Austin Weight Loss Therapy
Replace Toxic Thoughts with Affirming Thoughts
When I was in college, I surpassed the "freshman 15" weight gain and went for the "gold" by gaining 30 pounds. I missed my family and friends, and people here kept asking for "coke" instead of "pop" - it was a different culture and I didn't fit in right away. I sought solace in a box of doughnuts way too often. Then food became my first line of defense against any negative feelings - loneliness, rejection, anger, whatever - food soothed.
As my body morphed sideways my self-esteem tanked. I didn't know how to control what had become compulsive overeating. I thought if I told myself horrible things about myself these urges would be punished into compliance. So I would say, "no one will want to date you looking like this...or you have NO self-control!" thinking my mortification would levitate the doughnut back into the box. What do you think happened?
I gained more weight. Why?
The thought "you have no control" just made me feel more powerless and weak. Then I felt hopeless. Feeling hopeless made me reach for more doughnuts to make myself feel better. And why not? The situation was hopeless, wasn't it?
It took me a long time to figure out a solution to my "stinkin' thinkin'. I tried so hard to stop the self-critical thoughts and change them to neutral or positive one. Eventually I settled on a mantra I said daily and repeatedly: "I want to be fit and healthy." That thought alone made me feel hopeful. Just the image the thought conjured increased my motivation to exercise. And when I started exercising, my anxiety decreased. When the anxiety decreased, the urge to overeat decreased. I will always have my overweight self "lurk", we all have our issues. But I keep it fairly well at bay by not allowing it to manipulate me into self-critical thinking.
When you identify your own toxic thoughts and replace them with affirming ones, your feelings will change. When your feelings change, your behavior will change. That is the essence of Cognitive Behavioral therapy, which is highly effective in treating anxiety and depression. I encourage you to read the article by Dr. Grohol identifying the Fifteen Common Cognitive Distortions people have and start changing your own life - starting now.
Austin weight loss therapist, Judith Sloan-Price specializes in weight loss therapy techniques. Email jsptherapy@yahoo.com or call (512) 922-2256 to learn more or schedule an appointment.
