Welcome back to the 12 Keys to a Healthy Weight. Last week we discussed how beliefs may be sabotaging your success, and today we’ll look at some of the detrimental behaviors that may be happening.
Key #3: Recognize the unhealthy behaviors that are working against you
Faulty beliefs and assumptions can lead instantly to unhealthy behaviors. We raised this example last week, “Well, I’ve blown it again, just like I always do. I might as well eat whatever I want because I’ll never get back on track, anyway.”
Over time, these behaviors can become habitual. We don’t need to think about the belief at all, we’re just doing what we always do. One thing can lead to another and unhealthy habits tend to build on each other. For example, if you’re constantly running late, it might put you in the position of needing to grab meals on the go, when you’ll have fewer options for healthy choices.
When it comes to identifying and overcoming these behaviors, I like to give my clients the example of building a muscle. If you build the “giving in” muscle, you’ll keep giving in to whatever craving or emotional trigger is compelling you to eat. If you build the “resistance” muscle, you create a new habitual behavior that will help not only with food, but restraining yourself from other unhealthy choices.
Here are some questions for journaling, therapy and reflection as you recognize your behaviors with food and weight:
- Which behaviors are contributing to your unhealthy thoughts about your weight or body image?
- In what ways has eating too much or too little become a habit for you?
- Which of your non-food routines and behaviors are having a negative impact on your eating habits?
Next week, we’ll look at the fourth key to a healthy weight, which is to learn healthier eating tools and practices.