Now I probably have a bigger problem with this more than anyone, but it's an interesting exercise from the workbook I'm currently reading...
It's day 4's exercise
Day 4
Build your Confidence
One of the biggest problems dieters face is a sense of helplessness when you stray from their diet or the number on the scale fails to go down. Th often have sabotaging thoughts, such as OH no I thought I could do this, I thought I could lose weight, but I was wrong.
You need to start building a sense of confidence that you can do what you have to do to lose weight. Thats why I want you to start giving yourself credit for every positive eating behavior you engage in and every helpful eating decision you make starting right now so you can develop this important habit.
Read the Response Card #2
~~~~~~~~~~~
Part of the giving yourself credit, I do take issue with because it's not how my mind works, and the sabotaging thought was honestly the thought that went through my head... Like criminey - they do this to kids in school and it's not making them better people, all it's giving them is a sense of entitlement... Why should a person get credit for doing what's expected of them - in the real world we call that a salary - you don't get bonuses for doing what's expected..
But it's an interesting observation that not giving credit in the past, wasn't effective in the long term for me... but then again, not being successful in the past I can also attribute to idiotic diets I was trying to follow and not making it a lifestyle change...
Every time I try to give myself credit, the buts come in -- the but that says you should have done more or you could have done better...
But we're gonna try and be positive and give ourselves credit...
What have you done today that you deserve credit for?
Did you exercise, did you stay within your calorie range? Did you turn down a piece of cake that wasn't on your plan for the day? Did the scale not go in the direction you hoped and you said - that's OK I'm not going to let it ruin my day. What's credit worthy for you?
It's day 4's exercise
Day 4
Build your Confidence
One of the biggest problems dieters face is a sense of helplessness when you stray from their diet or the number on the scale fails to go down. Th often have sabotaging thoughts, such as OH no I thought I could do this, I thought I could lose weight, but I was wrong.
You need to start building a sense of confidence that you can do what you have to do to lose weight. Thats why I want you to start giving yourself credit for every positive eating behavior you engage in and every helpful eating decision you make starting right now so you can develop this important habit.
Read the Response Card #2
I deserve credit every time I exercise. I deserve credit every time I practice a dieting skill. I deserve credit every time I stick to my plan.
Mal adds, I deserve to be kicked in the butt every time I stray.Think what you would say to your best friend if she did something that you thought she deserved credit for. You'd probably say something along these lines: "you did it!" "That's really great!" Yo deserve credit" "Good job! Whatever you would say to her, you say to yourself.
[/I]Put a rubberband or special bracelet around your wrist. Throughout the day, whenver you notice you're wearing it, the bracelet will remind you to give yourself credit.
Give yourself credit every time you make a checkmark on one of your to do lists.
Write down in the daily to do section other diet related creditworthy things youo do. For example, tolerating feeling hungry, not taking second helping, resiting the temptation to eat between meals.
Watch out for self criticism that undermines your confidence . When you eat something you shouldn't, or skip an exercise session, think about what you'd say to your best friend if she made the same mistake.
[/I]Answer back any sabotaging thoughts you have abot this assignment and make cards if yo think they will help.
Examples of helpful responses
What are you thinking?
Sabotaging thought: I haven't done anything that difficult so far. (And I agree with this)
Helpful response: I doesn't matter whether the changes i've made are easy of difficult. I need to gete in the habit of giving myself credit to build up my sense of effectiveness and control.
Sabotaging thought: It's silly to praise myself - like getting a star on my paper when I was in grade school.
Helpful Response: It's not childish: it's absolutely essential to my success to recognize my achievements. Not giving myself credit in the past didn't lead to permanent weight loss.
[/I]Put a rubberband or special bracelet around your wrist. Throughout the day, whenver you notice you're wearing it, the bracelet will remind you to give yourself credit.
Give yourself credit every time you make a checkmark on one of your to do lists.
Write down in the daily to do section other diet related creditworthy things youo do. For example, tolerating feeling hungry, not taking second helping, resiting the temptation to eat between meals.
Watch out for self criticism that undermines your confidence . When you eat something you shouldn't, or skip an exercise session, think about what you'd say to your best friend if she made the same mistake.
[/I]Answer back any sabotaging thoughts you have abot this assignment and make cards if yo think they will help.
Examples of helpful responses
What are you thinking?
Sabotaging thought: I haven't done anything that difficult so far. (And I agree with this)
Helpful response: I doesn't matter whether the changes i've made are easy of difficult. I need to gete in the habit of giving myself credit to build up my sense of effectiveness and control.
Sabotaging thought: It's silly to praise myself - like getting a star on my paper when I was in grade school.
Helpful Response: It's not childish: it's absolutely essential to my success to recognize my achievements. Not giving myself credit in the past didn't lead to permanent weight loss.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Part of the giving yourself credit, I do take issue with because it's not how my mind works, and the sabotaging thought was honestly the thought that went through my head... Like criminey - they do this to kids in school and it's not making them better people, all it's giving them is a sense of entitlement... Why should a person get credit for doing what's expected of them - in the real world we call that a salary - you don't get bonuses for doing what's expected..
But it's an interesting observation that not giving credit in the past, wasn't effective in the long term for me... but then again, not being successful in the past I can also attribute to idiotic diets I was trying to follow and not making it a lifestyle change...
Every time I try to give myself credit, the buts come in -- the but that says you should have done more or you could have done better...
But we're gonna try and be positive and give ourselves credit...
What have you done today that you deserve credit for?
Did you exercise, did you stay within your calorie range? Did you turn down a piece of cake that wasn't on your plan for the day? Did the scale not go in the direction you hoped and you said - that's OK I'm not going to let it ruin my day. What's credit worthy for you?