You may have tried diets, worked out for a few weeks, and then felt discouraged because your weight didn’t budge much. But if you’re trying to lose weight without paying attention to your mental health, you may be missing the most important piece of the puzzle.
Weight loss isn’t just about food, exercise, or the number on the scale. It’s also about your emotions, your patience, and how you deal with stress. When your mind is tired, it’s much harder to maintain discipline in eating or exercising. So instead of asking, “How much less do I need to eat?”, try asking, “How am I feeling?”.
How does stress affect weight?
Studies show that adults today are facing unprecedented levels of stress. Prolonged stress not only makes you feel mentally heavy but also disrupts the body’s hormone regulation system. When cortisol (stress hormone) increases, you are more likely to lose sleep, eat more, and especially crave sweets or fast food.
From there, your weight increases, your emotions go down, and the vicious cycle of “stress – eat more – gain weight – more stress” repeats itself.
Mental and physical health are actually always linked together. When you are anxious, your body will secrete more ghrelin (a hormone that makes you feel hungry) and cortisol, making you crave more food, especially foods high in sugar and fat. These meals bring a temporary feeling of comfort, but make the weight loss journey more difficult.
To control your weight sustainably, you need to start with your own mind and emotions.
How to lose weight and take care of your mental health at the same time?
To make weight loss easier and more sustainable, you need to look at not only what you eat, but also how you feel and respond to life. When your mind is cared for, your body will know how to adjust. Change doesn’t have to start with a strict diet or rigorous exercise; sometimes, just adjusting a few small habits in your thoughts and emotions can make a big difference.
Here are three steps that can help:
Step 1: Monitor your mindset and eating habits
Before making changes, you need to understand where you are. Many people eat not because they are hungry, but because they are sad, lonely, or stressed. Food is sometimes more than just nutrition, it is comfort.
Try to observe your eating habits. You can use a notebook, take notes on your phone, or take photos of your meals to track. No need to count calories, just write down what you eat, when, and how you feel.
For example:
- Do you tend to reach for sweets in the evening after a tiring day?
- Do you eat quickly because you are afraid of being late, or because you don’t want to feel empty?
- Do you feel good or guilty after eating?
Recognizing your emotions before and after meals helps you understand the connection between your mood and your eating behavior, something that most people overlook.
If you find yourself eating when you are sad or anxious, don’t blame yourself. It’s your brain’s natural response to feeling safe. The important thing is that you start to realize it, and this awareness is the first step to change.
Step 2: Choose a small habit to start changing
Once you understand the “why” of eating, you can start to change the “how”. Choose a small, very small habit to start with. Don’t try to do too much at once, as this can easily discourage you.
For example:
- If you tend to reach for sweets when you’re stressed, try replacing them with a glass of warm water, a 5-minute walk, or listening to your favorite music.
- If you tend to skip breakfast, prepare some oatmeal or fresh fruit to start your day more easily.
- If you tend to drink too much coffee, try gradually reducing your caffeine intake to help your body relax.
Some small ideas to try:
- Drink an extra glass of water each day to reduce false hunger.
- Eat one less portion of processed or sugary foods.
- Take 5 minutes to meditate, do some deep breathing, or do some light stretching.
These changes may seem small, but their cumulative impact over time is huge. Every time you do something, however small, you build your confidence that you can change.
Unhealthy eating habits often come not from weakness, but from a desire to feel good. When you learn to create comfort through healthier methods, such as exercise, journaling, resting, or talking to loved ones, you will gradually release your dependence on food.
Step 3: Test and Reinforce Your New Habit
Changing habits is a journey, not a destination. It’s okay to do well for a few days and then return to your old habits. What matters is how quickly you get back on track.
After a few weeks, ask yourself:
- How does this new habit make me feel?
- Do I feel lighter, sleep better, or have fewer cravings?
- Is there anything that gets me down easily and how can I adjust?
You can set reminders on your phone, stick notes on your fridge, or ask a friend to do it with you to stay motivated. Celebrate small gains like losing 1 kg, getting enough sleep, or simply refusing that snack you used to be unable to resist.
Each small step is a victory, a proof that you are getting closer to a healthier and happier version of yourself.
In short, when the mind is at peace, the body also becomes at peace. Losing weight is a journey to find the balance between the body and the mind. When you learn to listen to yourself, eat mindfully and take care of your mental health, the weight will naturally adjust. It is no longer pressure, but the result of understanding.
