When you think about weight loss you probably picture bland foods and lots of exercise – right? The one thing most of us ignore is the emotional component of weight loss – and yet your emotional (mental) buy-in is the most important part of successfully losing weight!
If you’re really ready to lose weight, you can greatly increase your chance of success by addressing and getting past some common but dangerous emotional stumbling blocks.
In this article I’ll identify the top 6 Emotional Blocks that serve as obstacles to weight loss, and will provide solutions to these common obstacles.
The Top 6 Emotional Blocks and Solutions to Overcoming Them:
Block #1: Your commitment level
Are you really ready to lose weight? If not, it’s better to wait until the time is right than to self-sabotage. Be honest about the timing in your life. Some red flags include times of job transition, divorce or break ups, financial stress, the recent death of a loved one, or any of the other known top stressful life events.
Solution: Be kind to yourself and set a goal to begin your program when you’ll have more energy and focus. Waiting three to six months after you’ve gone through a stressful event will give you a better opportunity to be successful with your dieting and exercise commitments.
Block #2: You feel emotionally unsafe
Victims of violent crimes and abuse often keep or put on excess weight. If they don’t resolve the pain from such an experience, they may subconsciously keep or regain the weight, as it can serve as a physical barrier to others and keep them feeling protected.
Solution: Talk to a therapist, or seek emotional support with any other type of healing therapy.
Block #3: Lack of support from a spouse or partner
It’s possible that your significant other is your “partner in crime” when it comes to eating, and because you enjoy your dining or snacking rituals together, he/she may not support your efforts completely, even though he/she wants you to be healthy.
Solution: Resolve any potential conflicts before you begin your diet, or at least discuss your goals and devise a simple strategy that meets both of your needs.
Block #4: Family or community traditions
Sweets and treats at family gatherings may equate to love, but they also contribute to your love handles. The same is true with your larger community, such as with friends, co-workers and social gatherings.
Solution: Be loving with others, while being firm about your goals. Sometimes it’s easiest to point to a medical concern you have around weight, when all other attempts to engage friends and family fail. Tell them that you know they love you and that you appreciate their support in your effort to be healthier.
Block #5: Feeling bored or stuck in your life
Many people who work office jobs use coffee, doughnuts, cookies, and other treats as rewards or distractions. Others may eat healthfully at work, but are lonely or in a rut in their personal life, so they snack at night. In either case food serves as comfort, which is understandable and fine in small doses. However, if your weight is suffering, you’ll want to look at ways to change that area of your life and adopt new, healthy habits that support this change.
Solution: First, identify the area or areas in your life that contribute to your boredom or dissatisfaction. If you’re eating as a way to appease yourself at work, perhaps it’s time to take a look at your career or your job. Once you’ve identified areas for change, take a step toward a new path that will better serve your needs and passions. Just one step can help inspire you, so you’re then able to form better eating habits.
Block #6. Hidden Practical or Financial Issues
Sometimes important practical issues can stop us from weight loss, but these obstacles are hidden under the surface. If you can’t see yourself spending $3,000 on a whole new wardrobe that’s 3 sizes smaller, this can be a real issue to consider.
Solution: Recognize your practical concern and honor your needs by thinking creatively. You could scope out quality consignment shops, barter for tailoring services, or clothes swap with friends to get your new wardrobe started. Sometimes a good wardrobe book is the best investment, because it shows you ways to make a great wardrobe from just a dozen items, purchased slowly and honoring a budget.
These are the top emotional blocks to weight loss, but there are many others. The idea is to increase your awareness of any emotional blocks you may have so that you can overcome these obstacles using positive and creative solutions.
Also brainstorm with positive people and align yourself with healthy role models. This may be at a gym, in a walking group or with a health mentor.
Finally, it’s important to remember that you’re human and you don’t need to be perfect. Metabolic research indicates that if you stay focused 90% of the time, you can still lose weight nearly as quickly as if you’d been ‘perfect’. Remember that the benefit to overcoming your emotional weight loss blocks is a slimmer and healthier you – for the long term!
What Now?
It’s a lot easier to lose weight successfully when you have a diet plan to stick to. Many conventional diets are very expensive to get started, but we’ve found and reviewed several plans that you can try from the comfort of your home.
