“How do psychologists treat obesity?”
I have obesity and want to fix it. How do psychologists treat obesity?
7 Answers
Focus on your eating patterns, triggers that cause eating, discuss the criteria for binge eating disorder, process a history with food, identifying what type of eater you are, track your eating with a weekly eating diary...somethings I have utilized with a few of my clients
The way I would treat obesity is by focusing on the client’s relationship to food and habits formed around eating. Determining if food is used a coping strategy for stress or if there is a hormonal component that is causing food to metabolize slower. I would recommend keeping a food
journal, not only writing down food but emotional state after eating certain foods. Also exploring the client’s sleep hygiene, because a lack of sleep can cause weight gain. I would also explore the clients daily activities and how much movement they are engaging in daily. I would work with the client on self-love and acceptance to encourage treating themselves with kindness. I have had experience with this area and this is what has worked best.
journal, not only writing down food but emotional state after eating certain foods. Also exploring the client’s sleep hygiene, because a lack of sleep can cause weight gain. I would also explore the clients daily activities and how much movement they are engaging in daily. I would work with the client on self-love and acceptance to encourage treating themselves with kindness. I have had experience with this area and this is what has worked best.
Thank you for your question. We work with your primary physician to get a picture of any genetic predisposition for things like diabetes and coronary heart disease. We use different techniques but the most effective, in my opinion, is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It forces you to think about what you think about and makes the potential connection between your thought process and the decisions you make. That would be my first approach. But there are certainly other options.
Hi, Thank you for your question. Here are some tips that might help:
- plan and establish regular eating patterns including meals and snacks,
try to go no more than 3-4 hours between meals
- identify your triggers to binging, make note of when you binged or ate
without being hungry
- recognize the cycle, keep a journal, and document how you feel before and
after each meal or snack
- find alternatives to triggering situations
- learn to listen to your body, it will signal physical hunger and fullness
cues
- seek out therapy to get support from an eating disorder professional to
help change your thoughts about food, your body, your weight, your shape,
etc. (you can ask your primary care doctor or call your insurance for
referrals)
- CBT, DBT, and interpersonal psychotherapy have been found to be
successful forms of therapy
- consult with a doctor or psychiatrist regarding a medication evaluation
to determine if that could be helpful
- speak with a nutritionist or dietician about a healthy meal plan and/or
nutritional supplements
- stop labeling foods as "good" or "bad" which can increase feelings of
guilt and make you more likely to binge
- stop dieting! get rid of any books or magazines that make you feel
inadequate or judge yourself to unattainable ideals
- ditch the rigid rules and "cheat days" since no foods are "off-limits"
- stay off the scale, as the number on the scale does not reflect your
self-worth as a person, your weight does not define you!
- make self-care a priority, including maintaining a healthy, nutritious
diet
- engage in positive self-talk and be kind/compassionate to yourself
- reach out for help from trusted friends and family members in your
network of social support
- find some joyful activities that help give meaning and pleasure to your
life
- practice mindful or intuitive eating
- practice gratitude and positive affirmations about yourself regularly
- focus on actions, not outcomes
- celebrate your victories and don't dwell on minor setbacks
- be patient and manage your own expectations
- don't try to be perfect, it's about progress, not perfection!
I hope this has been helpful!
- plan and establish regular eating patterns including meals and snacks,
try to go no more than 3-4 hours between meals
- identify your triggers to binging, make note of when you binged or ate
without being hungry
- recognize the cycle, keep a journal, and document how you feel before and
after each meal or snack
- find alternatives to triggering situations
- learn to listen to your body, it will signal physical hunger and fullness
cues
- seek out therapy to get support from an eating disorder professional to
help change your thoughts about food, your body, your weight, your shape,
etc. (you can ask your primary care doctor or call your insurance for
referrals)
- CBT, DBT, and interpersonal psychotherapy have been found to be
successful forms of therapy
- consult with a doctor or psychiatrist regarding a medication evaluation
to determine if that could be helpful
- speak with a nutritionist or dietician about a healthy meal plan and/or
nutritional supplements
- stop labeling foods as "good" or "bad" which can increase feelings of
guilt and make you more likely to binge
- stop dieting! get rid of any books or magazines that make you feel
inadequate or judge yourself to unattainable ideals
- ditch the rigid rules and "cheat days" since no foods are "off-limits"
- stay off the scale, as the number on the scale does not reflect your
self-worth as a person, your weight does not define you!
- make self-care a priority, including maintaining a healthy, nutritious
diet
- engage in positive self-talk and be kind/compassionate to yourself
- reach out for help from trusted friends and family members in your
network of social support
- find some joyful activities that help give meaning and pleasure to your
life
- practice mindful or intuitive eating
- practice gratitude and positive affirmations about yourself regularly
- focus on actions, not outcomes
- celebrate your victories and don't dwell on minor setbacks
- be patient and manage your own expectations
- don't try to be perfect, it's about progress, not perfection!
I hope this has been helpful!
Psychologists are not supposed to treat this. Unless they are certified in the area to treat obesity or have nutrition therapy diploma, etc., as goes for any licensed counselor, are not supposed to treat in those areas. FYI: just because they are licensed doesn't mean they are qualified.
Hello and thank you for your question,
Psychologists don't usually treat obesity. Psychologists typically do psychological assessments. Counseling Psychologists may treat obesity using talk therapy, but otherwise, you may want to see your physician about options for treatment. Sometimes physicians will recommend counseling after bariatric surgery to change habits/behavior using cognitive behavioral interventions.
Thank you,
Patricia Harris | MA, MS, LPC
Psychologists don't usually treat obesity. Psychologists typically do psychological assessments. Counseling Psychologists may treat obesity using talk therapy, but otherwise, you may want to see your physician about options for treatment. Sometimes physicians will recommend counseling after bariatric surgery to change habits/behavior using cognitive behavioral interventions.
Thank you,
Patricia Harris | MA, MS, LPC
Take a peek at this link:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5476722/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5476722/
