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Three techniques of behavioral psychotherapy increase your chances of losing the few pounds that weigh you down.
Simply put, Cognitive (or Cognitive) Behavioral Psychotherapy aims to understand why you behave the way you do and to analyze patterns that characterize your actions and behaviors. It is a therapeutic method that usually focuses on the difficulties of the here and now.
When it comes to weight loss, Claire Madigan, Loughborough University research associate in the field of Behavioral Medicine, explains that this method can help you through various techniques to understand what are the factors that contribute to your weight gain , such as .x. the ease of access to unhealthy foods. This way you will then be able to adopt the changes you need to control your weight.
TIP #1: Set goals
To get off to a good start on a weight loss program, make sure you set a goal . We don’t say it, the scientists do. Research in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity showed that this movement prompts you to change your eating behavior, improve your physical activity levels and maintain these changes over time . Additionally, a publication in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics concluded that although obese people were less likely to set goals, when they did they increased their chances of losing enough weight .
According to the conclusions of a series of studies, frequent goal setting (there is no exact number) makes it more likely to adopt changes, and therefore to lose weight. The goals you set don’t have to be specific (e.g. half a kilo per week), but can be more general (e.g. be more active during the week). Additionally, a review in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology concluded that goal setting worked best when the goals were challenging , publicly expressed , and group-based .
TIP #2: Check yourself
“ Logging your weight and what you eat is one of the most effective strategies from the field of behavioral psychotherapy for weight loss. “Self-monitoring works because it helps you become aware of what you’re eating and what’s happening to your weight,” says Madigan.
Also, as research data shows, those who manage to lose weight and keep it off weigh themselves regularly. This translates into at least once a week , while daily weighing is not prohibited.
In case, however, you’re worried about this constant logging turning into an obsession, Madigan says that in general self-monitoring may not work for some people, but it has proven to be a useful technique for many.
TIP #3: Ask for the support of those around you
There is another strategy from behavioral psychotherapy that you may find especially useful, since it requires you to make commitments to your people (or experts) and then to appear worthy of those commitments . Don’t hesitate to ask for the support of those around you, but also… feedback from them. Feedback is an important stage on the path to success.
“Research has shown that people who follow weight loss programs with a friend or family member are more likely to stick with them and lose more weight,” Madigan concludes.
