Counting calories, looking at nutritional values on labels, and being conscious of the nutrients you take is great. However, weight loss is not all about numbers. Instead, it is inherently connected to our emotions, psychology, and beliefs.  

We might put a lot of effort into losing weight by being aware of how many calories we consume. However, that doesn’t work for everyone. The biggest challenge people face regarding weight loss is emotional eating. 

Emotional eating is when we reach out to food to regulate our emotions rather than satisfy hunger. According to a CBT psychologist at Lasta, you must unlink your emotions from food to control emotional eating. By doing that, you will be able to improve the quality of your life and maintain a positive relationship with your food. But the question is, how do you stop eating when you are stressed, happy, or bored?

When identifying triggers and managing your stress doesn’t work, another way is to practice Intermittent Fasting. It helps you separate your feelings from your food. In addition, by eating only in a specific window of your day, intermittent fasting helps eliminate the sense of “have to eat” during short intervals. To switch from emotional to mindful eating with intermittent fasting, consider using a free fasting app such as Lasta.

Even though intermittent fasting is a tool to lose weight effectively, the main focus here is how you can train your brain to follow through with the fasting process. So first, let’s look at how behavioral psychology techniques help you lose weight.

Three Ways Psychology Aids in Losing Weight

The psychology behind losing weight is much more than “eat this” or “don’t eat that.” Here are three ways in which our behavior can help us reduce weight.

1. Set a goal

The first thing many weight loss programs make us do is set a goal. This is a signal to our brain that we have the intention to lose weight. Until our brain believes in our goals, we are less likely to change our behavior and start following weight loss tips. So, we need to set goals to achieve a healthy life. 

2. Monitor yourself

Awareness of what you eat or drink without calorie counting, tracking how much you eat, and your weight status helps reduce overindulgence in unhealthy food and obsessive behavior. By self-monitoring, you can even reduce stress and regulate your body’s internal environment, aiding in the journey of weight loss. 

3. Build a community

Receiving support from friends and family is quite essential while losing weight. It keeps you motivated to stay on your track. In addition, it creates a sense of accountability and inspires you to push your limits, lose more weight and live a healthy life. 

Now that you have learned how your brain can aid you in losing weight let’s see how fasting affects our minds. 

Psychological Benefits of Fasting

Even though fasting is practiced widely as a tool for effective weight loss, not many people consider the mental effects of fasting.

  1. Fasting improves brain function by channeling surplus energy to the brain resulting in cleared thoughts and better memory.   
  2. It helps get rid of toxins and rejuvenates your body. 
  3. It increases your willpower and gives you the mental strength to pursue long-term goals. 

As we already mentioned, fasting helps reduce weight, decrease the risk of chronic illnesses, and improve quality of life. However, although fasting can help with our mental and physical state, it can be hazardous to our health if not done correctly.  

How To Fast Safely

Fasting can do more harm than good to your body if you don’t understand its psychology and how it affects weight loss. Here are some tips for safely using fasting to reduce weight and maintain the lost weight without harming your body.  

1. Don’t rush into it

Going from eating to not eating at all will create an abrupt change in your internal environment. So ease into it by reducing your food and drink intake over a few weeks.

2. Keep short fasting periods

To kick-start, the fasting process as a beginner, keep your fasting period short by carrying out short-term fasting patterns. These can be such as the 5:2 pattern (eat normally for 5 days and fast for 2 days), the 6:1 pattern (eat normally for 6 days and fast for a day), the 16:8 pattern (eat within a 16-hour window and fast for 8 hours), or the Eat Stop Eat pattern. They help you avoid the side effects of fasting, particularly dehydration and having lack of energy. 

3. Listen to your body

While fasting, it is possible to feel weak and dehydrated. During these times, you should drink as much water as possible, so you don’t get headaches or faint. In addition, you can go for a walk or do mild exercises so that you don’t become weak and can maintain your body’s energy. 

4. Don’t eat a huge meal 

When breaking your fast, do not feast like a king. Instead, let your body adjust to digesting food again by eating small portions. If you eat a large meal, you might feel more tired than when you were fasting, and it may disrupt your weight loss process. 

5. Consult a doctor

Before starting the fasting process, check with your doctor for two problems. The first is the challenge of missing out on vital nutrients during fasting, which can be solved by taking appropriate supplements. The second issue of fasting that can be considered is taking regular medications on fasting days, as taking them without food will be challenging.

The Verdict

Fasting is a long but effective process for losing weight. So, even if you don’t get your desired goal in a week, try not to be discouraged. Instead, see where you are going wrong, understand your emotions, and separate them from your food. Don’t just make it about not eating; be mindful of what you consume. 

However, all this is easier said than done. With the psychology-based weight loss app Lasta, you can lose weight successfully and keep it off through mindful eating and intermittent fasting.

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