Excess Weight. From Theory to Practice. Part 1

I am a crisis psychologist, working with clinical cases. The topic of excess weight in psychology is particularly close and interesting to me. It’s my personal subject, which I worked through in my own therapy over several years. I lost 38kg after my second childbirth. I consider it a great achievement that the weight has not returned.

Psychological aspects of excess weight

Working with excess weight involves not only psychotherapy but also habit modification. Clients with this issue are often disorganized: they frequently miss sessions, arrive late, and often abandon therapy altogether. This happens because one of their key needs—security—is being challenged. As soon as the thought arises that “I will eat less or stop eating certain foods,” anxiety levels become unbearable. This is unconscious anxiety; it cannot be critically assessed or understood—it’s simply frightening, dangerous, and overwhelming! People who overeat cannot tolerate tension or stress (which we all experience in large quantities multiple times a day) and, through eating, stimulate the release of pleasure hormones. This is the earliest form of defense—fusion. When a child cries, for any reason or no reason at all, the mother gives them the breast. When food in a family served as a substitute for communication, encouragement, love, pleasure, comfort, and so on.

So, for an adult struggling with food dependency, food is like a large breast they frequently turn to in order to relieve anxiety and tension. Psychotherapy helps unravel the knots of anxiety and tension, teaching individuals to cope with such states without turning to food. However, the problem of excess weight cannot be solved quickly or in one go; it requires slow and careful work. There will be setbacks, not just once but repeatedly, and you must constantly return to the process and keep moving forward. It’s worth it for your health—the main bonus you gain. A body exhausted by overeating gradually rebuilds and recovers, and a sense of lightness and energy emerges. In this course, I offer special, manageable tasks for those who want to lose weight.

Personal motivations for weight loss

       Why lose weight? Wanting others to look at you with admiration or surprising your relatives won’t work! These reasons won’t suffice for those around you—find your own. Write down on a piece of paper only what concerns you, starting with the word “I…” Then imagine yourself in your new body. Picture what you will do, how you will spend your day, what you will wear, how you will move, how you will speak, and how you will relax. Throughout the day, several times, recall this new image and reflect on how it makes you feel. If everything feels right, move forward.

First practical step: mindful eating

       Step 1. Eat whatever you want, your favorite and delicious dishes, as much as you like. Conditions: no TV, computer, book, conversation, or any other distractions. Just you and the food. In your usual designated eating space. Even small snacks. Even drinking water. Follow the ritual—sit at the table and savor the meal. Eat as slowly as possible, enjoying every bite. Drink slowly as well.

     Without adhering to these conditions, the exercise won’t work. If you catch yourself eating in an unsuitable place, either stop eating or go to the table. This may take time, but be sure to return to the exercise. Practice this for a week, then we’ll move on. I wish you an easy path to achieving your goal. Over the week, jot down any questions that arise. You can ask them during the free webinar.