Until then, no influence is possible with regard to the genetic factors, i.e. the individual predisposition to obesity must still be regarded as given and not changeable until now. Incorrect eating behavior leads to obesity in many people. However, acquired unfavorable eating habits are only half responsible, the remaining 50% is an individual predisposition due to genetic factors. This means that many overweight people find it doubly difficult to lose weight, since they are fighting against both weight-increasing eating habits and their genetic makeup. The latter, however, cannot be influenced so far.
What do I need to do to lose weight?
Weight reduction is therefore only possible by changing eating behavior, by
- Reducing the fat intake
- Selects favorable foods from the wide range of foods available
- Increases physical activity
- Gets to know the thoughts and feelings that are important for personal eating behavior, and – where appropriate – changes them.
From a psychological point of view, the influence of thoughts, evaluations and feelings on eating behavior is of great importance. Eating behavior and the amount you eat are influenced not only by physical feelings of hunger and satiety, but also by thought processes and various moods. In relation to the mental process, cognitive (mental) control takes an important place.
To change, the first step is to analyze the undesirable behaviors in detail, and in the next step possible strategies for changing them can be worked out, i.e.: first the individually typical eating triggers must be known, then one can learn to control the eating behavior. Almost everyone has certain occasions for eating (eating impulses). If over a certain period of time this specific situation occurs together with eating, a connection develops between the respective state and eating, i.e. a habit (e.g. eating while watching TV). Thus, the next time this or a similar constellation occurs, food is eaten, although there is no real (physiological) hunger. Such connections between situations and eating, learned and “practiced” over a longer period of time, can also be “unlearned” again.
Distract and confront
A helpful method when plagued by the desire to eat is distraction. This aims to deliberately and purposefully focus on things other than food when cravings arise. In doing so, attention is diverted away from food and toward another activity or thoughts. Usually, the craving regresses after seconds to minutes, and as a result, you have mastered the situation without eating anything.
Another option is that of confronting. This means that you just don’t focus your attention on something else as in the method of distracting yourself, but you focus on the craving with the aim of coping with it. You can try the described approaches to changing problematic eating behavior for yourself. However, many people succeed better in behavior change (and weight loss) with expert guidance and/or in a group with like-minded people.
