FOODILY DEC. 2013 | Page 21

psychology behind dieting

What we eat affects how we feel, so

what influences our eating behaviors?

There are many factors that do, such

as cultural, social, familial,

evolutionary and individual factors.

But the treatment used to weight

management is actually a cognitive

behavioral treatment. Cognition is the

therapy that focuses on identifying the

thinking patterns that contribute to

weight loss problems. The treatment

involves recognizing the patterns of

thinking that can make you belittle your

success at weight loss and helps you learn

how to cope with them. For example, if

you say to yourself “this is too hard. I

can’t do it” a positive coping self-statement would be “I need to stop this overeating pattern of behavior.”

So to lose weight, the first thing you must change is your thinking. It’s a life changing process, and not a mere temporary fix.

Aya Hassan

For more information, go to: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/healthy_living/weight_control/hic_the_psychology_of_eating.aspx