Weight loss is consistently identified as a major health-related goal of many Americans, and yet, many fail to have sustained success in both losing weight and keeping it off. Relapse is extremely common due to difficulties transferring gains made in the “action” phase of weight loss to the “maintenance” phase of weight loss. The action phase is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak (e.g., changing daily habits and routines, starting a nutritional plan, exercising). But the maintenance phase is where the road becomes a long stretch of highway called “healthy living”.
Ideally, the behavioral changes made during the action phase of weight loss coincide with greater education and awareness about the relationship between our thoughts, emotions, and lifestyle habits. For instance, research consistently finds that suppressing caloric intake (“I can’t eat more than 1,000 calories a day”) as well as thoughts about eating comfort foods (“Don’t think about cake or candy or chips or ice cream…”) actually increases food intake long-term. So while these strategies work temporarily, they ultimately have to be adapted into a system that is realistic in the daily grind of life.
Approaches that emphasize psychological skills like self-monitoring, emotion regulation, impulse control, intuitive eating, mindfulness, and stress management plus the behavioral weight loss components (recording physical activity and nutritional habits) are favored for long-term healthy weight management. The clinical health psychology program at NRS-Lifespan incorporates these principles and approaches into counseling. If you are interested in learning more, call our office at 732-988-3341 to schedule a consultation appointment with one of our clinical health psychologists.
Lauren Gashlin, Psy.D.
Clinical Health Psychologist
NJ License #5553