Negative Reinforcement Tactic For Those Who Have Lost

Cold_Steel

I thought of something...

Find one of your fat photos... If its a current photo then so be it. Print it out small like that of a wallet size, maybe a few.

Every time you eat something or are about to eat something take it out and look at it.

If you have a mirror that might work too but if you have lost a lot and want to be constantly reminded how not to go back...

Just an idea.

Cold_Steel

Hey it beats carrying a taser with you and zapping yourself every time you think about getting that burger instead of that low cal wrap....

TurnLeftNow

Sounds like an eating disorder waiting to happen.

Lolli1986

I find the positive reinforcement of RESULTS to be the most motivating experience. No need to beat myself up with an unflattering picture.

boncharlie

'Fat photo's' don't seem to work for me because after losing 90lbs I still THINK I look the same now as I did then.

So to help motivate me again, I have just reset my weight loss tracker to 0 because I was getting too comfortable with seeing '92lbs loss' in writing every day.

Kind of like having a 'fat photo' I have now been looking at a tracker saying 0 for the last 2 weeks and I think it has really helped because I lost 3.1lbs this week

Cold_Steel

Sounds like an eating disorder waiting to happen.

I think every one here has a little bit of an eating disorder waiting to happen.

heathersmilez

Hey it beats carrying a taser with you and zapping yourself every time you think about getting that burger instead of that low cal wrap....

Ha ha, I actually had an elastic on my wrist about a year ago for like a week b/c I was so pissed at myself but causing injury to yourself isn't exactly a normal, healthy thing to do – but you know that. Dam willpower, it’s the hardest subject in the world, LOL!

CrzyAte

I put a picture as the wall paper on my cell phone. I can't avoide looking at it that way. It hasn't actuall helpedmuch though.

Contrarian

Sounds like an eating disorder waiting to happen.

I think every one here has a little bit of an eating disorder waiting to happen.

I disagree with this.

Toddrific

Who needs to add a picture....bloody driver's license photo...

I've found that I know I'm fat. That knowledge doesn't prevent me from getting a large mocha moolatte if I have my mind set on it =/

AeolianHarp

Awful idea. You're simply creating a negative relationship with food.

This is what I do: I have 1700 calories to eat and a certain amont of macros. I eat what I want to fill it all and I live a happy life. No need for negative reinforcement.

traceybarbour

I find that works for me as well. To each its own. Just a reminder of what I don't want to look like..

nerdyandilikeit

Sounds like an eating disorder waiting to happen.

I think every one here has a little bit of an eating disorder waiting to happen.

I disagree with this.

I very much disagree with this. I've never had a more balanced relationship with food before MFP.

jenj1313

Hey it beats carrying a taser with you and zapping yourself every time you think about getting that burger instead of that low cal wrap....

There's always lots of chocolate at my office and it's very hard to resist... the other day I was wondering why the don't make something like Chantix (the medicine for smokers that makes you sick if you smoke) for chocolate. It could just make the chocolate taste bad so I wouldn't want more and more and more if I let myself have just one. Thinking of getting a thing of breath spray (if they still make that)... that might work :-)

CakeFit21

Sounds like an eating disorder waiting to happen.

I think every one here has a little bit of an eating disorder waiting to happen.

WTF? SO, that makes it ok?

CoryIda

Better idea - print a before/after to keep in your wallet. Every time you get ready to make a poor health choice, look at that picture and remember how far you've come.
Then enjoy your cookie, or whatever treat you were going to have, drink a glass of water, and go get a little exercise.

coconutbuNZ

the slim photos work better for me

EbbySoo

Awful idea. You're simply creating a negative relationship with food.

This is what I do: I have 1700 calories to eat and a certain amont of macros. I eat what I want to fill it all and I live a happy life. No need for negative reinforcement.

EXACTLY. Everything in moderation, within calories and macros, without restriction. How warped is it to hurt ourselves to force ourselves to not have treats... wow.

Trail_Addict

In the world of behavior modification, "negative" does not mean "bad". It means to 'withdraw, remove, or subtract a stimulus from the current situation or scenario.

"Positive" does not mean "good", it means 'to add or introduce a stimulus to the current situation'.
You want to think of it like math, not good/ bad.

Positive motivation is to add a stimulus in the effort to increase a behavior (motivate). Negative motivation means to remove a stimulus to increase a behavior.

If you wish to decrease or stop a behavior, you must enter the world of "punishment". The same tools apply - both positive and negative. The phrase would then be "positive punishment" or "negative punishment."

Just want everyone to know what they're saying when they start throwing around behavior modification terminology.

(this was a simple explanation to help the current conversation. Not meant to be too technical) :flowerforyou:

wwk10

I have a fat picture as screen saver on my phone. I get to replace it every nite w a current picture.
I joke that to really motivate me I should make it the screen saver on everybodys computer at work.
I also joke that I am only going to wear spandex leotards.
I think that would be real motivator.

Cold_Steel

In the world of behavior modification, "negative" does not mean "bad". It means to 'withdraw, remove, or subtract a stimulus from the current situation or scenario.

"Positive" does not mean "good", it means 'to add or introduce a stimulus to the current situation'.
You want to think of it like math, not good/ bad.

Positive motivation is to add a stimulus in the effort to increase a behavior (motivate). Negative motivation means to remove a stimulus to increase a behavior.

If you wish to decrease or stop a behavior, you must enter the world of "punishment". The same tools apply - both positive and negative. The phrase would then be "positive punishment" or "negative punishment."

Just want everyone to know what they're saying when they start throwing around behavior modification terminology.

(this was a simple explanation to help the current conversation. Not meant to be too technical) :flowerforyou:

I realized this after I posted it and was to lazy to correct it.

Cold_Steel

Eh, every one has one thing that works for them. I find that the fear of going back to what I was is a good motivator for keeping me on track. Today I went way over board for the first time in a long time at my sons birthday party, I will use the guilt that I have too bust out a hardcore work out in the morning. I even got in some running around at the party to try to offset some of my bad food choices.

Yes I do all the other stuff for motivation but sometimes a healthy reminder of what you were before this makeover is a good way to stop me from losing control.

In regards to the eating disorder, I had a pseudo disorder that I think got me to this place the first time.

I use to order fast food meals before I got home and go hide and eat them in an empty parking lot, finish them up and cry afterwards realizing how much of a failure I was. Then I would get home and eat a "healthy" dinner with my unsuspecting and wonderful wife. Yeah, I would easily consume 4000 calorie days on a normal basis. So I am familiar with eating disorders to some extent. Yeah some times I go a little nuts on the logging and work outs but it is working for me and it is my own therapy.

Some people are a little f'd in the head like me but it works !

mznisaelaine

In the world of behavior modification, "negative" does not mean "bad". It means to 'withdraw, remove, or subtract a stimulus from the current situation or scenario.

"Positive" does not mean "good", it means 'to add or introduce a stimulus to the current situation'.
You want to think of it like math, not good/ bad.

Positive motivation is to add a stimulus in the effort to increase a behavior (motivate). Negative motivation means to remove a stimulus to increase a behavior.

If you wish to decrease or stop a behavior, you must enter the world of "punishment". The same tools apply - both positive and negative. The phrase would then be "positive punishment" or "negative punishment."

Just want everyone to know what they're saying when they start throwing around behavior modification terminology.

(this was a simple explanation to help the current conversation. Not meant to be too technical) :flowerforyou:

Lol I saw the time "Negative Reinforcement" and got excited since Im a psych major emphasis in Applied Behavior Anaylsis and I know what the OP was referring to, he just got it mixed up, but at least he recognized it I'm glad to see this was explained correctly for everyone to see