Emotions and cognition
Many people succumb to pressure and persuasion during the diet, which results, for example, in reaching for snacks or going to fast-food restaurants. Despite being in consciousness rational beliefHowever, many people are tempted to say that you shouldn’t stop your diet and snack, and know the consequences of it. The non-cognitive sphere is responsible for this – rational, rich in arguments, but emotional – related to feelings. Research conducted by social psychologists shows that the behavior of our relatives largely affects us.
Scientific reports indicate that after a person’s friend takes drugs, we can also infer about that person’s behavior. The way of eating can be looked at analogously, which is also to some extent adopted from the people we meet. It turns out, then, that it is very important which one attitude to diet our friends or loved ones have. In addition, our relatives often do not persuade us using premises based on arguments, they do not say: “Eat a pizza, she is healthy”. The pressure we feel is rather based on emotions – we fear rejection, which may be associated with the fear that if we do not give in, we will not be invited again (at least in our opinion). So, in a sense, we obtain award for non-compliance with the diet – in the form of contacts with friends.
How to cope
It is very important to develop methods to help you deal with difficult situations.
- Lots of people are helpless when he hears: “Don’t be frivolous, nothing will happen to you after eating a slice of pizza.” In such a situation, you can reply: “I would be frivolous if I did not follow the assumptions I made for myself. I would feel bad in front of me“. It is worth developing these types of answers in advance, so that in a difficult situation you have a ready answer and not be surprised.
- Folding is also helpful public commitment, for example, about not eating sweets in front of friends. Such a statement increases the chance that we will not succumb to temptation – it enables us to feel like being positively perceived by others.
- Our attitudes, including those regarding weight loss, should be based not only on attitudes cognitive, but also emotional. The former is based on beliefs about the objective value of something. These may be arguments showing the positive effects of losing weight. In turn, attitudes based on emotions – are supported by feelings and values. So it is important what a given thing evokes in us – for example, admiration for a slim figure, as an aesthetic reaction rooted in us, can keep us in carrying out our decision.
- It is also worth considering arguments for and against the diet. If someone questions them – we will have a ready answer. Thinking about a given matter forms an attitude that is difficult to resist and, consequently, it will be more difficult to succumb to the persuasions of others.
Possible difficulties
It is important, however, that the messages encouraging us to lose weight do not take the form of bans. The stricter the ban, the more likely it is to happen boomerang effect that is, increased interest in prohibited activities. Prohibitions provoke opposition, breed anger and aggression. So let’s modify your thinking. Instead of thinking: “You must not eat sweets while dieting” or “There is no eating cakes while losing weight”, you should think – “I do not want to eat sweets, I decide not to eat cakes because I want to. reach own goal“. Such beliefs greatly increase your chances of success.