Stop Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Fact Sheet
Sabotage: You deprive yourself of enjoyable foods, then give in and overeat them.
Antidote: The issue of ‘forbidden fruit’ applies here. Stop labeling foods as good or bad. Eat food you enjoy in small quantities. Otherwise, you will crave the foods you deprive yourself of and binge on them later.
Sabotage: You give in and eat the high-fat foods that your family eats.
Antidote: Clean up the diet of the whole family by decreasing the fat in the foods everyone likes. Another tip: Put leftovers in the fridge or freezer before you eat to prevent second helpings.
Sabotage: You skip breakfast.
Antidote: Develop some fast and easy breakfast meals. Protein bars or shakes may be a good substitute, but skipping breakfast is a set up for overeating later in the day or eating unhealthy, fast foods for a pick-me-up.
Sabotage: You give in at parties and restaurants.
Antidote: Share an entrée and dessert with your partner, or order a salad for starters and have a cappuccino for your third course. Opt for meals cooked using low-fat methods such as grilling or stir-frying.
Sabotage: You weigh yourself several times a day.
Antidote: Limit weighing yourself to once a week at the same time of day. Weight fluctuates by several pounds some days. Pay attention to how your clothes fit and use a tape measure to monitor inches lost.
Sabotage: You eat while working, reading the newspaper or watching television.
Antidote: Eating on the run lessens your satisfaction with food. Make a commitment to doing nothing else while eating. Focus on your food and savor the moment.
Sabotage: You get frustrated when you don’t lose weight, and give up.
Antidote: Make ‘slow and steady’ your diet mantra. One to two pounds per week is recommended for long-term weight loss.
(Adapted from Weight Watchers, Stopping Self-Sabotage)
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