“Self Compassion” Could Be The Key to Weight Loss

You’re probably nicer to your family and friends than you are to yourself! That’s the basis of a new kind of psychology called self-compassion, which suggests that giving yourself a break, and accepting your imperfections may be the first step toward better health. That’s tough in a culture where most people believe that self-criticism is what keeps us in line.

Researchers were surprised to discover that those who find it easy to be supportive and understanding to others often score very low on self-compassion tests, and consider themselves “failures.” A study at the University of Texas found that people who score high on tests of self-compassion tend to be less depressed and anxious. They also tend to be more optimistic and happy. Look at it this way: If your kid was struggling in school, you get them a tutor. Even if they’d rather eat ice cream for dinner, you serve chicken. When you’re the person who’s struggling at work, or overeating – you’re more likely to fall into a self-criticism and negativity rut, which leaves you feeling even less motivated to change. So, how can you break the negativity cycle?

First, make a list of your best traits. You could probably rattle off your negative traits without much thought, but the more you appreciate the positive things about yourself, the healthier you’ll be.

Also: Give yourself “compassion breaks.” In other words, don’t feel like a failure if you fall off the diet wagon, or make a mistake at work. Instead, try something positive, like, “I’m only human. I’m not going to beat myself up over this. I’ll do better tomorrow.”

If this sounds too warm and fuzzy, there’s science to back it up. Being more compassionate toward yourself can help you lose weight. In a study, participants were asked to sample candy. Researchers told half the participants that everyone in the study was eating junk food, so they shouldn’t feel bad about eating it. The result: Those who were reassured gave themselves permission to eat, and ate less, while those who got no reassuring message ate more. Why? They felt guilty about eating junk food, so they ate more trying to make themselves feel better inside.