Diet Psychology: Why You May Not Really Want to Lose Weight

If you've ever seen a gaggle of nutritionists at a professional gathering, you'll notice some of them are overweight. It's not that they don't know how to melt off pounds. They may not want to.

Not all nutritionists are at their optimal body weight

With the myriad health and aesthetic reasons to slim down, you would think the people who know the most about nutrition would all be wearing pencil skirts. But the key to dropping pounds is not just knowledge. It's motivation.

And the surprising secret is that some people may think they want to lose weight, but they are more motivated to maintain the status quo.

Here are a few reasons:

Avoiding Sex

Some people subconsciously remain overweight to avoid having sex with their partners. They keep themselves less attractive to limit physical intimacy. In some cases, this may stem from childhood sexual abuse. An article in the Obesity Action Coalition newsletter on the link between obesity and sexual abuse confirms that some overweight people have "a desire to 'de-sexualize' to protect against further abuse."

Avoiding Deeper Issues

Another reason people remain overweight is that focusing on their food intake distracts them from other aspects of their life that need to be addressed. They may feel stuck in a dead end job or stale marriage; but instead of working on solving these more difficult problems, they use weight loss as a surrogate goal.They delude themselves into thinking if they were slimmer they would be happier, not realizing their other problems would still be there. By subconsciously sabotaging their diet, they can perpetually aim at a more comfortable target.

Loving Food

Many people really do want to lose weight, but they want to eat fattening foods more. With all of the temptations around them, it can be difficult to say "no" to a moment of food-induced bliss. The motivation to lose weight must be stronger than the temporary pleasure of biting into a buttery croissant or polishing off half a pizza. Without a a true commitment to losing weight, they will continue to eat themselves into the next size.

That's why some people use a mantra such as "Nothing tastes as good as (choose one) skinny/healthy/thin feels" as a reminder when they are tempted to consume foods that do not align with their healthy eating plan.

Mental imagery and mantras can serve as reminders and bolster their resolve

Before making the decision to embark on a new diet, it's a good idea to be sure you really do want to lose weight. If so, the Medifast Take Shape for Life program is one of the easiest and most effective ways to achieve this goal. You'll not only receive the tools, encouragement and support you'll need to melt off pounds, you'll also develop new habits that will help you maintain optimal health.


You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for no extra cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast replacement meals on Amazon

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