losing weight, she
was self-conscious,
vulnerable and unaware of
events that contributed to
the weight gain.
She crossed over into
another pattern when she
recognized her problem --
often after receiving a
nasty comment or having to
buy a dress in the next
larger size -- and decided
to change. And once she
pledged to tackle her
weight, her mood shifted.
She suddenly had more
energy, a fresh outlook.
In the next pattern, the
women actively engaged in
behavior changes. And in the
throes of the final phases,
they incorporated these new
behaviors until they became
second nature. They leaned
on a support system (most
often family members or
fellow weight-loss program
participants) to reinforce
their behavioral changes,
and they consistently
monitored themselves, by
stepping on a scale at least
once a week, for example.
They at last dispensed with
popular notions of a quick
fix. "The women recognized
that this is something they
will have to work at for the
rest of their lives," Berry
says.
One 82-year-old woman who
lost over a hundred pounds
when she was in her 60s told
Berry: "I'm like an
alcoholic. I am addicted to
food. I wake up every
morning and have to be
mindful of what I eat
everyday."
Most telling was that the
women did not flow
automatically from one stage
to the next. Each one
slipped backwards at one
time or another, caught her
footing and then hoisted
herself back up.
These women had not only
altered their appearance and
improved their health --
they became different
people. They experienced
increased confidence and
self-esteem and, finally,
felt a sense of control over
their lives.
Some reported they were more
comfortable speaking out and
being heard. Others were no
longer emotionally
responsive to others in a
self-deprecating way. Many
felt happier than they had
been in years.
Berry also interviewed two
women who were not able to
keep off weight they lost,
for comparison's sake. "They
were aware of portion
control and the importance
of exercise but couldn't
sustain the changes," she
reports. "I truly believe
their life was in crisis.
Everybody lives with a
certain amount of crisis.
But they didn't have support
or validation, or ability to
work with other women. And
neither woman monitored
herself regularly."
Which came first for the
successful dieters -- the
weight loss or the sense of
efficacy and worth? "Self
esteem comes with pulling
the whole package together,
when everything starts
clicking. They're
comfortable with food, and
the initial weight loss
makes them feel better
physically. It's a
reinforcing cycle," Berry
says.
But she tells her patients
that this is a complicated
process, where people make a
lot of mistakes. "Nothing is
black and white. It's a gray
level -- it's muddling
through."
Article courtesy:
www.psychologytoday.com
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