May 15, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
As long as dieters use food as a reward, dieting can feel like punishment. Food is something to be enjoyed, but if dieters want to lose weight they have to find other ways to reward themselves so that maintaining healthy eating doesn’t feel as if they are being unkind to themselves.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
May 14, 2012 - Monday Motivation
In dieting (as in life) everybody makes mistakes. You’re entitled to make mistakes – but you’re not entitled to let the memory of those mistakes get in your way. Wipe your slate clean and get started right this moment!
Monday, May 14, 2012
May 11, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
Many dieters find it more difficult to stay in control of their eating on weekends and so it is especially important for them to remember exactly WHY it’s worth it to them to continue working hard. Dieting and healthy eating can be challenging, but its benefits are immeasurable.
Friday, May 11, 2012
May 10, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
On any given day, the number on the scale is EXACTLY what it should be, given what you ate the day before, how much energy you expended, various biological factors, etc. Even if you were perfect on your diet, the scale may not go down due to 100 different reasons.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
May 9, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: It’s not fair I can’t eat normally like everyone else.
Response: Actually, I AM eating normally for someone with my goals. And while it may not be fair I can’t eat in the same way as (some) other people, it would be so much more unfair if I couldn’t reach my goals.
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
May 8, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
Dieting and eating healthy can be hard – but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Likely you’ve accomplished other hard things in your life that you weren’t sure you’d be able to. Just because it can be hard doesn’t give you an excuse to not try.
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
May 7, 2012 - Monday Motivation
No matter what you did or didn’t eat over the weekend, today is the start of a new week and a fresh chance to have a great eating week!
Monday, May 07, 2012
May 4, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
Are you tired of trying to get back on track every Monday morning after overdoing it on the weekend? This weekend, make a plan and use your skills and come Monday morning you will be so happy you did. Guaranteed you won’t regret even ONE MOMENT that you stayed on track.
Friday, May 04, 2012
May 3, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
It’s important to remember that dieters can gain weight if they eat too much food – even if it’s healthy food. Just because it’s healthy doesn’t mean you don’t have to watch portion sizes.
Thursday, May 03, 2012
May 2, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: It’s okay to eat this because if I don’t, I’ll disappoint [my friend].
Response: If I eat off plan, I’ll disappoint MYSELF. Besides, my friend's disappointment will likely be momentary but the disappointment I’ll feel when I go off plan, shake my confidence, and possibly gain weight will last for so much longer.
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
May 1, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
If dieters want to lose weight and keep it off, they can’t continue eating for emotional reasons. This does NOT mean that they aren’t entitled to feel better, it just means that they aren’t entitled to EAT to feel better.
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
April 30, 2012 - Monday Motivation
A dieter recently said to us, “For the first time I was able to go shopping and fit into everything I tried on and I actually LIKED what a saw in the mirror. It was the best feeling ever.” It’s important to remember just WHY you’re working on healthy eating and all of the amazing advantages that you get in doing so.
Monday, April 30, 2012
April 27, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you think, “ It’s not fair I can’t be spontaneous with my eating on weekends,” remind yourself, “ I can still be spontaneous in many other non-food ways. Besides, all the benefits of weight loss feel so much BETTER, and for so much LONGER, than any one spontaneous decision to eat.” “Like” our status today if you’re making the commitment to stay on track this weekend!
Friday, April 27, 2012
April 26, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
It’s important to make sure the diet you choose to follow isn’t overly restrictive and doesn’t cut out your favorite foods because guaranteed that is not a diet you will stick to for the long term. Besides, when has following that type of diet in the past EVER helped you to lose weight and keep it off?
Thursday, April 26, 2012
April 25, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotaging
Sabotaging Thought: Since I’m eating pizza, I need to eat as much as possible because I don’t know when I can have it again.
Response: Actually, I can plan to eat pizza EVERY SINGLE day if I want. This is not like other “diets” because I am not depriving myself of foods I like; instead I’m just planning in advance when to have them. I don’t need to be in a “last meal” mindset because there is NOTHING I can’t ever eat again.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
April 24, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
While resisting a craving might be uncomfortable in the MOMENT, giving in to that craving and then feeling bad about yourself and your eating will be uncomfortable for so much longer.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
April 23, 2012 - Monday Motivation
When you're trying to diet and eat healthfully, it's important to remember that it's possible to successfully navigate ANY situation, regardless of the circumstances. While some situations are harder than others, nothing is impossible.
Monday, April 23, 2012
April 20, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
Many dieters think, “I’ll wait to start doing new things until I’ve lost weight.” This is counterproductive because expanding your activities lifts your mood and gives you many non-food-related opportunities for pleasure and satisfaction. This weekend, don’t wait to try new things - start right away! You never know where it might take you.
Friday, April 20, 2012
April 19, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
While it’s often important to respond to your sabotaging thoughts so they don’t get the best of you, there are other times, like if you keep having the same thought over and over again, when it’s best to just ignore them. If, for example, every time you go to get coffee you think, “I really want one of those donuts,” it can be helpful to say, “That’s just a sabotaging thought. Pay no attention to it and move on.”
Thursday, April 19, 2012
April 18, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: I’m going to eat whatever I feel like right now because I don’t want to think about dieting.
Response: Actually, the only thing I’ll be doing is POSTPONING when I’ll think about dieting because if I go off track now, guaranteed I’ll spend a lot of time thinking and feeling bad about it later. So either I think about it now, stay on track, and feel great, or I get off track, think about it later, and feel bad. Either way I’ll still be thinking about it.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
April 17, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
If you think, “It’s okay to eat this because I’ve been good all day and turned down many temptations,” remind yourself that your body has no idea how many things you DIDN’T eat, it only knows what you do eat. Saying ‘no’ before doesn’t automatically mean you can say ‘yes’ right now.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
April 16, 2012 - Monday Motivation
When dieters get off track, they often truly forget how good it feels to be in control of their eating. Therefore, the thought of getting back on track usually feels much more daunting and burdensome than it really is – because once they’re there, they feel so great about it.
Monday, April 16, 2012
April 13, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you think, “I just don’t want the burden of thinking about dieting this weekend,” remind yourself: Eating right is a burden, but being overweight is a burden too (physically, psychologically, financially, etc.) EITHER WAY I’M BURDENED, but at least in one way I get to be thinner, healthier, and feel good about myself.
Friday, April 13, 2012
April 12, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
When you make a dieting mistake, it’s helpful to NOT use the word “cheat” because “cheating” can have very negative, sometimes moralistic undertones. If you make a mistake in dieting, it doesn’t make you a bad person, it makes you a NORMAL person.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
April 11, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: When I’m stressed, I’m entitled to eat to calm down.
Response: Actually, when I’m stressed I’m entitled to calm down but I’m ALSO entitled to lose weight, be healthy, and feel good about myself so that calmness can’t come from food.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
April 10th, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
Your body processes every bite of food you eat in the same way whether or not it’s your birthday, it’s a holiday, you’re tired, you’re stressed, you’re celebrating, everyone around you is eating it, it’s free, no one is watching, you’re on vacation, you’re at a party, you’re bored, etc. etc. etc.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
April 9, 2012 - Monday Motivation
Some dieters think, “I don’t deserve credit until I reach my weight loss goals.” This is 100% NOT TRUE because all the small steps along the way are what add up to the big changes. If you’re not already, right this moment start giving yourself credit for all the progress you’ve made and all the good things you’re doing.
Monday, April 09, 2012
April 6, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
This is a holiday weekend for many people, which is a time for celebration and joy. Remember - if you eat out of control, you very likely will feel bad about it and taint your good feelings. If you stay in control, you’ll have a BETTER weekend because you won’t spend time or energy feeling bad and guilty about yourself or your eating.
Friday, April 06, 2012
April 5, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
When dieting, you’ll probably be eating less food than you have been so it’s important for you to see all of it spread out in front of you at meal or snack time. This will help you feel more physically AND psychologically satisfied.
Thursday, April 05, 2012
April 4, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: I don’t deserve credit for my dieting tasks because I should already be doing them.
Response: No, I SHOULDN’T already be doing these things because I didn’t know how. If this was easy, nobody would be overweight. It’s imperative that I give myself credit and recognize my accomplishments so that I can build my confidence and my sense of self-efficacy.
Wednesday, April 04, 2012
April 3, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
If you think, “It’s unfair that I have to work on dieting,” remind yourself that you have three options. You can give up and continue gaining weight each year, diet on and off and ultimately end up weighing more than you want to, or you can accept that this isn’t fair, move on, and continue doing what you have to do to lose weight. Which option will leave you feeling the most content?
Tuesday, April 03, 2012
April 2, 2012 - Monday Motivation
Although answering back to your sabotaging thoughts can initially be difficult, over time as you practice these ideas again and again, you’ll begin to automatically respond to them, even without Response Cards. When this happens, dieting gets a lot EASIER!
Monday, April 02, 2012
March 30, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you want to lose weight and keep it off, weekends can’t be an excuse to overeat. However, it’s important to remember that it’s not all-or-nothing: it’s not as if you can eat everything you want or nothing you want. You can still enjoy reasonable portions AND get all of the advantages of weight loss.
Friday, March 30, 2012
March 29, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
It is difficult for many dieters to tell whether or not they are actually hungry because they tend to confuse hunger with countless other sensations, like having a craving or feeling tired, bored, stressed, thirsty, sad, happy, etc. Eating according to a schedule can be helpful for dieters because it means they don’t have to rely on their sometimes faulty sense of hunger to know whether or not to eat.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
March 28, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: I don’t want to exercise.
Response: I shouldn’t go by whether or not I want to exercise. If I want to lose weight and keep it off, and have good health, I need to exercise. Besides, I might be making this into a much bigger deal that it really is. I can do this.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
March 27, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
Tuesday Reality Check: If you make a dieting mistake during the day, remind yourself, “I haven’t blown it. It’s not the end of the world. Start following my plan again RIGHT NOW and stop it at one mistake, don’t turn it into more. It’s a million times better to stop now than to allow myself to eat more.”
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
March 26, 2012 - Monday Motivation
So often we hear from dieters: I want to lose weight so I can finally stop thinking about it. However, the truth is that for dieters who are losing and maintaining their weight loss, their weight will probably still be on their minds – BUT it will be in a really positive and contented way, instead of a negative and frustrated way.
Monday, March 26, 2012
March 23, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
To help stay in control, consider making a weekend-specific Response Card, such as, “My body doesn’t know or care it’s a weekend, it processes calories the same and if I eat too much I’ll gain weight. If I stay in control of my eating, I will have a BETTER weekend because I will feel good about myself, not bad. It’s worth it!”
Friday, March 23, 2012
March 22, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
When dieting, look out for sabotaging thoughts that start with the phrase, “I’m entitled to eat this because…” (I'm sad, stressed, bored, upset, etc.). If you have to justify to yourself why it’s okay to eat something, it often means you probably shouldn’t.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
March 21, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: It’s sad that I can’t eat everything I want, whenever I want.
Response: Actually, it’s so GREAT that I can stick with my plan and lose weight. It would be so much sadder if I was stuck at an unhealthy weight where I didn’t feel good about myself.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
March 20, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
It’s important to READ a list of all the reasons you want to lose weight every day. If you think, “This won’t help,” remind yourself, “I don’t have a crystal ball so I don’t know yet whether or not it will help, but I do know that NOT doing this has never helped me reach my weight loss goals. It’s worth a try.”
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
March 19, 2012 - Monday Motivation
Remember, you can’t change what has happened in the past, you can only control what happens in the future. Whether or not you got off track this weekend, you can start being on track RIGHT NOW and feel good about your eating all week long.
Monday, March 19, 2012
March 16, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you’re going out this weekend, it’s very helpful to plan in advance how many alcoholic drinks you’ll have. Remember – alcohol has calories AND can lower your inhibitions to eat more. If you think, “I can’t have fun unless I drink as much as I want,” remind yourself, “It isn’t all or nothing. There is a big middle ground between having no drinks and having lots and lots of drinks.”
Friday, March 16, 2012
March 15, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Everybody makes dieting mistakes. Everybody. Once dieters learn how to get right back on track after a slip up, they don’t have to live in fear of them and as long as dieters recover immediately, mistakes NEVER have to lead to them throwing in the towel.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
March 14, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: It’s too hard to get myself back on track because it’s too much of a burden to do all the things I used to do.
Response: Actually, it feels terrible to be off track. When I was doing my dieting tasks before it really DIDN’T feel all that burdensome because I was in control of my eating and it felt GREAT. Once I make myself start doing them again, I’ll be reminded of how much better I feel.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
March 13, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
It’s important to know that when you’re dieting, you won’t lose weight every day, or even every week. However, as long as the number keeps moving down over time, it means you’re doing what you need to be doing.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
March 12, 2012 - Monday Motivation
When you’re dieting, you are giving up eating some food, some of the time, and you’re probably forcing yourself to do things you don’t want to do (like stop eating). However, it’s important to remember that in doing so you get SO MUCH in return. There’s no denying it can be hard work, but the payoff is enormous.
Monday, March 12, 2012
March 9, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
The weekend is a great time to fit in exercise. Remember – 5 minutes is ALWAYS better than 0 minutes. Likely the hardest part is just getting started and once you’re done you definitely won’t regret it.
Friday, March 09, 2012
March 8, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
It doesn’t work to tell yourself, “I’ll get through this hard time and then I’ll start dieting” because hard/stressful times never stop happening. Instead, you can learn to maintain control over your eating during hard times, which will undoubtedly help you feel more in control in general.
Thursday, March 08, 2012
March 7, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: I don’t want to weigh myself because I’ll feel terrible if the number goes up.
Response: I’ll only feel terrible if I let my sabotaging thoughts convince me that I’m bad or weak for gaining weight. At worse, gaining weight means I may have made mistakes that I can correct during this coming week.
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
March 6, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
If you’re following the Beck Diet Solution program, it simply doesn’t work to only do the skills you feel like doing. If you had an infection and your doctor prescribed you 10 days of medication, you won’t take 5 and expect it to work. Dieting is the same!
Tuesday, March 06, 2012
March 5, 2012 - Monday Motivation
Focus on what you can do today. If you think, “I can’t keep this up for a month, a year, or longer” remind yourself, “Forget the long term. I know I can continue to do what I need to do today. If it’s hard tomorrow I’ll deal with it then.” Besides – a year from now you’ll have a year’s worth of more practice under your belt.
Monday, March 05, 2012
March 2, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you eat at restaurants this weekend, likely the portions of food will be too big so you’ll have to bring some home or leave some on your plate. Remember – extra food will be wasted in the trash can or in your body. Either way, it’s wasted.
Friday, March 02, 2012
March 1, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Eating everything sitting down is helpful because it allows dieters to cut out the calories from bites they would mindlessly pop in their mouths while standing up and it usually hardly registers that they’re eating less.
Thursday, March 01, 2012
February 29, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: I was so good at dinner that I deserve to treat myself when I get home tonight.
Response: My body doesn’t know or care about all of the food I resisted eating, it only knows what food I did eat. If I eat more food than my body needs, I will gain weight.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
February 28, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
If every time you buy a bag of potato chips you tell yourself, “I’ll be able to stop at one serving,” and then never do, when you’re next tempted to buy a bag, ask yourself, “What’s the evidence I’ll be able to stop when I know I should? This is always difficult for me so why put myself through that?” and buy a single-sized bag instead.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
February 27, 2012 - Monday Motivation
Losing weight will likely affect so many different areas of your life for the better and, as you start losing, you’re undoubtedly discover additional benefits along the way. While dieting can feel hard at times, there’s no end to what you’ll get in return for doing so
Monday, February 27, 2012
February 24, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you think, “I just want to enjoy this weekend and not think about food and dieting,” remind yourself, “Either way I’ll think about it. If I overeat I’ll likely have to think about how bad and guilty I feel, but if I stay in control, I’ll think about how good and proud I feel. Either way it will be on my mind, but at least if I maintain control my thoughts will be positive, not negative.”
Friday, February 24, 2012
February 23, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
The difference between knowing what you’re supposed to do and getting yourself to do it is figuring out what (sabotaging) thoughts are getting in the way. Once you figure out the thoughts, you can formulate responses, write them down on cards, and practice reading these cards every day. This will enable you to effectively respond to sabotaging thoughts in the moment and not give in.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
February 22, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: Because I’m stressed out I need to eat.
Response: No, I may WANT to eat, but I don’t NEED to eat. If I was feeling this way and there was no food available, I would get through it without eating. Just because I want to eat right now doesn’t mean I should.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
February 21, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
If you eat when you’re feeling stressed, likely once you finish eating you will end up feeling MORE stressed and out of control. Instead, if you focus your energy on calming down (without food) and solving the problem, you will feel better and more in control.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
February 20, 2012 - Monday Motivation
If you were walking down a flight of stairs and stumbled down a few, would you then say “Well, I’ve blown it” and throw yourself down the rest? No! You would get back up and resume walking. If you stumbled this weekend, immediately pick yourself back up and start eating healthy again.
Monday, February 20, 2012
February 17, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
Obvious but important reminder – your body has no idea that it’s the weekend. If you take in too many calories on weekends you WILL gain weight or stop yourself from losing weight. However, if you stay in control during the weekend, you WILL feel great about it and not regret it Monday morning.
Friday, February 17, 2012
February 16, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
It can be very hard to remember every bite of food we eat each day and so writing down all your eating can be so useful in really knowing how much you’re eating and really being accountable for every bite you eat. If you know you have to write it down, it may help you consider whether or not you really want to eat it.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
February 15, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: I’m too stressed to diet right now.
Response: It’s true I’m under a lot of stress, but there are times when sticking to my plan has made life easier because I don’t have to think about or struggle over food. If I maintain control over my eating, likely I will feel more in control of my life in general.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
February 14, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
Your body counts every single bite of food you eat, whether or not you eat it standing up, very quickly, on your birthday, if it’s only a small piece, by yourself, in the middle of the night, when everyone around you is eating, when it’s free, if it will go to waste, because you’re sad or stressed, if you’re celebrating, etc.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
February 13, 2012 - Monday Motivation
Since there’s probably never a “good” time to start dieting, why not just start today? Think about how much better you’ll feel next Monday morning if you have a whole week of healthy eating and feeling good about yourself under your belt!
Monday, February 13, 2012
February 10, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
It’s helpful to go into the weekend EXPECTING that dieting may be more difficult and preparing ahead of time. No one would go into battle without armor, so it’s important to fortify yourself and put on your weekend armor so you’re not caught unawares if it feels harder.
Friday, February 10, 2012
February 9, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
If you’re feeling upset or stressed – even if it’s time to eat, don’t eat! It’s important to prove to yourself that you can calm down without eating and besides, if you’re worked up you won’t really be able to enjoy the food anyway.
Thursday, February 09, 2012
February 8, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: It’s sad that I can’t eat everything I want.
Response: Actually, it’s WONDERFUL that I can stick with my plan and lose weight! The sad thing would be to stay overweight and feel bad about myself.
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
February 7, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you can’t turn to food every time you’re upset. Not only will that not solve the problem, you will end up with two problems: the original one and now feeling bad about your eating. When you’re upset, you DO deserve to be comforted but you DON’T deserve to feel bad about your eating.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
February 6, 2012 - Monday Motivation
When people tell us that they can’t lose weight because it’s too hard, we remind them that likely they’ve done other hard things in life, like getting a degree, being successful at a job, or learning a new skill. Those things didn’t come to them overnight and they had to work hard to achieve success and made mistakes along the way. Dieting is no different.
Monday, February 06, 2012
February 3, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you’re going to watch the Super Bowl this weekend, remember: you can’t eat (and drink) everything you want, in whatever quantities you want, and still lose weight. But you CAN plan ahead to have some extra treats, stay in control of your eating, and enjoy them guilt-free.
Friday, February 03, 2012
February 2, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
It’s not always easy to exert dieting willpower, so it’s often worth it to limit the number of times you need to do so. Whether this means keeping certain foods out of your house, only bringing in individual-sized portions, or putting away leftovers immediately after you serve, the more you cut down the need to use willpower the less you will have to rely on it.
Thursday, February 02, 2012
February 1, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: “I just can’t stick to my diet right now.”
Response: There's a difference between hard and impossible. Saying I “can’t” stick to my diet is essentially saying it’s impossible, which gives me permission to not even try. I need to remember that even though it may be very hard, it’s worth it to try because I feel so much better when I do.
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
January 31, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
It is not reasonable to expect that in dieting you will never make mistakes and it’s extremely important to prove to yourself that you can slip up and recover from it right away. This way you don’t have to live in fear of making a mistake, especially since 100% perfection can only be maintained for so long.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012 - Monday Motivation
Even if dieting didn’t have enormous benefits in terms of weight loss and better health, it would STILL be worth it because being in control of your eating feels so much better than being out of control.
Monday, January 30, 2012
January 27, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
Are you tired of struggling to get back on track every Monday? Are you tired of undoing all your good work from the week and undermining your progress? Keep these things in mind this weekend when making eating decisions and guaranteed Monday morning you will feel SO HAPPY you stayed in control.
Friday, January 27, 2012
January 26, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
We find that for many of our dieters, intuitive eating is difficult because it is far too easy to confuse hunger with other sensations – craving, thirst, boredom, stress, or simply the desire to eat. Because of this, we work with our dieters on the skill of “eating according to a schedule” so that they don’t have to rely on potentially faulty cues to know whether or not to eat.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
January 25, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: It’s okay to eat this unplanned food because I’ll eat less and make up for it later.
Response: Looking back, when has ‘making up for it later’ EVER helped me to lose weight and keep it off? I’ve already proven to myself that this idea just doesn’t work and that spontaneous food decisions have negative consequences. Just stick to my plan and as soon as this food is out of my sight, I’ll be SO GLAD I didn’t have any.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
January 24, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
In order to lose weight permanently, dieters can’t keep turning to food when they’re upset. Although initially difficult, dieters can learn to sooth themselves in many other ways and get to the point where, when they feel upset, they know they’re not going to eat because that would ultimately make them feel much worse. What do you do to soothe yourself when you’re upset?
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
January 23, 2012 - Monday Motivation
You wouldn’t expect to be able to run a marathon if you’ve never run a mile. Dieting is the same – don’t set yourself up for failure by trying to take too many big steps all at once. Start with a few small changes, work until you master them, and then institute more. After all, small steps eventually add up to really big ones.
Monday, January 23, 2012
January 19, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Cravings are about want, NOT need. When you think, “I really need this food right now,” remind yourself, “Actually, I really want this food right now, but I want all the benefits of weight loss so much more. It’s worth it to resist because it will get me to my goals.”
Thursday, January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: It will be a waste of money if I go to a restaurant and don’t finish my meal.
Response: The money is spent whether I eat the food or not. I should focus on the experience of enjoying a night out and enjoying the company, not eating every bite on my plate. Besides, if I bring some home I’ll save money because I’ll have food for another meal.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
When dieting feels hard, it’s important to remind yourself that it hasn’t always been this hard (it’s helpful to think about specific examples of when it felt easier and you were feeling great) and it won’t always be this hard. As long as you keep pushing through, dieting WILL get easier again.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
January 16, 2012 - Monday Motivation
We asked a maintainer what keeps her motivated, and she responded, “I feel good in my body every single day. Physically and mentally I’ve never felt better, and that is something I’m never willing to give up. So I do what I have to do, and it feel great.”
Monday, January 16, 2012
January 13, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you eat at restaurants and feel bad about asking for special requests, remind yourself, “People make special requests all the time and I’m entitled to do so, too. If I were on a very strict medical diet I wouldn’t even think twice about making requests. Eating differently to lose weight and be healthier is just as legitimate.”
Friday, January 13, 2012
January 12, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
When it seems unfair that you can’t eat something, remind yourself, “It’s true that it’s not fair. But I need to ask myself: which unfairness would I rather have – not being able to eat this or not losing weight?” Then work on accepting it and move on!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
January 11, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: It’s okay to eat this one thing standing up, it won’t really matter.
Response: Every bite matters because it’s not about the calories, it’s about the habit. Every single time I eat something standing up, I increase the chances I’ll eat standing up next time, too. Every single time I force myself to sit down, I make it more likely I’ll sit down the next time, AND it will be easier for me to do so
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
January 10, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
People make New Year’s Resolutions about things that are important to them. If you made the resolution to eat healthfully this year and are having trouble with it, remind yourself that this is STILL an important goal and worth working towards. The results make the hard work worth it, so don’t give up!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
January 9, 2012 - Monday Motivation
Many dieters have a tendency to focus on the one or two mistakes they made that day instead of recognizing the dozens of positive things they have done. We always remind dieters that two wrong things IN NO WAY negates 20 right things, so make sure you keep a realistic perspective of your day as a whole.
Monday, January 09, 2012
January 6, 2012 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you make an eating mistake and have the sabotaging thought, “I’ve blown it for the weekend, I’ll start again on Monday,” remind yourself that the calories NEVER stop adding up, and the more you eat the more you will gain. Getting yourself back in control right away will stop you from gaining weight AND help you feel good about your eating for the rest of the weekend.
Friday, January 06, 2012
January 5, 2012 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
When dieters have the thought, “I’m too busy to eat healthfully and exercise,” we remind them that these things are ESSENTIAL for their health, and if they’re not in good health then they won’t be well-equipped to do anything else in their lives.
Thursday, January 05, 2012
January 4, 2012 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: I don’t want to diet because then I’ll be burdened with thinking about food and diet all the time.
Response: I’m already burdened by constantly feeling bad about my weight and wanting to do something about it. Either way I’m burdened but at least in the in the first case I get to be thinner, healthier, and feel better about myself.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
January 3, 2012 - Tuesday Reality Check
When people feel anxious about starting to diet, they may tell themselves that they’ll start tomorrow. This makes them feel less anxious because it means they have a plan – but far too often they never put that plan in place. Instead, make it your plan to start RIGHT NOW and guarantee that it will happen.
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
January 2, 2012 - Monday Motivation
Is losing weight/getting healthy one of your New Year’s Resolutions? The sooner you start working on it the sooner you will achieve it, so start taking small steps TODAY towards that goal and all the small steps will begin to add up to big ones.
Monday, January 02, 2012
December 30, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
Happy (almost) New Years! Our plan is to enjoy New Year’s Eve, but also to stay in control of our eating and drinking so that we can feel good every minute of 2011 and start 2012 in a great place. What’s your plan?
Friday, December 30, 2011
December 29, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
If you think, “It’s not fair I can’t eat normally over the holidays,” remind yourself, “Actually, I AM eating normally for someone with my weight loss goals. And while it may be unfair I can’t eat all the food I want, it would be MUCH more unfair if I couldn’t experience the countless benefits of weight loss.”
Thursday, December 29, 2011
December 28, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: My eating has been so bad lately, I’ll just wait until the New Year to get back on track.
Response: Absolutely not! I will get back on track right now because every minute I eat off track is another minute I feel bad about myself and my eating. It’s worth it to me to get back on track now and start the New Year off right.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
December 27, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
No matter how much or how little control you were able to exert over the holiday weekend, today is a new day. Make today a good day and you will be SO GLAD you did. Being in control of your eating feels great!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
December 23, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
This weekend, if you think, “It’s okay to eat this because everyone else is eating it,” remind yourself that your body doesn’t know or care what everyone around you is eating. It ONLY knows what you eat, so that is not a valid excuse.
Friday, December 23, 2011
December 22, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
During the holidays, it’s perfectly reasonable to eat food you only get once a year, but it’s not reasonable to eat huge portions of everything. At this time it’s especially important to eat slowly and mindfully because not only will it help you to enjoy food more, but you’ll also be satisfied with less.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
December 21, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: The holidays are stressful and I just want to relax and not have one more thing to worry about.
Response: In the past I’ve seen that worrying about my weight and feeling bad about my eating is a huge drain. Maintaining control over my eating will actually make me feel better because it’ll help me feel more in control in general AND it will reduce my stress because I won’t have to worry about gaining weight.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
December 20, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
If you think, “I don’t have time for diet and exercise,” remind yourself that you DO make time for the things in life that are most important to you. If the advantages of losing weight and being healthy are of great importance to you, then make dieting and exercise top priorities and you will find the time NO MATTER WHAT.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
December 19, 2011 - Monday Motivation
You can’t undo any eating from the past, you can only control what you do eat in the future so there’s no point in berating yourself for past mistakes. Instead, focus on what you can do to make TODAY’s eating a success and you will feel so glad that you did.
Monday, December 19, 2011
December 16, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you were driving on the highway and missed your exit, would you say, “Forget it” and keep driving? No! You’d get off at the very next exit and turn around. If you make a mistake this weekend, immediately turn yourself around and get right back on track.
Friday, December 16, 2011
December 15, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
You don’t have to give in to a craving to make it go away. Cravings go away when you either decide definitely to give in to it, or when you decide definitely NOT to give in to it.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
December 14, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: It’s okay to have this extra food, it’s not that much compared to what I could be eating.
Response: My body doesn’t know or care how much I’m NOT eating, it only knows how much I AM eating. If I take in more calories than I had planned, I’ll gain weight
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
December 13, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
Losing or maintaining weight over the holidays can be difficult, but it is by no means impossible. If you tell yourself, “I just can’t possibly lose weight at this time,” you’re giving yourself an excuse to not even try.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
December 12, 2011 - Monday Motivation
Most thin people do NOT eat whatever they want, whenever they want. When dieting feels unfair, remind yourself that likely most people around you are also restricting their eating to some degree. If you’re working on dieting, you’re in very good company.
Monday, December 12, 2011
December 9, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
Remember, your body does not know or care that it’s a weekend; it processes calories the same regardless of the day of the week. If your goal is to lose weight and keep it off, then weekends are a break from work, NOT a break from healthy eating.
Friday, December 09, 2011
December 8, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Holiday treats hanging around your office? It can be helpful to make the decision to not have any while at work, but bring home a portion of whatever looks best to you. That way you won’t have to struggle about whether or not to have some each time you see the treats, and you’ll still be able to enjoy a portion later and not have to worry about eating more than you planned.
Thursday, December 08, 2011
December 7, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: I’m really stressed out, I need to eat!
Response: I may WANT to eat, but I don’t NEED to. There are many people who feel stressed without turning to food and if I had been in a stressful situation where food wasn’t available, I’d deal with it without eating, too.
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
December 6, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
When dieters say, “I just can’t stick to a diet, I have no discipline,” we remind them that they actually DO have a lot of discipline because they are able to get up with their kids, get to work on time, pay bills, etc. While they may lack consistent dieting discipline, they are clearly capable of great feats of discipline in other areas, so this is not a valid reason to not try.
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
December 5, 2011 - Monday Motivation
Over and over again we hear from dieters how gaining control of their eating has positively impacted their lives in so many ways beyond weight loss and how, as they go, they discover so many new advantages that they hadn’t foreseen at the beginning
Monday, December 05, 2011
December 2, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
Don’t wait until New Year’s to start working on healthy eating resolutions. Start THIS MINUTE and come January 1st you will be in a much happier and healthier state to begin the new year. “Like” our status today if you’re making a commitment to start New Year’s resolutions a month early!
Friday, December 02, 2011
December 1, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Remember, dieting is not all-or-nothing. You are not either 100% perfect on your diet or totally off of it. You are entitled to make mistakes but you are NOT entitled to use those mistakes as an excuse to throw in the towel.
Thursday, December 01, 2011
November 30, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: I feel discouraged because my rate of weight loss is slow.
Response: When has losing weight quickly EVER led to me keeping it off? If I keep wishing I would lose faster, it will just make me feel disappointed, instead of proud of the weight I have lost. Besides, it doesn’t matter if it takes 2 months or 2 years to lose the weight because it’s not coming back.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
November 29, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
A very common sabotaging thought is, “Just this one time won’t matter,” but regardless of the situation, every time DOES matter. Every SINGLE time you withstand a craving, resist emotional eating, and say no to unplanned food, you increase the chances you will the next time. Each time you give in, you increase the chances you will give in the next time, too.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
November 28, 2011 - Monday Motivation
Sometimes when dieters have been eating off track, they actually forget how GREAT it feels to be in control of their eating. We remind them of the multitude of positive experiences and feelings they have had as a result of maintaining control and this helps them to immediately get back on track.
Monday, November 28, 2011
November 25, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
How did everyone fare yesterday? If you stayed in control – GREAT! Give yourself lots and lots of credit and keep doing what you’re doing. If you got off track – move on! Make the commitment to getting back on track THIS MINUTE and give yourself lots of credit for doing so.
Friday, November 25, 2011
November 24, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Happy Thanksgiving! Remember, today is ultimately a day for giving thanks for the blessings in your life. What food you do or don't eat will not take away from that.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
November 23, 2011 - Wednesday Thanksgiving Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: Since it’s Thanksgiving, it’s okay to eat whatever I want. Everybody else will be doing that, too.
Response: My body doesn’t know or care what day of the year it is, it processes calories the same NO MATTER WHAT. My body also doesn’t know or care what anybody else around me is eating, it only cares about what food I eat MYSELF.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
November 22, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
The time and energy for dieting and exercise will NEVER just magically appear, and especially not during the busy holiday season. This means that dieters may need to be more deliberate in figuring out how and when they will make the time and energy, but absolutely, 100%, it’s worth it!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
November 21, 2011 - Monday Motivation
When our dieters lack motivation, we have them pull out their Advantages List and really think about how important each item is to them and how their lives will be improved when they achieve them. This helps dieters remember why it’s worth it to them to push through this MOMENTARY lack of motivation and not let it stand in the way of reaching their goals.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Novemeber 18, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
With the holidays right around the corner, it might be time to start brushing up on some of your skills. Have you been eating everything sitting down, slowly, and mindfully? Reading your Advantages List? Responding to sabotaging thinking? Giving yourself credit? Making time and energy for dieting? If not, make a commitment to work on your basic skills this weekend to help get you in the right mindset.
Friday, November 18, 2011
November 17, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Thanksgiving is only a week away! If you think, “I’ll feel really deprived if I don’t get to eat everything on the table,” remind yourself, “If I keep telling myself that I’m going to feel deprived, I definitely will. Instead of concentrating on the things I’m not eating, I need to focus on enjoying what I am eating and spending time with my loved ones.”
Thursday, November 17, 2011
November 16, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Though: I’ll never be able to get to the weight I was when I was younger. I should stay where I am, it’s good enough.
Response: If I’m at a healthy weight then maybe I SHOULD stay where I am and work on acceptance. If I’m not at a healthy weight then it’s NOT good enough because my health is suffering. Yes, it’s true I may never return to my younger weight but that doesn’t mean I can’t still be healthy, feel good about myself, and achieve everything on my Advantages List. Having unreasonable expectations gives me an excuse to not even try, when I can still improve my life so much by working hard and losing weight.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
November 15, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you undoubtedly won’t be able to eat all of the holiday food you want, in whatever quantities you want. HOWEVER, this doesn’t mean that you can’t have a plan for when and how you will enjoy certain treats, and in doing so you will be able to enjoy holiday food, enjoy staying in control, AND enjoy all the advantages of losing weight.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
November 14, 2011 - Monday Motivation
One of the most important aspects of healthy eating and weight loss is improved quality of life. Our dieters find that once they gain control of their eating they feel SO MUCH BETTER both mentally and physically, in ways they hadn’t even conceived of when they initially started out.
Monday, November 14, 2011
November 11, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you tend to splurge on weekends because of sabotaging thoughts like, “I worked so hard during the week, I deserve to kick back and relax on the weekend,” then find non-food-related ways reward yourself for all your hard efforts. In doing so you can feel good about unwinding AND about your eating and maintaining control.
Friday, November 11, 2011
November 10, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Dieters need to give themselves credit for every positive eating and exercise behavior so that they are aware of how many great things they’re doing each day. That way, if they make a mistake it is easy to see that they DON’T need to throw in the towel because one wrong thing doesn’t begin to negate the 20 things they did right.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
November 9, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: Dieting is too hard, it’s not worth it.
Response: Dieting IS but it also IS worth it. Telling myself "it’s not worth it" is just an excuse to give up and I have to pay no attention to that thought. The advantages of losing weight and the positive impact it will have on every area of my life makes it unquestionably worth it.
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
November 8, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
Dieters sometimes think it’s not fair that they have to struggle and limit their eating. We remind them that while it’s true it’s not fair, EVERYONE has unfairnesses in their lives, but at least in this case, there are things they can do to make it better.
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
November 7, 2011 - Monday Motivation
If you think, “I’ve been on a diet for 20 years. I’m just not the type of person who can lose weight,” remind yourself, “I’m different now because I’m learning critical skills I didn’t know before. I CAN lose weight, and I will keep losing weight AND keep it off because I will continue to use my skills.”
Monday, November 07, 2011
November 4, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you want to lose or maintain your weight loss, you can’t use weekends as an excuse to overeat because you will continually undo all your hard work from the workweek. Make a commitment to staying on track this weekend!
Friday, November 04, 2011
November 3, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
If you are at an event with no healthy food options, some healthy options are 1) Bring your own food to eat; 2) Either eat before or after, not at the event; 3) Eat what is provided but eat less than you normally would to account for the extra calories.
Thursday, November 03, 2011
November 2, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: Since it’s almost the holidays, I can’t possibly lose weight at this time.
Response: That’s just a sabotaging thought. While it may be more difficult at this time of year with all of the extra treats around, I’m ultimately in charge of every bite of food I eat so the holidays don’t have to derail me.
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
November 1, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
Now that Halloween is over, consider throwing away or donating leftover candy and treats. If you think, “But that would be a waste of money,” remind yourself, “The money is already gone. Eating all of these treats and gaining weight will not bring it back.”
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
October 31, 2011 - Monday Motivation
Happy Halloween! Remember: I can eat all the Halloween candy I want OR I can be thinner, healthier, more confident, etc. I can’t have it both ways. Take a look at your goals and make a decision for how you will handle the influx of treats at this time.
Monday, October 31, 2011
October 28, 2011 - Friday Halloween Weekend Warm-up
Is it worth it to jeopardize your weight loss and confidence level to overeat this weekend, especially since you’ll likely regret it later? You can enjoy Halloween AND all the benefits of losing weight by maintaining control of your eating. GUARANTEED you will be so glad you did.
Friday, October 28, 2011
October 27, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Halloween is just around the corner. We advise our dieters to wait until the last minute to buy candy so they don’t have to put forth the effort to resist it every day unnecessarily and also to buy candy that they don’t particularly like. Anything you can do to reduce the struggle is worth it!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
October 26, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: I don’t have time to do all my dieting tasks.
Response: It doesn’t take that much time to actually do everything. What does take time is how long I spend struggling beforehand over whether or not I’m going to do it. I need to make the decision to definitively do these things and the time I spend will be reduced significantly.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
October 25, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
Often when dieters have strong ideas like, “I can’t disappoint others,” or “my needs must always come last,” these are traps of their own making. Since dieters are the ones forcing these mandates on themselves, they also then have the power to change their thinking and free themselves.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
October 24, 2011 - Monday Motivation
All dieters and maintainers go through periods when dieting feels more difficult. The good news: this is completely normal and happens to EVERYONE. Keep doing what you’re doing and dieting WILL get easier again.
Monday, October 24, 2011
October 21, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you make an eating mistake this weekend, don’t wait to get back on track - get back on track that exact MINUTE. You’ll be glad you did ten minutes later, and you’ll be SO glad you did Monday morning when you can start the week off feeling good.
Friday, October 21, 2011
October 20, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Many dieters have a strong fear of hunger and think that if they get hungry, it will get worse and worse until something bad happens. Doctors permitting, we have dieters skip lunch one day so they can see that hunger actually comes and goes and, compared to the worst pain they’ve ever felt, hunger pangs only rate as mildly uncomfortable.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
October 19, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: Now that I’ve lost weight I can stop being so careful.
Response: While I may be able to loosen up a little, I have to remember that I lost weight because of the different ways I am now doing things. The moment I return to my old habits is the moment I start to gain weight back.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
October 18, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
It is a biological impossibility for your weight to go down every day. Daily fluctuations are NORMAL and even if you’ve been perfect on your diet the number on the scale will go up on some days.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
October 17, 2011 - Monday Motivation
EVERY SINGLE dieting mistake can be turned into a valuable learning opportunity if you take the time to figure out why it happened and what specifically you can do in the future to change the outcome of a similar situation.
Monday, October 17, 2011
October 14, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you think, “Weekends should be about fun, not about dieting,” remind yourself, “Eating healthfully and having fun are not mutually exclusive. Just because I may not eat EVERYTHING I want doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy what I do eat. And besides, staying in control of my eating ALWAYS feels so much better than being out of control.”
Friday, October 14, 2011
October 13, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Once dieters stop giving in to cravings, cravings lose power over them because dieters know with absolute certainty they can withstand them and when they do, cravings go away.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
October 12, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: I don’t want to get on the scale because I think I’ve gained weight.
Response: This is when it’s MOST important to get on the scale so I hold myself accountable. I need to find out if I have gained weight so I can figure out what mistakes I’ve made and correct them. I’m NOT a bad person for making mistakes, but it would be bad if I let the fear of them ruin my chance for success.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
October 11, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
Dieters can be excellent at fooling themselves: If I eat standing up, it doesn’t count; if it’s just this one time, it won’t matter; since I’ve already eaten too much it’s okay to keep eating. When dieters are able to accept reality and recognize that such thoughts are sabotaging and false, they are able to overcome them and move forward.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
October 10, 2011 - Monday Motivation
Consistently working to stay in control of your eating can be difficult and can sometimes feel not worth it, but ultimately the rewards of losing weight are SO MUCH more important and ALWAYS worth it, no matter how hard dieting may feel at any given time.
Monday, October 10, 2011
October 7, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
When dining with other people, dieters are much more likely to get distracted by conversation and end up eating a lot more. We advise them to immediately portion off how much they are going to have because that way, even if they eat it while distracted, they won’t wind up consuming more than they had planned.
Friday, October 07, 2011
October 6, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
When you impulsively eat standing up, you’re telling yourself that it doesn’t really matter and that there won’t be any consequences. But there will be because EVERY bite of food you eat has calories. Even if you’re only eating vegetables standing up today, tomorrow it might be chocolate.
Thursday, October 06, 2011
October 5, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: Dieting is too hard, it’s just not worth it.
Response: Yes, dieting is hard SOME of the time, but not all the time. Looking back, it’s not hard every single minute of every single day. Besides, it IS worth it because my goals are MUCH MORE important to me than never working hard at it. Giving up isn't worth it!
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
October 4, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
If you think, “I don’t want to accept the things I have to do for dieting” remind yourself, “I have a choice: I can struggle with what I have to do and feel bad, or I can accept that this is the way it is. It doesn’t mean I have to like it but continuing to fight against acceptance will do NOTHING but make it harder for me to reach my tremendously important goals.”
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
October 3, 2011 - Monday Motivation
We asked a long time maintainer what keeps him motivated and he said, “I don’t wait for motivation, I just do it because I owe it to my daughter, my wife, and MYSELF.” Losing weight and being healthier positively impacts you AND everyone else around you. Do it for them, but most importantly, do it for yourself.
Monday, October 03, 2011
September 30, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new month. Don’t wait until the New Year to start making resolutions. Make them NOW and think about how much better you’ll feel, physically and psychologically, come January!
Friday, September 30, 2011
September 29, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Drinking water throughout the day is good for you in so many ways. We buy reusable cups with big plastic straws attached, which makes drinking water so much easier. They also come in different designs so get one you like and bottoms up!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
September 28, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: My life is so busy, I just don’t have the time to diet correctly.
Response: I don’t have time because I’m not making time. If I had to get dialysis every morning I would make the time for it NO MATTER WHAT. Dieting takes a lot of time in the beginning so I have to make it a top priority it or will not happen, but as it gets easier it will take less and less time. It’s all a matter of priorities.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
September 27, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
Being healthy and maintaining weight loss is a combination of a healthy diet AND exercise. Since 5 minutes of exercise a day is better than 0 minutes, there is no excuse for not finding at least a few minutes each day to get moving.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
September 26, 2011 - Monday Motivation
So often we hear from dieters, “I felt so good when I stayed in control,” and “I felt really bad when I ate way too much.” When dieters finally learn to gain control over their thinking and eating, dieting feels GREAT, not terrible.
Monday, September 26, 2011
September 23, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you eat out this weekend and stay in control, give yourself a lot of credit. When you get home make sure you don’t say to yourself, “I was so good, now I deserve to treat myself,” because you will undo all your hard work. Losing weight is the best treat!
Friday, September 23, 2011
September 22, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Dieters can eat a slice of cake in 5 bites or 20 bites. Either way it’s the same amount of food, but they get to enjoy 15 more bites when they eat slowly and in smaller pieces, which greatly increases their level of satisfaction.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
September 21, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: I just don’t care.
Response: While it’s true that I don’t care right at this moment, I’m going to care A LOT a few minutes from now if I jeopardize my diet and weight loss. I can’t let this one moment of not caring influence how I act because I know I will care again, and when I do, I’ll be SO happy and proud I didn’t give in.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
September 21, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: "People should love me for what I am and not for how I look.”
Response: This is absolutely true, but it doesn't mean I shouldn't work on losing weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is ESSENTIAL for good health and being in control of my eating feels so much better than being out of control. I'm not losing weight to make people love me, I'm doing it to make MYSELF healthy and happy.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
September 21, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: Now that I know how to lose weight, it's ok to splurge because I can always lose it next week.
Response: If I keep giving in and splurging, it'll make it more likely I’ll splurge the next time, and the time after that and will ulitmately make it much harder to stick to my diet because everytime I’m confronted with a treat, I'll struggle about whether or not to have it. No choice, just stick to my diet! It will make things so much easier.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
September 20, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
In life, everyone has to do things they don’t want to do, like turning work in on time, paying bills, and getting up early with their kids. People are able to do so because they don’t give themselves a choice about it. We teach dieters to not give themselves a choice where dieting is concerned, too.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
September 19, 2011 - Monday Motivation
When dieters go through a rough patch they may think, “This isn’t worth it.” We help dieters realize that while dieting is hard some of the time, being overweight is hard ALL of the time, and in so many more ways. Dieting is hard, but it’s worth it.
Monday, September 19, 2011
September 16, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
It's extremely helpful to have a basic plan for the weekend. Think ahead to the eating events you have scheduled (parties, weddings, dinners out, etc.) and decide IN ADVANCE which ones you might eat more at and which ones you won't.
Friday, September 16, 2011
September 15, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
If you make an eating mistake, continue to eat normally for the rest of the day. Telling yourself, "I won't eat anything else today," might trigger feelings of anxiety or panic when you get hungry, which could then cause you to eat much more than you would have normally.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
September 14, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: Either I'm totally perfect on my diet or I'm not on it at all.
Response: Dieting is NOT all-or-nothing and treating it this way has NEVER helped me reach my goals. I have to stop allowing a mistake be an excuse for giving up because, like everyone else, I'm not perfect and am definitely going to slip up sometimes.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
September 13, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
There is no magic bullet or magical combination of food that will enable dieters to achieve lasting weight loss. But because dieting is not magic, it means that anyone can succeed once they acquire and PRACTICE, PRACTICE essential skills.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
September 12, 2011 - Monday Motivation
Food tastes so much better when it is not served with a side of guilt or shame. Dieters often think they'll feel dissatisfied if they make healthy choices but usually they actually feel MUCH MORE dissatisfied when they end up feeling bad about eating unhealthy food.
Monday, September 12, 2011
September 9, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
Weekends, with their numerous opportunities for treats, can be difficult. Having a rule for yourself like, "No dessert until after dinner can help you limit your intake because it makes it makes it easier to turn down treats offered during the day, knowing you can have one later.
Friday, September 09, 2011
September 8, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
When dieters tell us "I had a really hard week," we ask them, "was it hard for every single hour of every single day?" The answer is always "no." Don't let the memory of several harder times influence your perception of the week as a whole.
Thursday, September 08, 2011
September 7, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: It's okay to eat this food because everyone else is eating it.
Response: My body doesn't know or care what anyone else is eating. It ONLY cares about the calories I consume MYSELF.
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
September 6, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
Initially dieters often think they can get away with not practicing some of the dieting skills. The truth is that yes, for a while you probably can get away with this but if your goal is PERMANENT weight loss then at some point (whether it's 2 months or 2 years from now) it WILL catch up with you.
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
September 5, 2011 - Monday Motivation
Today is a day off from work, NOT a day off from practicing good eating behaviors. Labor Day, along with 20 other holidays, happens every year so it's not a reasonable excuse to overeat. Stay in control and guaranteed Tuesday morning you'll be so happy you did.
Monday, September 05, 2011
September 2, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
It's a new month, so it may be time to set some new goals. By the end of September would you like to have lost weight, gained weight, or stayed the same? The number you see reflected on the scale at the end of the month is ultimately up to you, so make a commitment to yourself NOW!
Friday, September 02, 2011
September 1, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Everyone makes mistakes. Beating yourself up after a dieting mistake will do NOTHING but erode your confidence and make it harder to get back on track. Instead, recognize that you made a mistake, figure out why it happened, and how you can prevent the same thing in the future. Then move on!
Thursday, September 01, 2011
August 31, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: It's okay to eat this extra food because I'll make up for it later.
Response: When has "making up for it later" EVER really worked? I need to learn how to consistently eat about the same amount of food so I'm not constantly tempted to eat more. Once I do this, the struggle will go down and dieting will get easier.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
August 30, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
It's important for dieters to think about the difference between things that are impossible and things that are very difficult. Just because it's hard doesn't mean you can't do it!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
August 29, 2011 - Monday Motivation
One of the greatest aspects of dieting is how many good things come as a result. It's not as if dieters have to work hard, be disciplined, restrict their food and get nothing in return. Just the opposite is true - by doing all of these things they get THE MOST IMPORTANT things in return (health, self-confidence, control, pride, reduced physical and emotional pain, etc.)
Monday, August 29, 2011
August 26, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
We're gearing up for a big storm here on the East Coast. Since healthy food won't magically make itself available, we're planning ahead and making sure we have some available in case we get stuck at home. You should too!
Friday, August 26, 2011
August 25, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Dieters may have hundreds of sabotaging thoughts a day and they need to remember that they are THOUGHTS, not necessarily TRUTHS. The thought, "That food looks so good I really want to have some" probably is true, while the thought, "That food looks so good I can't resist" probably isn't.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
August 24, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: It's not fair that I can't eat what everyone else is eating so it's okay to eat off track some of the time.
Response: I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want OR I can be thinner. I can't have it both ways.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
August 23, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
Some dieters say they'll start doing more things once they lose weight. We say DON'T WAIT! Start working on improving your life NOW because doing so will help you enrich your life and feel happier, which will bolster your weight-loss efforts.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
August 22, 2011 - Monday Motivation
Getting of track with dieting can be very discouraging, but it doesn't need to be. If you were learning to play the piano and hit a wrong key, you would never take that as a sign to give up completely. Mistakes happen in ALL areas of life but keep practicing and you'll continue improving.
Monday, August 22, 2011
August 19, 2011 - Friday Weekend Warm-up
If you're going to a party or event this weekend and think, "There'll be so much good food there I won't be able to resist remind yourself, "If I was a vegetarian and all the food had meat in it, I definitely WOULD resist, no question. I may not want to resist, but I know I can."
Friday, August 19, 2011
August 18, 2011 - Think Thin Thursday Tip
Dieting is generally easy in the beginning because motivation is high but some point (whether it's in three weeks or three months) it gets harder. This is completely NORMAL and it happens to everyone, and as long as dieters keep at it, dieting will get easier again.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
August 17, 2011 - Wednesday Sabotage
Sabotaging Thought: The internet has been down in our office all day so it's okay to eat this because I'm stressed.
Response: It's NOT okay to eat this just because I'm stressed. It wouldn't help solve the problem and would only wind up making me feel worse for going off my plan. Instead I need to get problem-solving oriented and call our cable company again right away.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
August 16, 2011 - Tuesday Reality Check
Dieters can't have the expectation that will eat like everyone else around them because then they will feel deprived. Dieters need to redefine their definition of "normal" eating because they ARE eating in a completely normal way - for someone who is trying to lose weight and keep it off.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
August 15, 2011 - Monday Motivation
Dieting, like any other skill, gets easier the more you practice it. If you think, "this is so hard, there is no way I can keep it up forever," remind yourself that it WON'T be this hard forever so that's not an accurate concern. Even though it's hard now, in 2 months it will be easier and in 2 years it will be MUCH easier.
Monday, August 15, 2011