April 25, 2019
Nutrition Education: BREAKING NEGATIVE THOUGHT PATTERNS
People who have trouble with their weight can often become trapped in negative thought patterns that reinforce harmful behaviors. Examples of negative thoughts are:
“I’m too lazy to exercise.”
“I’m too greedy to stick to a diet.”
“Why bother trying to lose weight? I’ll just gain it all back.”
If you genuinely believe these things, you’ll see nothing but failure when you imagine trying to lose weight. For that reason, it’s important to identify and overcome these negative thought patterns in order to achieve your goals. Here are some strategies you can use:
1. Recognize the Pattern
Negative thought patterns often develop over a long period of time. They can become so ingrained that you don’t even recognize them; they simple happen automatically. However, if you want to BREAK the pattern, you first have to recognize the thoughts for what they are. Here are the most common types:
▪All-or-nothing thinking - “I have to do it perfectly or not at all.”
▪Negative focus - “Life is just one big disappointment after another.”
▪Negative self-labeling - “I’m such a failure.”
▪Catastrophizing - “I’m just going to fail again and everyone will think I’m a loser.”
▪Need for approval - “Nobody will love me if I don’t lose weight.”
▪Mind-reading - “They obviously think I’m greedy and lazy.”
▪Past dwelling - “I should never have had that big meal. If I had stayed strong I would have met my target.”
▪Pessimism - “I’m just not meant to be happy.”
List your negative thoughts in a journal so that you can analyze and understand them
2. Look at the Root
Now you recognize the thought, look at why you think that way. Think about what was happening and how you felt when the thought was occurring. Think of other times you’ve had that thought - was it when your mother berated you for making unhealthy food choices, or your partner commented about your weight gain?
3. Evaluate the Thought
Ask yourself if your thought was a reasonable and proportionate reaction. For example, are you really a failure just because you gave in and snacked on cookies? Are you being fair to yourself? Is that enough of a transgression to apply such a broad and unkind statement to your entire being?!
4. Determine the Consequences
Examine how you feel after each thought. When you tell yourself you’re a failure, does it hold you back from opportunities that would better your life? When you tell yourself nobody would love you as you are, does it make you want to isolate yourself? Do you become lonely and depressed? Really, truly understand the negative impact these thoughts have on you.
5. Meditate
Meditation is wonderful technique for overcoming negative thought patterns. Find a quiet space and meditate on your negative thoughts. Don’t try to change or judge them, just allow them to flow and become fully aware of them.
As an impartial observer, you can remain emotionally detached and gain a clearer understanding of your thoughts, which will help you to gain control over them.
6. ????Choose Constructive Thoughts????
Practice replacing your negative thoughts with positive, constructive thoughts. This can take practice, and you might not necessarily believe what you’re telling yourself at first. However, it will become easier as those thoughts start to take root, just as the negative ones did.
Here’s an example:
In a moment of stress, you indulge in an unhealthy snack to make yourself feel better. You get carried away, and before you know it, you’ve binged on junk food. You feel terrible, and you find yourself thinking:
"I can’t believe I did that! I’m so weak and greedy. I’ll never lose weight, what’s the point in trying?
Stop! You’ve recognized a number of negative thoughts. Imagine you’re talking to a loved one in the same situation, and tell yourself:
"No, that’s not right. I am not weak or greedy. I am human and I had a moment of weakness, but it does not define who I am. I will keep trying to lose weight because I deserve to be happy and healthy. I will not let one setback derail me."
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