Weight Loss Counseling

Weight Loss Counseling

Weight loss counseling is a snap when you are following the Beck Diet Solution plan from the book written by Judith Beck, Ph.D., called... The Beck Diet Solution.

I have used Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which Beck uses in weight loss counseling, with my Anger Management Counseling folks for a long time, so I trust the CBT process to work.

Here is an excerpt of Dr. Beck's weight loss counseling work with a client;

"Sue is still afraid that if she eats something wrong, she’ll lose control and not be able to get back in control. We had the following discussion:

Sue: I’m just afraid that one false step will be the beginning of the end.

Dr. Beck: How many times in the past few months have you taken a false step?

Sue: A fair number, I guess.

Dr. Beck: And how many times did you start on the path of serious weight gain?

Sue: Never.

Dr. Beck: And why is that?

Sue: Well, it’s because I’m learning to see something as an isolated mistake. I’m learning how to get back on track right away. I’m still motivating myself by reading my list of reasons to lose weight. And other stuff.

Dr. Beck: That’s exactly right. It’s because you now know exactly what to do when you stray, and you know how to get yourself to do it.

Sue and I agreed that she needed to keep track of all the instances in which making one mistake did NOT lead to her losing control. We also agreed that this month, Sue would reread The Beck Diet Solution. She plans to take notes in the margins about what she can do if there ever does come a time when she starts to gain weight back.

This exercise will serve as a good reminder for Sue that all the skills she needs to stay on track are there in black and white, for her whole life. I think this will also provide her with a good measure of relief."

I think what Dr. Beck was helping Sue see was that she could attend to her thinking thought by thought (I know that is very specific) and modify thoughts which are all or nothing kinds of thoughts by helping Sue to remember that she has had many recent successes in her weight loss program.

Beck's weight loss counseling starts with a six week process of retraining thinking, before any weight loss or combination of weight loss or exercise program is picked. That is pretty unique for the weight loss field.

No meal plans, diaries, or anything like that yet.

Steps in the Beck Weight Loss Counseling Program

1. Expect to follow the Beck Diet Solution for at least 6 weeks. That is six weeks before you begin any weight loss regimen. Beck states that it takes this long to retrain your brain to think about food and weight loss differently.

2. Eat when you are hungry. Instead of eating when you feel like it, you should train yourself to eat when you need to. Heavier people have a tendency to eat whenever they have the desire. Don't emotionally eat. This is the main teaching of the Beck Diet Solution. Overweight people often eat when they are angry, upset or depressed. I know when I am tired after a long day, I tend to eat more than I need to feel full, because I am emotionally drained.

3. Stop focusing on food. Train yourself not to dwell on food cravings. Food cravings can often lead to unhealthy binging.Understand the difference between hunger and cravings.

4. Control your portion sizes. It is important to not overeat. You may enjoy the feeling of being full, but you have to limit the amount of food that you consume.

5. Keep track of what you eat. You should keep a journal detailing the food that you eat. This makes you more conscious of the amount of calories that you are consuming each day.

You will find a link to Dr. Beck's blog at the end of this page, for more weight loss counseling information.

Ever heard of Heartmath? The Heartmath folks have put together an excellent biofeedback program that teaches me to attend to my physiology heart beat by heart beat, which means I recognize when I have moved out of physiological coherence and into an uncomfortable incoherence. Check out how the Heartmath process fits with Dr. Beck's ideas on ending emotional eating.

Ever heard of neurogenesis? That means your brain grows new neurons everyday, and no one knew that the human brain could do that until just a decade or so ago.

Ever heard of the term neuroplasticity? That is a word that describes how the human brain rewires and reorganizes itself when we learn something new, sometimes within minutes.

In Brainfit for Life Simon Evans,Ph.D. and Paul Burghardt,Ph.D. talk about the pillars of brain fitness and how we can encourage our brains to stay in tip top shape if we take care of the pillars, which are physical activity, nutrition, including lots of antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids, sleep, stress management, and novel learning experiences.

They suggest some things for us to do, which dove tail very nicely with Dr. Beck's weight loss counseling.

If you are my age, 61, and no longer worried about the six pack abs in order to attract a mate, then try out this workout regimen that 88 year old Bill and 82 year old Pat use to prepare for the rigors of travel. If you click on that link, you will find Bill and Pat down the page a bit. The workout that Scott and Angie Tousignant have put together for couples is easy to do at home, without a lot of expensive equipment, and has some real weight loss counseling ramifications.

Evans and Burghardt also talk about the importance of omega 3 fatty acid intake.

The best source of omega 3 is fish, which means you may have to be concerned with mercury poisoning so a supplement may be in order. We mentioned Heartmath above, which has a tremendous impact on stress management and sleep.

Stress hormones actually kill those new neurons, so learning how to manage them is vitally important to our weight loss and our brain fitness.

The novel learning experience that enhances neurogenesis and neuroplasticity can come from computerized brain fitness programs, like the Posit Science Brain Fitness Program, Mind Sparke Brain Fitness Pro, or Lumosity.

I know you will want a sharp brain to go with that smaller body.

By the way, all three of these tools will help you pay close attention to your cognitions, which will make your Beck Diet solution work easier.

Beck Diet Solution