If we put aesthetics
to one side for a moment, most people would prefer to be a normal weight for
health reasons, but this often isn't a big enough incentive. It may sound
bonkers, but it's true. That old 'it won't happen to me' attitude prevails in
matters of illness or disease, and people often ignore the damage they are
potentially doing to themselves until they have a health scare or get sick.
A wedding (the
individual's own), a desire to get pregnant or some other important issue may
increase motivation to change eating habits or do more exercise, but this is
often short-lived. Am I painting a gloomy picture? In theory, weight reduction
is simple - reduce the number of calories consumed, and increase activity, but
this fails to address two key points: our emotional connection with food and
the roller coaster ride of sugar highs and lows that many of us subject
ourselves to.
When we avoid sugary
or artificially sweetened food in our diet, our blood sugar and energy level
stabilises and cravings all but disappear. When our body isn't in need of an
energy boost, there is no longer an emotional dilemma over whether or what to eat.
As cravings and fatigue become a thing of the past, people can and do find
themselves skipping desserts in restaurants and forgetting about chocolate
'fixes'.
The real challenge
comes when life itself becomes challenging. Relationship difficulties, work
issues or other disappointments can lead many to seek solace in sweet stuff.
Whilst there are other ways to experience pleasure or comfort, food is
relatively cheap, socially acceptable and accessible.
Much research has been
done into the sugar cycle and its effects, and through the use of MRI scanners
it has been possible for scientists to see the effects of sugar on the brain.
Whilst the term
'addiction' is a controversial one in regards to foodstuffs, there is evidence
that what we eat affects our mood and therefore influences are ongoing choices.
Pleasure is preferable to pain, so mood altering foods, like mood altering substances,
can be difficult to resist, especially when life is less than wonderful or we
are on the glycaemic roller coaster.
There is a payback for
this comfort and reward seeking behaviour of course. Obesity makes everything
(bar eating) more difficult to do. Running for the train, climbing the stairs,
having sex, or doing the hoovering can all be a struggle when you're excessively
overweight. The biggest problem of being fat however, is the emotional toll it
takes, and this is where aesthetics come in.
Much has been said
about society's attitude to people who are obese, but whilst size can influence
how we are perceived, most people are their own harshest critic. In my work
with clients seeking help to lose weight with hypnosis, self-esteem is often an
issue. The reasons that people overeat can be complex and often underlying
issues need to be addressed before significant progress can be made. Giving
direct suggestions for changes to eating patterns is an option in hypnotherapy,
but in my experience this is an over-simplistic approach and leads to
short-term results at best. Helping clients to change their relationship with
food is essential, but so too is helping them to address any stress, depression
or other underlying issues that affect the way they use food.
