Excess body weight is associated with a majority of risk factors such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other psychopathological disorders. It is for this reason that I considered weight loss for my excessive body weight to avoid the possibility of facing such medical complications as I grow older (Kelly, 2015). This paper will seek to outline the cognitive elements of weight loss and the appropriate strategies for effective cognitive restricting.
Past and Current Thinking Regarding Weight Loss
I have made several attempts to reduce my excessive body weight due to the low self-esteem that has characterized my life since grade eight. It is for this reason that I have been grappling with the problem of wanting to lose weight to regain my confidence. This had been a significant concern because, in the past, I was a victim of isolation among my friends (Kotter, Cohen, & Hoover, 2004). As a result, this made me avoid most of my friends for fear of being laughed at for being overweight. It is as a result of this concern that I have made several attempts to lose weight to freely associate with others (Glanz, Rimer, &Viswanath, 2008) . Even though I have made several efforts in the past to lose weight, I am convinced that my reluctance has been responsible for the minimal progress I have made as far as weight loss is concerned.
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Knowledge, Beliefs, Values, Expectations Regarding Weight Loss
It is common knowledge that effective weight loss is an interplay of various behavioral, familial, individual and environmental factors (Glanz, Rimer, &Viswanath, 2008) . This implies that besides regulation of lifestyle and diet, the highlighted factors also play an integral role in effective weight loss. Having been overweight ever since I was in the eighth grade, I initially believed that it was a natural phenomenon and there is nothing I could do about it. However, I discarded the belief upon being enlightened that there was a role I could play for effective weight loss. Initially, I was not selective on the kind of food that I ate and the general lifestyle. I believe this played a major role in contributing to my overweight problem (Kaikkonen & Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi, 2018). Therefore, for effective weight loss, I have embraced the value of being strict on what I eat and my general lifestyle. In this case, being cautious of my diet and lifestyle is a vital value I will embrace for effective weight loss. By adopting such values, I expect to significantly lose my weight from the current 110kgs to not more than 70kgs (Glanz, Rimer, &Viswanath, 2008) . Achieving this will be a crucial success since it will help me regain my confidence and self-esteem, thus relating and associating freely with my peers.
Current Cognition Regarding the Behavior
I have been mainly affected by my excess body weight problem. Considering that the previous weight loss attempts have been unsuccessful, I have always avoided the presence of most of my peers (Snethen, Broome & Kelber, 2016). Given that it is a serious concern at a personal level, I have adopted self-monitoring approaches aimed at ensuring that I effectively lose weight. This has been boosted by the belief that I can manage to lose my weight from the current 110kgs to 70kgs.
Elements and Methods of Restructuring my Cognitions
I intend to lose weight by staying motivate and embracing good eating habits. Furthermore, I will also effectively deal with cravings and hunger to ensure that I do not fall into the temptation of eating junk foods that have contributed to my overweight problem (Forman & Butryn, 2016). In this regard, I will restructure my cognition by eating according to the schedule and changing the food selection.
Confidence in Ability to Change Cognitions
I am convinced that embracing good eating habits and effectively dealing with hunger and cravings will help me manage to lose weight. By eating according to the schedule, I will be able to reduce my weight from 110kgs to a minimum of 70kgs in the next six months.
References
Forman, E. M., & Butryn, M. L. (2016). Effective Weight Loss: An Acceptance-Based Behavioral Approach, Workbook . Oxford University Press.
Glanz, K., Rimer, B. K., &Viswanath, K. (Eds.). (2008). Health behavior and health education: theory, research, and practice . John Wiley & Sons.
Kaikkonen, K. M., & Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi, S. M. (2018). Effective Weight Loss and Maintenance by Intensive Start with Diet and Exercise. Medicine and science in sports and exercise .
Kelly, A. S. (2015). Debunking the myth: exercise is an effective weight loss treatment. Exercise and sport sciences reviews , 43 (1), 2.
Kotter, J. P., Cohen, D. S., & Hoover, L. (2004). The heart of change: Real‐life stories of how people change their organizations. Performance Improvement , 43 (7), 45-46.
Snethen, J. A., Broome, M. E., & Kelber, S. T. (2016). Effective Weight Loss for Children: A Meta‐analysis of Intervention Studies 2002–2015. Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing , 13 (4), 294-302.
