Visiting psychiatrist unravels self-sabotage

NEWS RELEASE

20 March 2007
For immediate release

Visiting psychiatrist unravels self-sabotage of weight loss
Current obesity management techniques flawed

A visiting international medical doctor and psychiatrist claims current traditional approaches to reduce weight loss are unsophisticated, and often result in weight gain rather than weight loss.

Dr Blair-West, the former Director of Psychophysiology at Brisbane's River City Private Hospital is in New Zealand from 30 March to 3 April presenting workshops as part of a world tour. He believes that when it comes to weight loss, most people are very aware that what they're eating is wrong.

In his book, Weight Loss for Food Lovers: Understanding the Psychology & Sabotage of Weight Loss it's what Dr Blair-West calls 'the whys' that are the real challenge.

"Why we eat what we shouldn't; why we don't eat what we should; why we don't exercise to the level we should; and the biggest one - why we sabotage our weight loss plans."

The author and doctor has been invited to New Zealand by Dr Stephan Raubenheimer to present the research into Restraint Theory, which forms the basis of Blair-West's book.

"Dr Blair-West's work is one of the most significant breakthroughs in our understanding of the struggle people have in trying to lose weight since obesity has become a problem," Dr Raubenheimer said.

"A lot of psychological research into the consequences of deprivation hasn't made it to the frontline of obesity prevention," says Dr Blair-West.

"The 80% failure rate of traditional weight loss plans is no surprise once you understand Restraint Theory.

"Most people have the psychology of diet motivation all wrong," said Dr Blair-West, who specialises in group and individual weight loss psychotherapy and helping people make long-term lifestyle changes.

"The messages overweight and obese people get are that they are weak-willed, slovenly and not disciplined enough, and this just is not the case. This is where we were with smoking 20 years ago; we learned that we needed to look at why people smoked not that it was bad for them they all knew that."

He says if we deprive ourselves of food we have an emotional attachment to, we will ultimately sabotage our weight loss plan and move into rebound overeating.

"Even the prospect of beginning a diet can cause people to rebound into overeating in what is called the Last Supper Effect. And once they have blown a diet, the What the Hell Effect kicks in, which also results in overeating."

According to Dr Blair-West, the more self-discipline a weight loss program requires, the more likely it is to fail.

So what's the answer to combating obesity?

The solution to this conundrum according to Dr Blair-West is the Low Sacrifice 'Diet' which is a long-term eating lifestyle. It's low on self-discipline and there is no calorie counting.

Dr Blair-West uses Zen Buddhism teachings on mindfulness which teach people how to happily eat less by tasting more.

"This is not a diet book. I don't tell people what to eat; I teach them how to manage the psychological challenge of weight loss.

"And you really need to know how to sabotage your saboteur, so you don't waste your time and money next time you try to lose weight."

About Dr Blair-West

Trained as a medical doctor, specialising in psychiatry, Dr Blair-West has worked as a psychotherapist for 20 years.

Dr Blair-West's motivation for writing this book is from his own experience combating a cholesterol problem he developed in his late 30's. He took up a traditional weight loss programme involving rigorous exercise, a strict diet and achieved his target weight over a year. But within six weeks, he had put all the weight back on.

"I decided to do it differently the second time around, I had to do it in a way that I could maintain for the rest of my life," he said.

Delving into research showing the effectiveness of traditional diets, he found the medical profession was better at treating most cancers than at treating obesity. He also discovered an entire body of research that was not being considered by most clinicians.

Weight Loss for Food Lovers: Understanding the psychology and sabotage of weight loss is the result of this research.

Dr Blair-West is a Life Fellow of the Obesity Prevention & Treatment Society. He is regularly invited to present at international obesity congresses and is currently giving a series of workshops for professionals throughout the western world.

Dr George Blair-West will be in Auckland from 30 March - 3 April and is available for interview.

Appearances
Free public talk: Sunday, April 1, 11am at XL Caf, 167 Symonds St, Auckland. Ph 09 3687145 to rsvp. For further information visit www.weightlossforfoodlovers.com

Workshop: the Psychology and Sabotage of Weight Loss is on Saturday 31 March For further information visit www.weightlosspsychology.com

Weight Loss for Food Lovers: Understanding the psychology and sabotage of weight loss by Dr George Blair-West is a paperback distributed by Addenda Publishing priced at $34.99.

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