Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic. While excessive weight gain and difficulty losing the extra weight may be caused by organic factors, emotional eating is a major contributor. Stress, anxiety, poor self-esteem and depression are all triggers for persons who eat as a form of comfort. With weight loss counseling, a therapist explores the underlying causes for stress and psychological difficulties. Based on an assessment, your counselor will determine the appropriate course of therapy and introduce healthier and effective coping strategies.
What Is Emotional Eating?
When your weight has become excessive and you find yourself consuming food beyond satiety, lifestyle modifications such as a controlled diet and exercise become difficult to manage. Emotional eaters tend to consume in excess of what they require when feelings of loneliness, stress, anxiety, and depression become apparent. When upset, angry or low in confidence, such individuals often turn to food to feel better and ease their stress. While the consumption of food may provide temporary gratification, the guilt and the shame experienced thereafter, causes additional turmoil and dissatisfaction. This leads to a vicious cycle of overeating and constant weight gain.
How Weight Loss Counseling Can Help
Losing weight is a very personal and difficult journey. It not only requires a commitment to change in diet and fitness but incredible support.
When you are left with unresolved feelings of anxiety, depression or lack a strong sense of self, the slightest upset in your life could compromise your path to gaining control over your eating habits.
Emotional eating is about controlling your emotions and your lifestyle. It is about addressing the depression, anxiety and the low self-esteem. This can prevent seeking food as a comfort and to seek constructive coping strategies instead.
How Does It Work?
The role of a weight loss counselor is to introduce structured therapy to address emotional imbalances and psychological difficulties. Cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT is a popular approach to treat eating disorders.
Patients are encouraged to make the transition to a healthier lifestyle in combination with CBT and suggested therapies. Studies involving emotional eating and CBT have shown the effectiveness that counseling can provide in achieving weight loss. Therapy helps patients maintain their weight loss results compared to crash diets and alternatives.
Behavioral therapies combined with goal setting are incorporated during the process. Your counselor will focus on ways of improving your self-esteem; he or she will help you remain on the chosen health and fitness path. The most important part of seeking weight loss therapy is learning how to cope without turning to food. The introduction of constructive coping while overcoming feelings of hopelessness or unworthiness can make it easier to manage a healthy weight loss and lifestyle.
Your therapist acts as an incredible source of support during your journey. From the provision of important resources to connecting patients with support groups; seeking counseling for weight loss can provide incredible results.
Schedule an Appointment at Thriveworks McDonough Today We offer weight loss therapy you can trust. With the assistance of specialized counselors, your weight loss goals and lifestyle changes are best achieved. Call us to schedule an appointment: (678) 853-5849.
