The root causes of weight gain
From the neurological point of view, weight gain is mainly due to a disorder of the hypothalamus (the area of the brain that manages vital functions) because of the surplus secretion of cortisol, the stress hormone. This hormone plays a predominant role in virtually the whole physiological system: blood pressure, cardiovascular function, carbohydrate metabolism, immune function, etc.
The main cause of the disorder is stress and negative emotional states, both conscious and unconscious.
Whether stress is physiological or psychological, conscious or unconscious, it is the cause of weight gain.
More specifically, stress is generated by emotions. Studies indicate that people struggling with being overweight are those who experience the greatest difficulty in coping with difficult events, because of what is known as emotional intolerance, hypersensitivity or hyper-emotionality.
Being critical of oneself or being criticised by others, putting others before oneself, not knowing how to say no, being “too nice”, having low self-esteem, and also denying real/serious events such as death, illness, separation, etc., or being afraid of the future, of being a bad parent… are some examples of situations that can lead to negative emotions and therefore stress, which someone who is overweight will try to remedy through food.
Food is the “fuel” we need for our bodies to function properly. It has the ability to give us energy, meeting some of our needs for comfort, and calming us down almost instantly. For some people, it sometimes leads to negative emotions, such as guilt (during and after food intake). Lastly, it is known for its analgesic and anaesthetic effects. It is also possible to feel none of this and yet be overweight meaning that the stress is unconscious.
Losing weight for good without dieting by preventing and defusing stress
Méthode Meer® works in three phases because a healthy diet is not enough to stop weight gain; stress is also the cause of weight gain. Méthode Meer® is the only method in the world that also deals with all types of stress: the stress you know and can identify, as well as the stress you are not aware of, but still affects your behaviour.
Working on all types of stress
Stress category 1: CONSCIOUS STRESS
Conscious stress is stress that relates to what an individual experiences in their daily life and can be identified by them. Such stress may be of any type and is generated by relationships with friends and family, financial worries, career or personal activities, etc.
Stress category 2: EVENT-RELATED STRESS
Like the previous category, such stress is known, and is related to one or more events that can be dated: exams, death of a loved one, illness, the end of a relationship, marriage, failure to lose weight after pregnancy, menopause, etc.
Stress category 3: UNCONSCIOUS STRESS
As suggested by the name, unconscious stress is stress that cannot easily be detected. Such stress, which is carried directly in the genes, leads to automatic behaviour that restricts and alienates, such as obsessions relating to food or physical appearance. Méthode Meer® certified nutrition coaches are trained in NUB® (Neuro-Unconscious Behaviour®), an exclusive feature of Méthode Meer®, to help you understand and work on the automatic behaviour which makes you do the opposite of what you actually want to do.
Whether you are carrying a few pounds too many or are obese (or overweight), it is crucial to work on the last category of stress to stabilise weight loss over the long term and stop obsessing over food in order to not gain weight.
A holistic approach
The role of stress in weight loss is known; many current therapeutic approaches are aimed at finding solutions through a variety of techniques, but they are not sufficient.
Whether they are psychological (psychological or psychiatric counselling, psychotherapy, mentalism, meditation, mindfulness, coaching, personal development, EFT, etc.) or physiological (hypnosis, kinesiology, acupuncture, sports, reflexology, etc.), these approaches provide a partial and insufficient solution for obtaining lasting results.
Méthode Meer® is an innovative and holistic coaching approach. It includes both a behavioural and cognitive approach, coaching techniques as well as exclusive investigative know-how to reveal malfunctioning. It involves questioning, diagnosing, raising awareness and supporting, to experiment and model new behaviours in order to establish deep and lasting changes.
