«We can and must move away from this conception and, on the contrary, explore the many possibilities that this time of year offers us not only to maintain positive health habits, but even to start or reinforce them,» Petratti stated.
In that sense, she emphasized that summer is the «ideal time to reconnect with oneself, manage emotional hunger, and start (or maintain) a real transformation,» rejecting common phrases at the beginning of the summer season such as «I won’t make it to the bikini operation anymore» or «I wore anything because it doesn’t matter anymore,» highlighting that addressing obesity is not about achieving the «perfect» body or obtaining «specific results,» but about sustained well-being.
«People don’t need more demands, but to take care of themselves, pause, and start over. And summer can be that starting point to take care of oneself without demands,» she expressed.
Following this, she argued that summer is a good time to embark on these changes due to the reduction of stress, which is linked to obesity through various physiological and behavioral mechanisms, as well as having more time to pay closer attention to nutrition and physical exercise.
CHRONIC STRESS AND OBESITY
The expert emphasized that chronic stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to sustained release of glucocorticoids, such as cortisol, which can increase appetite and preference for highly caloric and palatable foods, contributing to weight gain and obesity.
Additionally, chronic stress can alter appetite regulation through changes in hormones related to satiety and hunger, such as leptin and ghrelin; and can influence eating behavior by increasing vulnerability to food addiction, due to stress interacting with reward circuits in the brain, leading to compulsive consumption of sugary and fatty foods, creating a «vicious cycle» of stress and eating.
To address this situation, Petratti advised managing one’s emotions through questions like ‘What am I feeling when I seek food without hunger?’, ‘What else could give me pleasure or comfort?’, ‘What do I need to say or express that I am silencing with food?’, as well as starting an ‘emotional diary’ to document behaviors and emotions linked to the process of change.
«In the emotional diary, you can record moments of anger, joy, sadness, what you do automatically, what changes you have been able to make and how. When you start to know yourself, you can make deeper changes,» she stated, pointing out that «keeping an emotional diary provides crucial information to make the necessary adjustments to approach your goals: it gives a clear view of how emotions influence motivation and can be useful in identifying patterns that strengthen or weaken it.»
The doctor emphasized that these tools can help combat emotional hunger, which «is not fought with diets, but with emotional regulation tools and sustainable habits,» highlighting that this emotional management accounts for 70 percent of the success of any approach aimed at losing weight and maintaining it over time.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUMMER
For those with obesity, Petratti recommended planning meals with freedom and structure, without rigidity but with clarity; moving at least 15 minutes a day; training the mind through guided meditations, emotional writing, and conscious breathing; drinking water and getting enough sleep; and being self-compassionate.
In the case of those without obesity, the specialist urged to «abandon» the dichotomy of «all or nothing,» reminding that an ice cream does not ruin health nor does a salad build it.
Likewise, she emphasized the importance of eating fresh and satisfying seasonal foods; reviewing emotional habits; and connecting with the body «from pleasure» and not «from struggle.»
MAKING SUSTAINABLE CHANGES
On the other hand, she also discouraged extreme diets to feel better about one’s body, believing it’s better to «take a break from the ‘punishment’ of a diet» to reduce self-demand and «reconnect» with enjoyment.
Therefore, she recommended making small sustainable changes, using a kinder language with oneself, and taking a more holistic approach, not just focused on weight loss on the scale, but also addressing emotions, sleep, movement, and stress.
«To make a change, it is not necessary to do it all at once or in a radical way, but it must start with awareness, self-compassion, and personal commitment,» she added.
Petratti relied on 21 studies that support the positive impact of habit changes and emotional work in the treatment of obesity, demonstrating that 86 percent of those who followed mental well-being guidelines improved emotional eating, binge eating, and weight maintenance.
«Cultivating conscious habits, managing emotions, and reconnecting with the body has a real, measurable, and sustainable impact on health,» she stated.
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FUENTE
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