8 Things You Tell Yourself That Can Cause You to Gain Weight Did you know that how you talk to yourself may be just as deadly as eating a high calorie desert?

Body Sense Depression/ Stress Drugs & Alcohol Kids & Parents Loss/Death Relationships Shopping Corner Trauma Weight Press room Professionals Home Contact Us

Losing weight is not really based on cutting out sweets and reducing carbohydrates. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you really have to get to the core of what is causing you to reach again for food and neglect yourself by not exercising. Battering yourself with destructive messages can not only drive you back to food, but also plummet your self esteem and confidence. It is the one area regarding weight loss that is easy to change and will actually bring positive results. You'll feel better about who you are, not just how you look. Best yet, you have total control over this weight-loss tool and it doesn't cost a thing! You just have to learn how to talkback, or as noted in the book Body Sense, burn those garbage messages! Use the following checklist as a starter to determine how many of these you give yourself on a daily basis. You'd be surprised at how much emotional weight you can take off immediately just by talking back. Next, you'll want to explore where those garbage messages originated and go back and do some self-repair work to mend old, lingering wounds. But for right now, start by identifying what you are saying to yourself that adds to the pounds. Remember, your destructive self-talk may not directly comment about your weight, but it still can trigger you back into a cycle that will move you to food. Here's Some Messages You'll Want to Eliminate to Lose Pounds 1. If I lost weight, my life would be so much better. 2. If I just tried harder, I could lose weight (get it right, etc.) 3. Something must be wrong with me. 4. I can't do anything right. 5. All people see when they look at me is fat. 6. I should…. 7. I need to… 8. I'm bad (because I ate something not on my diet, or don't want to go on a diet, etc.) What other messages do you give yourself? Now, take each message and begin talking back, just as a sassy child would to a parent or friend. Each time you give yourself a weight-gaining message, stop and replace it with a reality check or words of encouragement. For more detailed information, read Chapters, 4 and 6, Burning Self-Talk Garbage and Prescriptions to Put You in Control in Body Sense Balancing Your Weight and Emotions.  A perfection companion to your learning is our online course. Sign up today to enhance your learning experience and put dieting behind you. Brenda Crawford-Clark, LMHC, LMFT, NCC Author: Body Sense Balancing Your Weight and Emotions  ©Copyright 2001 Brenda Crawford-Clark ©Brenda Crawford-Clark 2001