Did counselling for low self-esteem help you lose weight?

I was already in counseling before I started my weight loss journey for depression/anxiety issues, but yes it definitely helped me.

nicola8989 wrote: »

Has anyone with similar issues been for counselling and found it helped them to lose weight?

I'm not sure that counselling will help you lose weight per se, but it should help with your confidence issues, and your relationship with food. Both of which will help you as you change your approach to eating, and training.

It's a work in progress, as we all are, and you use the sessions to help you identify the tools that will help you, and think through how to apply them.

That said, it can be a challenging process, so I commend you for getting this far, and wish you all the best with it.

I have no personal experience in this area but I'll just say that it's important to be happy with yourself and emotionally stable, and if counseling gets you to that point, then definitely do it. Losing weight and lifting can help improve your confidence but if deep down you've convinced yourself that you hate yourself, improving your body composition isn't going to fix that.

I never went to counseling. I just got determined to stop letting myself get in my own way. I don't know about anyone else but I found any emotional issues or bad feelings about my weight never came from other people. Nobody ever said a word to me. It was me putting myself down, nobody else. It was me with the negative thoughts. It was me beating myself up for not doing the right things. What ever feelings I was having wasn't because anyone else was saying anything to me about my weight. I was doing it to myself. It was in my own head. You do have control over your own thoughts and actions and nobody can fix that but you. At least that is my experience.

I recently participated in two zumba classes. I am trying to do something different so my physical activity doesn't get boring. The first class was a kick so I was motivated to attend the second classes 2 days later. From the moment I entered the door of the second class I heard voices in my head saying "what are you doing here, look at yourself in the mirror, you look terrible, you look absolutely ridiculous". Over and over like a broken record for an entire hour I heard these voices. On the last song I couldn't take it any more and bolted for the door. I don't know what it was except for low self esteem creeping back in. I too have thought about counseling yet don't feel it is affordable. Absolutely STUMPED!

I'm too early in the process to say for sure if counseling has helped with my weight loss, but it has definitely helped me start to see through the weeds. Before therapy, I wasn't convinced I'd ever lose weight or be happy. I had horrible anxiety and self-esteem issues. I have dealt with depression for years and was finally diagnosed with Major Depression. In the 1 Year and 3 months that I've been in therapy, I have noticed a huge change in myself. I still deal with anxious moments. I still battle depression. And my self-esteem is not always on point, but I feel I can function more like a "normal" human being now. I've learned that a certain amount of discomfort is normal and a part of every day life.

Therapy has helped me put issues into perspective and gain tools I use every day. More than anything, I was able to see the chronology of my behaviors, how they impact each other, and how to start reversing. The first year of my therapy worked on correcting tendencies toward absolutism, fear of failure and success, stress management, mindfulness, ED, and healing old wounds--all of which played a key role in my gaining weight. This second year is set to focus on the straight-up weight loss part--keeping my ED in check, being able to lose weight in a longterm manner, consistency, working through issues that typically accompany major weight loss, and self-accountability. Because of my ED my therapist is very involved with my weight loss.

Like anything, therapy is only as good as what you put into it. Not only am I completely honest (I've told her things I barely even acknowledge myself), I try 100% on all the writing/visualization exercises she gives me. I read and take notes on all the supplemental materials she assigns. You have to work as hard outside of the appointment as you do inside. These might seem like overkill, but I find it keeps the conversation of the previous session going and keeps me actively thinking and working on my issues on a daily basis--a forward motion.

Therapy does not guarantee weight loss, of course. But I think the topics touched upon aid in weight loss, especially if you're someone who has an emotional relationship with food. Gaining more insight into how I naturally process things, has helped me start to figure out what works well for me weight loss-wise and what does not. I've learned how my brain works and what types of motivational tools work well for me. I understand better my pitfalls with procrastination and discipline, and how they relate to my previous weight loss false starts.

Good luck with your session!