CBT Tools for Weight Loss

I'm going to give you more on CBT(Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) today by sharing my own personal index cards with their sabotaging thoughts and responses.

If you didn't read my previous post on this I encourage you to do so.

You can find it here.

Some of these are mine and some are straight from The Beck Diet Solution by Judith Beck.

Sabotaging thought:
I don't have time to eat slowly.

Response:
I need to rearrange my schedule to make the time.  If I needed to take time for a life saving medical procedure three times a day, I'd somehow find the time.  I'm not giving eating properly a high enough priority.


Sabotaging thought:
I messed up.  Now it's over.  I've failed.  I may as well eat what I want again.

Response:
I need to strengthen the part of my mind that believes I can follow the program.  I'm only human and might stray from my plan from time to time.  When this happens a sense of helplessness might kick in.  Continually building my confidence by giving myself credit for what I did right can protect me from feeling helpless and hopeless and throwing in the towel.


Sabotaging thought:
Everyone else(or my husband or son or whomever) is eating it.  I want to eat it.  They're eating right in front of me.  What else can I do?  It's too hard to resist.  I may just as well go ahead and eat it.

Response:
I can choose to give in and stay stuck and miserable or I can honor myself enough to say "No" to cheating and overeating.  I may choose to go in another room or chew gum or ask them to avoid snacking in front of me(if the situation permits).


Sabotaging thought:
I don't want to track.  I want to eat.  I can do this without tracking.

Response:
Obviously history shows that I can't do this without tracking.  When I track I lose weight.  When I don't track I don't lose or I gain.  It's my choice in this moment.  I can choose to be permissive and stay stuck by not tracking and sticking to plan or I can track and lose weight, feel great and get back to that place of excitement and feeling of ease with the plan.


Sabotaging thought:
I'm gaining weight again.  I've failed again.  I'll gain it all back and feel rotten about myself.  I just can't do it.

Response:
I can exert a little effort, be thin, feel attractive and live well in a body that serves me and the choices I've made or I can choose not to.  Giving up means going back to feeling tired and rotten all the time as my baseline.  I don't want to live like that anymore.  I like feeling healthy, strong and sexy.  I can achieve that by the choices I make in each now moment.


Sabotaging thought:
I've got x, y, and z events coming up so I should just wait until later to start(or get back on plan).

Response:
The truth is that there will always be an occasion.  That's life.  It's non-stop with the holidays, birthdays, office parties and special occasions.  If I wait until there is no occasion I'll never start.  If I really want to make a meaningful change I have to figure out how to navigate life's holidays and obstacles because that's real life.  During every holiday, event and moment I have a choice.  I can make choices that support my goals and desires.



Sabotaging thought:
I'm fat.  That's just who I am.

Response:
Overweight or obese is a state that my body is currently in but it is not the True essence of who I really am.  Who I really am is a Child of God, made on purpose with purpose, given all that I need to have a wonderful life.  God already knows who I am.  I just have to remember.


Sabotaging thought:
I've finished dinner and I don't really have the points for snacking things that aren't zero points but I really want it!  I'm just gonna have it anyway.

Response:
You've worked too hard for this to throw it away on impulse.  You're worth more than this.  I can choose to get up and go back to the pantry to eat points I don't have or I can make another choice.  I can go to my bedroom with a cup of tea to read.  I can eat a zero point food if I'm actually hungry.  I can have a glass of water or exercise.  I can pray.  Feeling good and behaving in a way that honors my body temple is way better than any food I could ever put into my mouth.


Sabotaging thought:
This is hard!  I want to quit!

Response:
It is hard but if you stick with it it does get easier.  Every day that I do something right it builds positive momentum.  Every day that ends with me on plan and within my points range makes me feel stronger.  When I wake up the next day I always remember that I did it, I stayed within my points and that thought makes me feel stronger.  It makes me feel like doing better.  I helps me start to believe that that's the kind of person I am and it makes it easier to carry on.  I can do this!


I hope these help you.  If I didn't list one of your sabotaging thoughts you can send it to me and I'll do my best to write a response for you.

In truth, I wrote this post mostly for me today because I needed it.

I need to get back on track and see myself as being successful.

And, I know I have that within me.

I know I'm capable of it and so are you.