Obesity control is really a matter of self-control. A person who has enough self-control to reduce calorie consumption or increase exercise can almost always overcome obesity. People who do not have self-control can often find ways to change their habits that work around the actual issue of eating. It is important to be cautious when choosing an indirect method of obesity control because old habits can return or new ones may develop. For these reasons, it is often useful to have a supervisor or friend assist in the treatment process.
The most basic method of obesity control is control over food and beverage consumption. This can be accomplished by adhering to a diet or by managing portions carefully. Sometimes people must resort to surgical methods that make it impossible to consume large amounts of food. Surgery as a method of obesity control is not particularly safe, and a person who has used surgery does not always learn the necessary self-control needed to maintain the weight loss.
When direct obesity control cannot be managed, other techniques may be used to gain similar results. Many people find that joining a club, for example, makes it easier to get exercise. Attending obesity rehab may also be helpful when getting started in the process of losing weight. Jump starting the weight loss process by attending a camp or clinic may seem like a good idea, but the changes learned during a camp do not always stick. It can be very easy to fall back into old patterns once someone has left the camp.
Sometimes, making changes in areas other than diet or exercise can be an excellent form of obesity control, particularly when a person has a psychological addiction to eating or aversion to exercise. Getting rid of the television, for example, can significantly reduce the amount of time a person spends being sedentary. Alternatively, having another person do the grocery shopping and purchasing only healthy foods can eliminate choice from meal time, making it much more difficult to eat poorly.
A person who does not wish to lose weight can always find ways to sabotage a diet or exercise plan. Even when a person thinks he or she is ready to lose weight, this is not always the case. One step that many people leave out of obesity control strategies is determining what behaviors and thought processes led to obesity in the first place. By acknowledging what kinds of behaviors need to change, a person can be much better equipped to deal with the stress of making major life changes.