Unfortunately, people who think that the solution to their loneliness, emptiness, sadness, or depression is weight-loss when it is not. Please let me briefly explain a few things to help you better understand.
Happiness is something sought after by everybody whether by celebrities, royalty, or the average Joe (or Jane). More than 33% of adults and 17% of children are affected by obesity (population approximately 303 million people). Depression affects 1 out of 20 Americans older than 12 years. Whether overweight and obesity is a side-effect of depression or depression is a side-effect of overweight and obesity is questionable, but the two are proportionally correlated. What this means is that when one symptom increases so does the other.
In today’s mainstream media and market, more weight-loss products are being sold more than ever before. The percent of jobs open to health care professionals has increased. What this means is that there is a need to decrease the problem of obesity. Obesity is a problem because, compared to healthy weight individuals, most studies show a significant increase in mortality rate. However, decreasing the obesity rate has been a challenge despite the efforts of numerous health programs around the United States.
Weight-loss vs. Fat-loss
We want quick fixes to losing weight, but they aren’t the answer. Trying the latest fad diets and weight-loss pills, which offer up to 20 pounds lost in two weeks, is not a valid way to lose weight. A couple of reasons why they do not work are because you’re losing water-weight and not fat-weight. These dangerous pills can damage your kidneys, liver, and heart, and often contain diuretics to help you expel water out of your system leaving you dehydrated even if you do not feel like you are. Fad diets require that you consume very little calories causing you to feel hungry. If you can stick to this fad diet for a few days you’re body goes into starvation mode holding on to energy stored in the body. Consider it this way, when you eat very little calories your body thinks you’re starving it and conserves energy, actually holding onto fat. You will experience blood sugar highs and lows making you feel dizzy, irritable, and fatigued. You will not be able to keep the weight off long-term.
The proper way to lose fat is to slowly decrease your calorie intake while expending more calories through physical activity. To know whether you’re losing weight the healthy way, 1-2 pounds a week is what you should see on the scale.
So, will losing FAT make me happy?
Being at a healthy weight can give you a greater sense of well-being and often does decrease symptoms of depression by allowing you to feel that you are in control of your life. Happiness comes from within. Sometimes we struggle to lose weight because we have not properly dealt with the deeper, internal issues. It is important to talk to a therapist, friend, or family member about how you’re feeling. Keeping a journal of how you feel can be very helpful by allowing you to identify what you’re emotions are at the current moment.
Weight-loss pills and fad diets are not magic and will not solve your problems. Trying to get skinny should not be your goal. Genetics play a large role in how your body is shaped. Thus, the shape of your body most likely will not change, but the size of it can through physical activity and a healthy diet.
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