Weight Management in Westminster, CO—Therapists and Counselors
Marshall stepped into the dressing room, and his chest tightened. He hates trying on clothes. Marshall does what he can. He eats good foods, voids bad foods (at least as much as he can). He exercises regularly. And yet, Marshall still looks at himself and sees all the faults. Several times, he has lost a significant amount of weight only to gain it back again. Marshall is not the only one. Fad diets and exercise crazes can leave people yo-yoing up and down with their weight. Many people are tired of the rollercoaster, and they are looking for long-term answers. Many people are finding those answers at the therapist’s office. Going to the gym is often an important step for weight management, but so may be going to counseling. Often, working on an accepting, loving relationship with one’s own body can lay the foundation for long-term emotional and physical health. Often, people are able to achieve that goal with the help of weight management therapy.
“I personally battled with my own body image for years. I used to tell myself, ‘You can’t wear anything sleeveless or strapless.’ And all of a sudden I was like, ‘What if I just didn’t send such negative messages to my brain’ and said, ‘wear it and enjoy it?’ And now I’m more comfortable in clothes than ever.”
—Drew Barrymore
An individual’s mind is interconnected with their body. Their physical health can impact their emotional health, and their emotional health can impact their physical health—both for better and for worse. When people think about weight management, they often think of taking care of their bodies alone, but more and more, that perception is changing. Weight management involves more than a physical component, and often, skilled therapists can help people navigate the emotional component of health.
More and more, the therapists at Thriveworks Westminster are helping people who are managing their weight with a gym membership and with counseling. This holistic approach often sets them up for long-term success because they are learning to love and accept themselves and their bodies.
The American Struggle with Body Weight
It is well-known that many people in the United States are experiencing difficulty maintaining a healthy body weight. The Centers for Disease Control has data on how extensive the struggle is. According to their estimates,
- Twenty percent of adults, age 20 and older, are overweight.
- Twenty percent of adults are obese.
- Nine percent of children ages 2-5 are obese.
- Seventeen percent of children ages 6-11 are obese.
- Twenty percent of children ages 12-19 are obese.
These are not just numbers, but they are real people with unique stories. Often, the easiest piece of weight management to focus upon is the numbers. People can see and touch numbers. However, the emotional journey that an individual has with their own body may be just as important. Psychological wounds may be not as tangible as cholesterol levels or waist sizes, but they are no less important for maintaining one’s overall health, including managing weight.
Counseling for Weight Management
Thinking about weight management holistically can bring a number of benefits to individuals. Two prominent benefits of scheduling time with the therapist as well as the trainer come from finding treatment for mental illnesses and building up resiliency.
Treating Mental Illnesses. When people are struggling to manage their weight, a mental illness may be making it more difficult for them. Finding a diagnosis and/or treatment for underlying mental illnesses may be an important step for weight management. For example, anxiety and depression can affect people physically—their eating habits, motivation to change, and more. Further, eating disorders can cause people to have a combative relationship with their own body. If an eating disorder has developed, then it needs to be treated. Mental health may not be as obvious as clothing size or numbers of the scale, but it is just as vital.
Building up Self-Awareness. The skills that people need to manage their weight are not only learned at the gym. They may also be learned at the therapist’s office. For example, building up one’s self-awareness may be an important step in maintaining a healthy weight for the long-term. Often, negative thinking patterns keep people stuck in unhealthy choices, but when people become more self-aware, they can often change those negative thoughts into positive, true ones. In the process, people are often empowered to weather the highs and lows of weight management.
Often, without knowing that these thoughts undermine their weight management efforts, people may think…
- I get a reward today (fries, ice cream, wings, cookies, and so forth) because I was so good.
- Today was a bad day, I need to punish myself. I will not eat dinner tonight.
- It is impossible to feel good about my body.
A skilled counselor can often help people become aware of how thoughts like these impede their success. Instead, people can learn to…
- Motivate themselves in a healthy way—staying away from rewards and punishments.
- Cope with challenging emotions and setbacks without food.
- Set reasonable expectations for their body.
Thriveworks Westminster Offers Appointments for Weight Management Counseling
If you are ready to meet with a therapist about your weight management journey, know that when you call Thriveworks Westminster, we’ll work to schedule your appointment right away. We accept many different forms of insurance, and we offer evening and weekend sessions. Let’s work together. Call today.
