what's your best "self-talk" for creating new fitness/health/weight-loss behaviours?
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kiela64
Posts: 1,447 Member
I like to eat when I'm not hungry, when I'm bored or avoiding doing something else. It's a habit. Sometimes I think I'm hungry when I'm not (and I've likely recently eaten a good amount of calories, like ~600, and I'm still peckish?!). I've found the best check is to ask myself "am I not-full enough to do some exercise?" and if the answer is "no! I'd feel sick!" then I should wait, and drink water or tea, maybe chew gum instead to see if that fixes the feeling. If the answer is "yes, I could probably do sit ups without feeling ill" then maybe I can at least do a bit of exercise first.
What kinds of things do you tell yourself to fix bad behaviours & create new ones?
What kinds of things do you tell yourself to fix bad behaviours & create new ones?
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Usually when I have the munches at night and want a snack it goes a little something like this.
"NOPE. NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE. NOPE DON'T NEED THAT NOPE GONNA DRINK SOME WATER YUP but wait chocolate NOPE STRONG TIME NOW NOPE"
Usually it'll take a half hour of "noping" before my body gives up the fight and is satisfied by what I give it, which is water, or an apple.0 -
Pretty much all I ask myself any more is "am I doing my heart any favors?" I have lupus, and it likes to direct my body to attack my heart.0
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I don't ever again want to feel as awful physically and mentally as I did 18 months ago. If I'm not moving forward then I'm going back yo that place. That ususlly does it.
Sw 301
CW 181
GW 150
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I simply ask myself, "What would the best version of myself do in this situation?"
Also, I'll check in with why I might be feeling hungry earlier than I should for physical reasons. Was my previous meal large enough? Was it satiating enough with protein, fats, and fiber? Could I actually be physically hungry right now... maybe I should wait 30 minutes or so to see if it subsides to rule out emotional hunger.0 -
I tell myself exactly what I'm going to do today. I keep it simple while at the same time, I write out all the details too.
Even if it's an uncomfortable endeavor, and my mind wants to project into the future, I won't let it.
My mind wants to take over and scream "But what about if I find myself far away from home and can't maintain this food plan commitment? What if I get fired and I can't afford to buy and store the expensive foods I like? What if something unexpected happens and I can't prep and pack my meals and I'm up the creek without a paddle? What if, what if, what if???!"
When I catch myself doing that, I remind myself, it's just for today. I can do this just for today without worrying about an earthquake collapsing my apartment building and all my food going spoiled. Even if it does happen, I can salvage a few bucks and limp down to the corner store and buy what's absolutely necessary and eat it in the homeless shelter.
My mind wants to mislead and misdirect me by imagining dramatic obstacles to my progress, forecasted way into the future.
And then I remember, it's just for today. I can do it today.
Oh wow, I love this. I too tend to do that, "what if what if what if" until it becomes overwhelming. "It's just for today. I can do today." I love that. I might use it!
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It's easier for me to not have trigger foods in the house than to try to moderate them, so my self talk in the supermarket goes like this:
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Wow, lorpb. Congrats.0
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Yup, I do this at the grocery store so that I don't have to do it at home.kshama2001 wrote: »It's easier for me to not have trigger foods in the house than to try to moderate them, so my self talk in the supermarket goes like this:
As for self-talk, I am definitely kind to myself. I try to be my own cheerleader. I don't go for this self-loathing, disciplinarian crap that some people seem to utilize. I know I can survive X or Y because I'm strong. I'll remind myself that a good walk will cure a bad mood or low energy. I will use a reasoned argument when I get emotional or impulsive.
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stroutman81 wrote: »I simply ask myself, "What would the best version of myself do in this situation?"
Also, I'll check in with why I might be feeling hungry earlier than I should for physical reasons. Was my previous meal large enough? Was it satiating enough with protein, fats, and fiber? Could I actually be physically hungry right now... maybe I should wait 30 minutes or so to see if it subsides to rule out emotional hunger.
This is good!0 -
I definitely don't bring a lot of stuff I could binge on into the house. And lately, if I'm really feeling it and I end up buying a chocolate bar, I'll put the whole thing or half of it in the freezer and eat it some other day. I would've never believed it but it actually helps me not eat chocolate when I really want it! (Basically this is a good thing, because sometimes when I really want that bar it just doesn't fit in that day's calories)0
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afatpersonwholikesfood wrote: »As for self-talk, I am definitely kind to myself. I try to be my own cheerleader. I don't go for this self-loathing, disciplinarian crap that some people seem to utilize. I know I can survive X or Y because I'm strong. I'll remind myself that a good walk will cure a bad mood or low energy. I will use a reasoned argument when I get emotional or impulsive.
That's a really good plan, I've tried to do a bit of that as well. Since a lot of my bad habits were accompanied with really mean comments about myself, I'm trying to think of good things. Usually it's accomplishment based, like "yeah I did it today! I'm allowed to feel proud about this!" But that's really true, a walk will often help if I feel grumpy or have a headache Although I'm not very good at countering myself when I get emotional :P that sounds like a good system! 0 -
When I think I can't do this anymore, I see this sign posted on my office wall and at home...
And then I get the F over whatever whiney-*kitten* crap I was saying and keep going.0 -
I just look at my food log and if I am under my calories, I can eat something and if I am at or over my calories, that snack will have to wait for another day.0
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I think when I really made a change I asked myself what I was willing to do to get healthier. I said I'm not going to do anything crazy. I will not starve myself. I will not do any cleanses. Then I asked myself what I was willing to do. What should I do even if I see the same exact person in the mirror? I told myself I would reduce the amount of soda I drank for the sake of my skin and teeth. I also said I was willing to eat a little less (portion control via food logging) and slowly but surely made my way. Sometimes when I want one I ask myself if I want a sweet drink because I'm thirsty or because I want a treat. If the answer is I'm thirsty I try to drink water. Sometimes though I'm like I want a soda because I'm having pizza and they taste great together and I have one.0
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When I feel hungry and know I shouldn't be (say a few hours after dinner and its just cos I'm bored..) I drink water - I always realise when I do have a glass of water that my feelings of hunger go away.
A lot of the time its just the notion of wanting to eat something rather than needing to....0 -
The one that really works for me is "I am not a person that snacks between meals". I just remind myself of this, because it is not negotiable. I just don't do that - in the same way that vegans don't eat meat and people that hate seafood don't eat seafood. They just DON'T. It is not something they have renegotiate with themselves a million times a day, they can just dismiss it, because it is not in their behaviors.
I make sure I have satisfying meals and I move a meal forward if it becomes really necessary - but "I don't snack between meals".
This works like a bomb for me and after "faking it till I make it" for a while, it has now become a solid fact and it is easy.
My new one is : "I am a person that always logs my meals, no matter what they consist of". This is another non negotiable.
I am not being nasty to myself, but removing the whole "maybe I should, maybe I shouldn't" dance with some decisions makes life much easier and less stressful.
If you think about it, you probably already do this in other areas of your life. "I always bath every day", "I always feed the dog", "I always brush my teeth at night". We don't have to ponder these things - they just get done - no need for internal battles.0 -
Great ideas, everyone! Mine is " do you want to log that? What will your friends think when they see it in your diary? Do you want to eat your calories and leave nothing for dinner? How would it feel if tomorrow you step on the scale and you see a bigger number than today?" These usually work and if the stupid feeling is still there, I am prepared with a small healthy snack that I won't regret. Even if I exceed my daily limit a little it's OK if all of the foods I ate were healthy. An extra piece of fruit made nobody fat! 0
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