Weight Health and Mental Health: A Fine Balance
 While it's true that being overweight is a physical condition, oftentimes the reasons we become overweight stem from mental health. Weight health and mental health are closely related, and one can have a vast affect on the other. When you go to the doctor to address your weight and health, one of the first questions he or she may ask is why you think you are overweight. Sometimes it is lack of physical activity, other times it is poor diet, and many times it is a combination of the two. But getting to the root of why you aren't active or are overeating is half the battle towards gaining optimum weight health.
Some of the reasons people overeat or aren't active include:
- Emotional eating - They call it comfort food for a reason. Many people eat when they are upset or stressed because food helps fill the void they are feeling. In fact, certain foods can cause the release of chemicals in the brain that make you feel better, at least in the short term. Emotional eating can be hard to stop because it causes people to form a strong emotional ttachment to food.
- Social eating and drinking - When you go out with friends, oftentimes drinks and food are involved. Eating and drinking have become extremely social behaviors for people, and learning to control what you consume in social situations can be difficult. If you are only eating and drinking socially a few times a month, then there should be little problem, but several times a week can quickly put on the pounds. Exacerbating this problem is the fact that many people feel the need to participate in heavy social eating and drinking in order to fit in and feel accepted. Learn to turn down food or drinks if necessary, or make healthy decisions when it comes to what you are ordering.
- Depression - Depression can not only cause poor eating habits, but it can hinder you from going out and being active. If you are suffering from depression, this should be treated before you begin worrying about your weight health.
These are just a few of the ways that emotional and mental health can play a large role in your weight and overall health. Once you take care of the underlying issues, it will be much easier for you to create and stick to a weight loss plan that works for you.
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