Be aware of ANTs! (Automatic Negative Thoughts)

I just finished "Change your Brain, Change your Body" by Dr. Daniel Amen - it was pretty interesting, and one of the most helpful, immediately-applicable things I got from the book was the concept of ANTs - Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are thoughts that almost everyone has that can sabotage our weight-loss (or almost anything, really). An ANT or two isn't a problem, but if you don't make yourself aware of them, you can end up with an ANT infestation, which will completely derail your efforts. Here is a summary of the different types of ANTs. Try to be conscious of when you may have an ANT marching around in your head, and do what you need to do to get rid of it!

#1: "Always" or "Never" Thinking - Includes words like always, never, no one, everything
This one can really get us down - do you ever say "I'm NEVER going to lose weight" or "I ALWAYS give in to temptation" or "My husband NEVER listens to me" ? Things like this are either untrue or exaggerations and you should avoid thinking/speaking in absolutes like this!

#2: Focusing on the Negative - Only seeing the bad parts of a situation
Many people fall into this trap and highlight only their failures and not their successes. Sure, maybe you had an unplanned cookie, but maybe you also said no to the cake that your coworker brought in and you got up early to exercise! Don't be afraid to step back and ask yourself what good can come from a negative situation, or how you might be able to turn that around.

#3: Fortune Telling - Predicting the worst case scenario
This is the classic example of why some people just never get started on diet/weight loss - they think they know what's going to happen - they say that they'll last a month and then they'll run out of steam/motivation or they'll get tired of going to the gym and they know they'll never be able to stick with it so they never start. Some people avoid joining the gym because they think others will stare/make fun of them and they will make a fool of themselves. Both of these scenarios are cases where people are falling into the trap of "fortune-telling" and letting it interfere with their lives.

#4: Mind Reading - Believing that you know what another person is thinking without them telling you
This is similar to fortune telling, but specficially involves someone who assumes they know what someone else is thinking. Never ASSUME! Example - someone may avoid asking a friend to be a workout buddy because they "know" that they'll say no or will make fun of them, but in reality that friend may be excited at the thought of being able to workout with someone. Another area this comes into play is at home - people avoid having difficult conversations about health/weight-loss/etc. with family members because they believe the other person will react badly. You can't know this, and it doesn't do anyone any good to just avoid the topic.

#5: Thinking with your Feelings - Believing negative feelings rather than questioning them
Feelings are very complex and often based on powerful memories from the past. Feelings sometimes lie to you, but they are just feelings, not necessarily the truth. Look for the evidence behind the feeling to check its truth. If you find yourself thinking "I FEEL...so it must be true" then you know you're falling into this kind of trap. Example - I feel unattractive and unloveable, so that's what I am.

#6: Guilt Beatings - Thinking in terms of what you should have done, ought to have done
Duty/Goals have a purpose, but there's no point in beating ourselves up unnecessarily so! Guilt, in general, is not overly helpful. Try to turn your guilt-based thoughts ("I SHOULD be eating vegetables, not candy bars...I'm a failure!") into thoughts centered around your goals and desires ("Eating vegetables will keep me healthier and provide better fuel for my body ) and then make an action plan on how to avoid the temptation/problem next time around ("I'm going to stop buying candy bars and make sure I buy a supply of fresh vegetables every week, and I'll look up new, fun recipes to use vegetables in!").

#7: Labeling - Giving yourself or someone else a negative label
Fat, Slow, Lazy, etc. There are SO many labels that we give ourselves and other people. It's not necessarily the words themselves that are the problem, but the meanings behind those words. Often, labelling yourself or someone else suggests things about you that aren't necessarily true. In reality, we are all complex, wonderful, multi-layered people who could never be fully described by any set of labels. We need to recognize our individuality and the whole of our selves rather than focus on labels.

#8: Personalization - Harmless events are seen as personal in nature
This is taking something personal when it really isn't. I've fallen into this trap many a time. Example - a friend that I've been going to the gym with stops going for a few days. My first reaction is to feel hurt - "Why don't you want to go with me?" But the truth is that it has nothing to do with me - my friend just needed a break to clear his head. Taking everything personal will cause a lot more anxiety, angst, and hurt than is really necessary - learn to step back and evaluate whether or not a situation truly involves something personal about you.

#9: Blame - Blaming someone else for your problems
We all know this one - many people do it without even realizing it. "The gym closed for the holiday, so I just couldn't work out." "My friend quit going to the gym with me, so I had no one to go with." "My coworker brought in the most delicious cookies - how could I say no? I don't want to hurt her feelings." "My family refuses to eat healthy foods, so I don't have a choice."
The fact of the matter is, we have control over what goes into our bodies and how we treat ourselves. If you truly want to be healthy, you will find a way to make it work. Will it always be easy? No. If you find yourself making excuses and blaming other people, take a step back and figure out what YOU can do to change/improve/avoid the situation.

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Some resources regarding ANTs:

http://satsanga.buffalo.edu/docs/ANTS.pdf (an exercise you can do to analyze/track your ANTS)
http://www.mdjunction.com/forums/positive-thinking-discussions/general-support/2344174-crush-your-antsautomatic-negative-thoughts