There are five major psychological reasons why you might not be able to shed those few extra pounds you’ve been trying to lose…

There are many reasons a person might not be able to gain weight. Many of these are physical, while many others are actually psychological. There are five major psychological reasons that could be behind your inability to lose weight. Anyone who is having trouble losing weight should be on the lookout for these signs that a psychological factor might be at play. Dealing with a weight issue is difficult as it is, do you have one of these five psychological reasons for not being able to lose weight?

You’re addicted to instant gratification.

This is the most common psychological reason behind someone’s inability to lose weight and keep that weight off long term. Psychology Today talks about how “Yo Yo dieting” is always associated with dieting because the concept of dieting is designed to have quick results. This desire for quick results can lead to people attempting other types of potentially dangerous dieting that won’t necessarily be effective in the long term. Weight loss requires a long-term commitment to change and if you’re stuck doing on-again off-again dieting because you want instant results you’ll end up in a rut.

You have a serious lack of impulse control.

While many joke that they can’t help but have one more bite, you often take it way too far. Even when you’re full you can’t say no if someone offers you food. This lack of impulse control is unlikely to be limited to just your food consumption so don’t confuse this with your everyday sweet-tooth. Someone with an impulse control problem is going to have a difficult time losing weight because their lack of self-control is on a level most can’t comprehend. Psychology Today suggests that these people try to practice delaying their gratification for as long as possible to fight this.

Your willpower is being depleted in other ways.

We don’t have an infinite amount of willpower. Psychology Today suggests that this is actually why most people break their diets at night. If you are having undue amounts of stress, lack of sleep, or anything else that would serve as a frustration to you – dieting may be too daunting for you. Psychology Today calls it “willpower depletion” and says that it can be reversed with rest and relaxation most of the time. However, you should always consider environmental factors that might be depleting your willpower too.

Too much drinking.

Psychology Today calls is “alcoholic myopia,” meaning that people are less inhibited overall due to their drinking. This person’s diet is going great until they get to the end of the day and their friends convince them to hit the bar. Once they get drinking they lose and desire to diet and they buy whatever bar-food is most accessible. The regret the next morning is less alcohol related than food related. This person doesn’t necessarily have to be drunk to stop caring about their diet and start binge-eating.

You’re the victim of your own mental bargaining.

There are two different ways that Psychology Today describes this happening. First, you have a “self-licensing” situation. This is the classic scenario where you tell yourself “I’ve been so good that I deserve a reward.” This rewarding psychology ends up being self-defeating and any progress made is set back by all the celebrating you do over what might not even be legitimate achievements. The second way your brain tricks you in to skipping your diet is through the “fell off the wagon” rut people can get into. Someone could break a rule in their diet just once and then give up on dieting altogether in favor of unhealthy options because in their mind they already broke their diet and it’s too late. Don’t get caught up in the mental bargaining that keeps you from accomplishing your goals. The easiest way to avoid it is to not engage in these types of mental crutches.

Share This Post