Managing Weight in Charlotte, NC—Therapy
Mike looked in the mirror and rolled his eyes. Trying on new clothes has never been fun for him. His best friend is getting married, so a tux-fitting is a necessary evil in his mind. A lot of guys like the way they look in a tux but not Mike. In fact, Mike does not like the way he looks in most clothes. Mostly, he wears baggy t-shirts and jeans, trying to hide his body as much as possible. Ever since he was a kid, Mike has struggled with his weight and struggled to feel comfortable in his own skin. The tough part is that Mike has tried. He really wants to be healthy, and Mike has lost a substantial amount of weight before. However, within a year, he had put the weight back on. Mike is discouraged. He would like to make long-term changes, but the nutrition crazes and exercise fads have never helped him. Mike is not the only one struggling. More and more, people have a difficult relationship with their bodies, and they are finding it a challenge to manage their weight. Often, the challenge is not just physical—it is also emotional. For long-term change, people often benefit from counseling for weight management. Along with help from a trainer or nutritionist, skilled therapists may help people establish an accepting, healthy relationship with their own body.
“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
It is common for people to associate health with a number of a scale or a size of clothing. However, holistic health involves so much more. Being healthy means that people’s minds as well as their bodies are working together well—as they should be. When people struggle with their weight, often, they have a contentious relationship with their body into of a peaceful, accepting, and loving relationship. These underlying emotional problems may cause just as much trouble as physical problems. That is where counseling for weight management may help people. Its focus is not on following a strict diet but on helping people accept themselves for who they are—in all their strengths and weaknesses.
If fad diets and exercise crazes have not delivered long-term help, know that Thriveworks Charlotte offers counseling for weight management. We have helped many people work toward holistic health—in their body and in their mind.
Challenges in America for Weight Management
A significant amount of children and adults in the US are working hard to manage their weight but seeing little improvement. The Centers for Disease Control found that…
- 20 % of Americans ages 20 and older are obese.
- 20 % of Americans ages 20 and older are overweight.
- 20 % of kids ages 12-19 are obese.
- 17 % of kids ages 6-11 are obese.
- 9 % of kids ages 2-5 are obese.
These are not just percentages. They are people. Each person in these percentages has their own unique struggle. Often in the discussion about weight management in the US, this personal element is lost. Yet, it may be the most important component to having a healthy weight. People’s past experiences and the emotional healthy can be important factors in their ability to manage their weight. For this component of health, a counselor’s office may be more appropriate than a gym membership.
The Body-Mind Connection
Counseling can help people in a number of ways as they progress in their weight management journey. An individual’s body and mind are important to their overall health. Emotional challenges can lead to physical challenges, and physical challenges can lead to emotional challenges. Counseling for weight management focuses upon those emotional problems that can hinder an individual’s ability to maintain a healthy body weight. For example, therapy for weight management may focus upon…
Diagnosing and Treating Mental Illness: Many mental illnesses have effects that can impede a healthy weight. Anxiety and depression, for example, can upset people’s appetite. Eating disorders can affect people of every shape and size. When these underlying problems are diagnoses and/or treated, often weight management is easier.
Building Resiliency: Many of the skills needed for weight management are not physical—they are emotional. For example, everyone has their good days and their bad days with their body. How can people persevere through the ups and downs? Often, they need to build their resiliency. One way to do so is through self-awareness. Often, negative and untrue beliefs are self-sabotaging, but when people are aware of these beliefs, they may be able to change them and become more resilient.
Scheduling Sessions for Weight Management at Thriveworks Charlotte
If you are tired of following the strict rules of a diet, it may be time to try something different. The therapists at Thriveworks Charlotte, instead, focus upon being healthy—not a number of a scale or a size on a piece of clothing. We know that health means emotional and physical well-being. Many of our clients have learned the emotional skills they needed to manage their wait through counseling.
When you call our office to schedule a session, you may be meeting with your therapist the following day. We accept many different forms of insurance, and weekend and evening appointments are offered. Let’s work together.
