Kate Swann
Psychologists and Authors Kate Swann and Kristina Mamrot discuss the most common ways people sabotage themselves when they're dieting.
This kicks in when you've slipped up and eaten something that's not on your eating plan, or have overeaten.
"I've blown it now, so I may as well give up and eat everything in sight."
No, no, and no again. Overeating once isn't going to make much of a difference, it's when you continue overeating that you've blown your diet.
Pick yourself up, shake yourself down, and get back on track.
Well of course they don't if you don't stick to them. But it's not something inherently or biologically wrong with you, it's the sabotaging thoughts kicking in which stop your diet working.
This is a beauty. And you're right, it's NOT fair. It's not fair John can eat as much cake as he likes. It's not fair Mary has pick-me-up chocolate every afternoon. It's not fair Sarah goes back for seconds. We agree. But if your weight is important to you, you need to get over your sense of unfairness and refocus.
Well hello! Who every said it was going to be easy? Don't tell us you believed the latest fad diet where the kilos melt off you in a week! Surely you know better than that by now!
That sounds to us like you're giving yourself permission to give up. Try giving yourself permission to keep going, instead. And while you're at it, find things in your life that you do stick with, so you can kick that sabotaging thought in the butt.
Uh oh . . . danger lurks. What else do you deserve because you've worked so hard? Do you deserve some me-time, a cup of tea, a chat with a friend? Yes, of course you can reward yourself with food, but you can also reward yourself in other ways. Make a list of what else you can do and keep it handy.
What - so you'll add it to your hips or your gut instead? Does that put unwanted food to a good use? If you're going to polish up the leftovers, you're treating yourself like a rubbish bin. Don't you deserve better than that?
