psycological tools

I'm huge into goal setting and also like journaling. (When I read about SMART goals I realized it was pretty similar to some of the things I'd been doing naturally.)

With weight loss, things that helped me psychologically was approaching it as a serious of changes, analyzing what was working and what I was struggling with, and setting long and short term goals and process goals.

For example, one issue I have is thinking that one particular food decision matters. So for me (not everyone) it helps to aim for a specific goal with a time in mind (I know I won't get derailed if I don't totally hit it or have to change it). That allowed me to think "if I keep up with this by next October when I'm doing X (to make it seem really real) I will be able to wear some outfit or be down a certain amount of lbs," stuff like that.

But it is also important to have shorter term goals, so I'll set something really foreseeable and make sure a lot of the short term goals are process goals (things you control, like "I will work out 3 times this week" or "I will eat vegetables at all meals" or "I will hit my calorie goal." When I do that I feel satisfaction hitting each little goal (even just closing out my diary on target each day or every day for a week) and that really helped.

Motivational goals based on DOING things have always helped me too -- training for a race or other things that require work. Strength goals to some extent, but I have less of a sense of how fast improvement can be made, so that's harder for me.

I used the journal for, among other things, working on emotional eating (when I wanted to eat I forced myself to write about it first), and doing a brief overview of the day to see what worked, what I needed to work on. I also tried things, but wasn't necessarily super attached to them -- I learned that for me snacking makes it harder, so I still to 3 main meals, that being tired makes it harder (so now I know to anticipate that and if hungry I try having coffee or just telling myself it's mental).

Just a few thoughts -- I do think this is an interesting topic and am curious what others say.

Oh, another thing that I think a lot of people would disagree with but I found helpful: I had a stack of jeans of the same brand (one I like, not that expensive) in different sizes. Fitting into the next pair down always felt like a reward.

I use cognitive/behavioral techniques to deal with sabotaging thoughts and behaviors. This helped me manage alcohol, as well as food.

This book on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for overeating was available in my library system, so perhaps yours as well.

The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person

Can thinking and eating like a thin person be learned, similar to learning to drive or use a computer? Beck (Cognitive Therapy for Challenging Problems) contends so, based on decades of work with patients who have lost pounds and maintained weight through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Beck's six-week program adapts CBT, a therapeutic system developed by Beck's father, Aaron, in the 1960s, to specific challenges faced by yo-yo dieters, including negative thinking, bargaining, emotional eating, bingeing, and eating out. Beck counsels readers day-by-day, introducing new elements (creating advantage response cards, choosing a diet, enlisting a diet coach, making a weight-loss graph) progressively and offering tools to help readers stay focused (writing exercises, to-do lists, ways to counter negative thoughts). There are no eating plans, calorie counts, recipes or exercises; according to Beck, any healthy diet will work if readers learn to think differently about eating and food. Beck's book is like an extended therapy session with a diet coach. (Apr.)

I use mantras. Especially when I don't feel like working out. My avitar is one of my go to's.

Get yourself around as many people as possible who are trying to lose weight.

I would also get some sort of activity monitor that syncs with MFP. I have a Fitbit One, and there's a graph that shows calories in vs calories out. As long as I consume less than I burn, I lose weight.

It also helps if what I'm eating is "quality". The better quality of food you have, the more of it you can have. Things like Pasta Fagiole soup (like an Italian chili), sirloin steak's, green beans, tomatoes, grilled chicken, etc.

One other thing I do is I have a dorm fridge in my laundry room with water, yogurt, cheese, apples, etc and a "snack box" next to it with 100-ish calorie snacks in it - pretzels, Jif-to-go, protein/fiber bars, peanut butter crackers....etc. That way I have a safe zone to get a snack and don't have to go to the kitchen where all the other stuff is.

jessiferrrb wrote: »

i forgot one main one!

i try to keep up with the "photos only success stories" and the "non-scale victories" threads on here when i'm feeling discouraged.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1167854/photo-only-success-stories#latest

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1275030/whats-your-most-recent-nsv#latest

Second this!

I read once to keep a list of non food related rewards for each goal you meet, but to keep the goals small. So I set goals at 5-10lbs intervals and ranged the rewards in value from thing like buying new uderweat that fits better (a bit ridiculous I know) to getting a pedicure , new jeans, etc. Ultimately I'd like to get a fitness related photo shoot done when I hit my goal weight - just so that I have proof that I did it! Lol. (I've been in shape before but have no pics! I find seeing myself look fit helps keep me motivated)

Also saw on Pinterest the idea to visually resent weight loss in some way. Maybe having two jars - one with a marble for each lb you want to lose and the other jar for lbs lost. Yhen each week when you weigh in, you move thr marbles over. It helps to keep track of how far you've come. I keep it somewhere I see it regularly.

I print out inspiring quotes and post them around my work area where I see them and think about them all the time.
I've kept a journal since the beginning. I use a sturdy sketchbook. I put anything in it--weigh ins, progress pics, event pics, comments from others, fitness accomplishments, etc. Whatever inspires me. This has been key to reminding me of where I've come and the amount of progres Ive made. I love looking back through it. I honestly believe that having this willl help keep me on track during maintenance because I will never forget where I started and the progress I've made. If you prefer,, you could keep something similar digitally.