Having a healthy mind for a healthy weight requires managing stress,
maintaining and developing personal relationships, having a positive body
image, dealing with depression and exercising your mind.
Stress and Weight
Although there are many different definitions of "stress", it is basically the
feeling experienced when a person confronts a situation and his / her usual
methods of coping appear insufficient at the time and the consequences of not
coping are negative and serious. What is for some people a "bad" event, may
for others be a neutral (or even a positive) occurrence. "Stress is an individual's
response to a stressor".
Stress can contribute to some people becoming overweight if it results in:
Increased nervous overeating
Increased alcohol (with fat) consumption
Decreased feelings of self-control
Decreased self-esteem
Unrestrained eating
Chronic stress can cause some people to lose weight if it results in:
Increased action of the stress-related hormones
Decreased eating through nervousness; usually by "not feeling hungry" and therefore not eating
Increased spontaneous physical activity
Some symptoms of high stress may include:
Decreased sense of humour
Increased susceptibility to common infections
Increased fatigue and tension
Social withdrawal
Not accomplishing
Emotional exhaustion
Impaired sleep
Short tempered
Skipping meals or out-of-control eating
If you find it difficult to manage your stress you should seek professional advice
or referral from your doctor.
A supportive family and social network can help you achieve your weight
loss goals as they will be able to offer support and encouragement when
you need it most. It takes effort to nurture and maintain relationships
however the rewards are well worth it.
If you share your healthy weight plans and goals with your support network
they may surprise you and join you on your weight management journey.
Ideals of beauty have altered over time. They also vary within different
cultures. Today, many cultures emphasise thinness as the vital ingredient
for beauty - especially for females. Striving to attain the "ideal" as
portrayed in fashion magazines, advertising and on TV has debilitating
effects on a person's sense of self and can lead to body dissatisfaction
and the worse case scenario of developing an eating disorder.
Not all bodies were created equal. Every woman was not meant to be a
size 8 or 10 with small hips, thighs and bottom and every man was not
meant to be broad shouldered with a taut stomach. We all want to look
our best however our priority should be our health. If your weight falls
into the normal healthy BMI (Body Mass Index) range and your waist circumference
does not put you at greater risk of metabolic complications, then you
are a healthy weight and there is no medical reason why you should be
slimmer. You should congratulate yourself on being a healthy weight, be
positive about your body and aim to maintain your healthy weight for life.
If you do have kilos to shed, then you can certainly shed kilos! However you
basically cannot alter your standard body shape. For example, if you tend to
carry weight on your hips, thighs and bottom (the "pear" shape typical of many
women) then as you lose weight your body shape will tend to stay the same however
the dimensions will decrease. So try to be happy with the general shape of your
body and enjoy the benefits of achieving and maintaining your healthy weight.
Depression expresses itself in different ways. A person with depression is usually in a persistent low mood, feeling hopeless, worthless or sad. Depression is one of the most common mental health problems, especially in women. It can cause a variety of physical health effects, including sleep disturbance, fatigue and weight changes.
If you are experiencing persistent symptoms of depression or are concerned
regarding your mental health it is really advisable to seek help from your doctor.
