Trying to lose weight or keep it under control can often elicit a rollercoaster ride of emotions. This could involve joy and satisfaction when things are progressing well, feeling guilty and frustrated when results are slow to see. The connection between stress and body shape is reasonably well understood, with the emotional connection to food a common barrier to weight loss success. But what about the other side of the coin? How does happiness influence weight control? I spoke to psychologist and author Elize Hattin (The Naked Truth About You – Your Path to an Extraordinary Life Revealed) about her thoughts on the topic.
Andrew Cate: Do you think it’s easier to lose weight if you are a happy person?
Elize Hattin: Emotions drive action, especially sadness, hurt, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and insecurity. When you’re a happy person, you’re less likely to experience those unpleasant emotions that often drive people to eat. I also think happy people have a better experience with food, making it an enjoyable part of life, rather than the focus of your life.
AC: Are the bathroom scales often used as a measure of happiness?
EH: They shouldn’t be a measure of happiness but I think they definitely do influence how we feel. Society, media and advertising have contributed to the development of the idea that how much you weigh = how good you look = your worth as a person = how good you feel about yourself. Unfortunately too many women make this connection.
AC: Do you feel that achieving weight loss will make people happy?
EH: A greater level of control over yourself, your eating habits, your exercise program and your life increases happiness dramatically. This is because your emotions are also influenced by the healthy state of your body. So when you are healthy that will automatically make you feel happier.
AC: What comes first, happiness or weight loss?
EH: I don’t think that there is a first in this case. I think that they feed off each other. It really is all about control. People feel happy and they have a high sense of wellbeing and happiness when they know that they are in control of themselves and their lives. So, when people feel like they control their ability to control their weight that will increase their level of happiness. Increasing their happiness will, in turn, help them to control themselves and their eating habits even more.
AC: What are five quick tips to boost happiness that may be helpful for someone trying to lose weight?
Elize says: