Lose weight: How to program your brain to be slim

Body and psyche go hand in hand, as the saying goes: Crisis situations “hit our stomachs”, lovesickness “breaks our hearts” and when we are frightened “the words get stuck in our throats”. So far so good. But what does weight loss have to do with it? Quite a lot, more and more experts are coming to this conclusion. The Idea: Our brains are pre-programmed regarding our past behaviors and beliefs. Accordingly, the key to losing weight is working on your own attitude towards the topic of “losing weight”.

8.18 million people in Germany want to lose weight

Losing weight is the goal of many people. Many want to eat healthier, that is at least the top priority, shows a survey by the statistics portal “Statesman” . And they want to lose weight, this resolution is number five.

Sea Consumption and media analysis However, only 20 to 30 percent of those who want to lose weight manage to permanently reduce their body weight. So why is it that some people are doomed to dieting for life while others stay slim seemingly effortlessly?

In addition to genetic aspects such as metabolism, the mental attitude in particular seems to have an effect on individual weight loss success. As Stefanie Schroeder, research assistant at the Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at the University of Barmbergstressed, have psychological factors such as Self control, motivation or the Dealing with emotional stress a significant impact on “whether we gain weight and how well we manage to lose it successfully”.

Body Weight: “A Self Fulfilling Prophecy”

As the expert explains, the inner attitude towards losing weight and towards oneself influences what and how much we eat and also determines our movement behavior. Jacob Drachenberg, psychologist and stress expert, is also convinced of this: “The success in losing weight has largely to do with the image we have of ourselves,” explains the expert in an interview „Bild“. It is based on the following pillars:

• A person’s body weight results from the image they have of themselves.
• If you see yourself as sporty, active and fit, you act like a person who enjoys exercise.
• If you see yourself as fat, unsportsmanlike and lazy, you act in the opposite way. True to the motto: “Exercise and sport are not for me, I’ve come to terms with them”.

As Drachenberg explains, these factors create a kind of “self-fulfilling prophecy”. Since humans tend to adopt patterns and habits that appear to them to be the “only truth”, they tend to identify with them. For example, many believe that they are overweight, unsportsmanlike, and lazy, and adhere to their behaviors in accordance with their beliefs in order to steadily restore the state they know.

The result: a constant vicious circle. If one’s own project “acceptance” fails again and again, every setback would be punished with anger and further devaluation of oneself, explains Drachenberg. You give up on yourself and fall back into old habits. “According to the motto: I knew that I couldn’t do it,” said the expert.

Losing weight puts pressure on you

Another problem: Losing weight puts most people under stress. The fear of failing and thus “revealing” one’s supposed indiscipline exerts pressure and usually ends in two scenarios:

1. You no longer feel up to the pressure and give up from the start
2. the cortisol level increases due to the permanent stress in the body and makes a decrease as good as impossible.

Cortisol is also known as the “stress hormone” and, together with other messenger substances, regulates carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. If its concentration is too high, the hormone causes the breakdown of protein in the blood and the release of glucose. As a result, the body is on the alert – ready for action at any time in order to react quickly to perceived dangers.

The problem: Nowadays we usually sit at home on the sofa or in the office. The excess energy provided is not broken down, and weight gain is encouraged. In addition, the body craves for a quick supply of energy during periods of stress. Attacks of ravenous hunger are inevitable – a constant vicious circle of restriction and binge eating can be the result.

Eight steps to your dream figure

To escape the cycle of self-sabotage, Drachenberg recommends eight steps that can help you lose weight:

1. Put aside the thought that others might find you fat

Don’t always think about what others might think of you. “Most people don’t give a damn what you look like,” emphasizes Drachenberg. “Don’t give anyone the power to influence your self-image” – You are your own biggest critic and can also be your biggest motivator.

2. Let the past be the past

Stop blaming yourself and look to the future with optimism. Wrap up with what was. “They didn’t intentionally sabotage themselves. If you could have done it better, you would have done it. What counts is what you can and want to do today”.

3. Be good to yourself

Feel inside yourself: How do you speak to yourself? What is your inner critic? Create awareness of your own negative thoughts and reprogram yourself. Try to look at your body neutrally and appreciate it for what it is – a wonder of nature. Focus on the positive aspects: “Your health, a beautiful smile, full hair, a well-shaped butt – there are so many things that are good about you. They are not a flawed specimen that is full and nothing else,” emphasizes Drachenberg. What do you appreciate about yourself?

4. How does healthy living fit into your everyday life?

Try to combine your current everyday life with new positive routines. Examples are:

• Walk 10,000 steps every day for 30 days
• choose stairs instead of the elevator,
• do two workouts a week
• Eat a large serving of vegetables with each meal or
• drink enough water every day.

“Think of a first, feasible goal. That’s up to you. After that, you can incorporate more healthy routines,” the expert recommends.

5. Proceed step by step

Gradually integrate more and more movement into your everyday life. Take the stairs, get off the train one stop early and walk the rest of the way, go for a walk every evening. Make a game out of it as you look for more and more ways to incorporate more exercise into your daily life.

6. Have fun

A simple but all the more valuable tip: Have fun with what you do. Don’t push yourself into activities you don’t feel like doing in the first place. Combine unfamiliar, new activities with positive, existing habits. Instead of reading on the couch, you can listen to the book as an audio play while walking. While training on the exercise bike, reward yourself with your favorite series. Do your own thing and find out what is good for you.

7. Find a weight loss or exercise partner

“It’s easier, it’s motivating and it’s more fun in community. You don’t have to be a lone wolf,” summarizes Drachenberg. Whether in a club or just as a couple: motivate each other and stay true to your activities. This welds you together and binds you to your activities at the same time.

8. Stay on the ball

Finally, the most important keyword is: routine. Set fixed days or times when you do your activities. “Test out beforehand when you have the most energy and feel like it,” says Drachenberg. And then stay tuned.