The idea: Our brains are pre-programmed regarding our past behaviors and beliefs. The key to success in losing weight is to work on your own attitude towards the topic of losing weight.

More than one in three want to lose weight in 2026

Losing weight is the goal of many people. According to a new survey by the statistics portal “Statista” 37 percent of Germans plan for 2026. This goes hand in hand with eating healthier (50 percent) and doing more exercise (48 percent).

Psychological factors are crucial

In addition to genetic aspects such as metabolism, mental attitude in particular seems to have an impact on individual weight loss success.

Like Stefanie Schroeder, research assistant at the Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy University of Barmberg emphasized, psychological factors such as Self-control, motivation or that Dealing with emotional distress a significant influence on “whether we gain weight and how well we manage to lose weight successfully”.

Internal attitude determines movement behavior

As the expert explains, the inner attitude towards… Losing weight topic and what and how much we eat and also determines our movement behavior. Jacob Drachenberg, psychologist and stress expert, is also convinced of this: “Success in losing weight largely has to do with the image we have of ourselves,” explains the expert in an interview “Picture” . It is based on the following basic pillars:

• A person’s body weight results from the image they have of themselves.
• If you see yourself as sporty, active and fit, you act like a person who enjoys movement.
• If you see yourself as fat, unathletic and lazy, you act in the opposite way. True to the motto: “Exercise and sport are not for me, I have come to terms with it.”

“Self-fulfilling prophecy” causes the weight loss project to fail

As Drachenberg explains, these factors create a kind of “self-fulfilling prophecy.” Since people tend to have patterns and habits that appear to them to be the “only truth,” they tend to identify with them.

For example, many people are convinced that they are overweight, unathletic and lazy and, in accordance with their beliefs, stick to their behavior in order to steadily restore the state they know.

The result: a constant vicious circle. If your own “losing weight” plan fails again and again, every setback would be punished with anger and further devaluation of yourself, explains Drachenberg. You give up on yourself again and fall back into old behavior. “True to the motto: I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it,” said the expert.

Losing weight puts pressure on you

Another problem: Most people find losing weight stressful. The fear of failing and thus “revealing” one’s supposed indiscipline puts pressure on and usually ends in two scenarios:

1. You no longer feel up to the pressure and give up right from the start
2. The cortisol level rises due to the constant stress in the body and makes a decrease almost impossible.

Cortisol is also known as the “stress hormone” and, together with other messenger substances, regulates carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. If its concentration is too high, the hormone causes the breakdown of protein in the blood and the release of glucose. As a result, the body is on alert – ready for action at any time in order to react quickly to perceived dangers.

The problem: Nowadays we usually sit at home on the sofa or in the office. The excess energy provided is not broken down and weight gain is promoted as a result. In addition, the body craves a quick supply of energy in times of stress. Craving attacks are inevitable – a constant vicious circle of restriction and binge eating can be the result.

Eight steps to the perfect dream figure

To escape the constant cycle of self-sabotage, Drachenberg recommends eight steps that can help you lose weight:

1. Get rid of the idea that others think you are fat

Don’t always think about what others might think about you. “Most people don’t care what you look like,” emphasizes Drachenberg. “Don’t give anyone the power to influence your self-image” – you are your own biggest critic and can also be your biggest motivator.

2. Leave the past behind

Stop blaming yourself and look to the future with optimism. Finish with what was. “You didn’t intentionally sabotage yourself. If you could have done it better, you would have done it. What counts is what you can and want to do today.”

3. Be kind to yourself

Feel within yourself: How do you talk to yourself? How does your inner critic express itself? Create awareness of your own negative thoughts and reprogram yourself. Try to look at your body neutrally and appreciate it for what it is – a miracle of nature. Focus on positive aspects: “Your health, a beautiful smile, a full head of hair, a well-shaped butt – there are so many things that are good about you. You are not a flawed specimen that is full and nothing else,” emphasizes Drachenberg. What do you value about yourself?

4. Find new positive routines

Try to combine your current everyday life with new positive routines. Examples of this are:

• Walk 10,000 steps every day for 30 days
• choose stairs instead of the elevator,
• do two workouts a week,
• eat a large portion of vegetables with every meal or
• drink enough water every day.

“Think about an initial, feasible goal. Go for that. Then you can integrate more healthy routines,” recommends the expert.

5. Take it step by step

Gradually integrate more and more exercise into your everyday life. Take the stairs, get off the train one stop early and walk the rest of the way, go for a walk every evening. Make a game of it by looking for more and more ways to incorporate more exercise into daily life.

A simple but even more valuable tip: have fun with what you do. Don’t force yourself to do activities that you don’t feel like doing in the first place. Combine unfamiliar, new activities with positive, existing habits. Instead of reading on the couch, you can listen to the book as a radio play while taking a walk. While you train on the exercise bike, reward yourself with your favorite series. Do your own thing and feel within yourself what is good for you.

7. Find a weight loss or exercise partner

“It’s easier in a community, it’s stimulating and it’s more fun. You don’t have to be a lone fighter,” summarizes Drachenberg. Whether in a club or just as a couple: motivate each other and stay true to your activities. This brings you together and binds you to your activities.

Finally, the most important keyword is: routine. Set specific days or times when you do your activities. “Try out beforehand when you have the most energy and desire,” says Drachenberg. And then stay tuned.