“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” — Edith Wharton
">Skip to content
  • Home
  • About Susan
  • Psychologist
  • Susan’s Blog
  • Press
  • Contact Us
« Seeking Fairness
The Year in Review: A Toast for Change »
November 23, 2010

The Art and Science of Letting Go: The Key to Weight Loss

Key to weight lossI can’t tell you how often I tell my clients, “Just let it go!” I say this simple, yet challenging statement to them for various reasons, such as when picking battles with their kids, when holding a grudge because their friend still owes them $20, and when spouses are mad at each other. After years of providing therapeutic services to clients, this concept is one of the hardest struggles individuals face as they pursue the quest for personal change and inner peace. I have translated this concept with regard to promoting weight loss.

Last week, I attended a speaking event at which the author David Kessler, M.D., promoted his book, The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Diet. He explained that brain chemistry is such that individuals crave sugar (most likely due to stress or hormonal fluctuations), which creates spikes in dopamine, the pleasure-seeking, feel-good chemical in our brains. This then creates a conditioned feedback loop of cravings for sugar followed by and preceded by feelings of excitement and satiation. How do we rise above this biologically predisposed cycle of pleasure-seeking?

Self-talk, will power, stimulus control and response-prevention strategies are essential ingredients necessary for weight loss. Americans are quite preoccupied with what to eat. To simplify the art of weight loss, we need to burn more calories than we are taking in to lose weight (easier said than done). A multitude of articles, references, guidelines and support groups inform people about the science of eating a specific combination of foods to promote weight loss.

So, why can’t we (Americans) lose weight even though we have this scientifically proven, well-researched knowledge? We are own saboteurs. We know what to eat, yet we have the challenge of implementing and applying this knowledge because we struggle with letting go of food. Several variables play into this challenge. We feed our anger, loneliness, fear of being alone, and a myriad of other negative emotions. Food has become a friend filled with unconditional acceptance. However, we are abusing “our friend” if all we do is take from this friendship. All successful and healthy relationships have limitations, and the participants need time and space away from each other. What we have to tell ourselves when we have trouble putting down our favorite brownie is that the food will be there for us the next day and we can let it go for now. In the meantime, we need to learn how to comfort ourselves by modifying our lifestyles with other adaptive means (like watching a movie, exercising or finding other stimulating hobbies), and then just start fresh in the morning.

If we can begin to view food as a microcosm of how we cope with our emotions and relationships, then we can be much more successful with weight loss. Knowledge of what we eat is necessary, but not sufficient, for behavioral change. The golden key lies in learning how to let go of biological and emotional cravings when unsettling events seep into our psyche. This time of year, with holiday festivities arising all around us, is a prime time to practice these mindful strategies.

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
This entry was posted in Fitness. Bookmark the permalink. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
Susan Rudnicki, Ph.D. Is a clinical health psychologist, certified personal trainer, certified exercise instructor, and wellness speaker. She has a successful private therapy practice and personal training business and is a group exercise instructor in the Atlanta area. She presents wellness information to various organizations and is a freelance writer, addressing these specialty topics.
« Seeking Fairness
The Year in Review: A Toast for Change »

One Trackback

  • By The Year in Review: A Toast for Change on December 21, 2010 at 11:28 am

    […] Susan « The Art and Science of Letting Go: The Key to Weight Loss December 21, 2010The Year in Review: A Toast for […]

Post a Comment

Your email is never published nor shared. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

*
*

  • Categories

    • Family (15)
    • Fatherhood (5)
    • Fitness (11)
    • Inspiration (3)
    • Motherhood (5)
    • Society (14)
    • Susan (1)
    • Testimonials (3)
    • Uncategorized (2)
    • Video (5)

    Archives

    • April 2021 (1)
    • December 2019 (1)
    • January 2019 (1)
    • January 2018 (1)
    • July 2017 (1)
    • December 2016 (1)
    • June 2016 (1)
    • July 2013 (1)
    • November 2012 (2)
    • July 2012 (1)
    • March 2012 (1)
    • February 2012 (1)
    • December 2011 (1)
    • November 2011 (1)
    • September 2011 (1)
    • July 2011 (2)
    • June 2011 (1)
    • May 2011 (1)
    • April 2011 (1)
    • February 2011 (1)
    • January 2011 (2)
    • December 2010 (1)
    • November 2010 (4)
    • October 2010 (2)
    • September 2010 (1)
    • August 2010 (3)
    • July 2010 (1)
    • June 2010 (1)
    • May 2010 (1)
    • April 2010 (1)
    • March 2010 (1)
©2023 Susan Rudnicki, Ph.D.