Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on changing how you think about yourself, how you act, and circumstances that surround how you act, is an effective treatment for a wide range of problems, including weight loss.
Key to CBT is its focus on making changes and sticking to them. These changes can be made with cognitive behavior therapy exercises.
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We can only change ourselves when we change the way we think. — Lynda Field
The below 4 tips can get you started looking at your behaviors.
Goal Setting – Goals can be motivating. The more specific the goal the more likely you are to achieve it. Goals need to be attainable, especially early on.
Small “wins” are important in keeping you motivated to progress towards your ultimate target. Goal milestones are a great way to break down a larger goal into smaller, more easily manageable sub targets.
Self-Monitoring – Self-monitoring is a step that requires you to stay calm no matter the circumstances. Ignore any negative selftalk and turn personal analyst.
Look at your situation and try to figure out what worked as well as what is not working. See if you can identify patterns to your eating.
One of the best things you can do to help yourself is review your experiences. This analysis can give you the tools you need to avoid triggers and the confidence you need to work through the challenges.
Feedback and Support – It is not always possible to do everything on your own and you may not want to.
If you get stuck, a doctor, counselor, dietician or one of many weight loss support groups may be able to make a suggestion that can help you through a rough time.
Professionals can help you make an adjustment that can get you back on track and keep you motivated to see your journey through to the end.
Creating a Fit Attitude – It is your job to build and maintain a positive attitude about the journey you are about to undertake.
It is essential to focus not just on behavior, but also on your perception of your ability to make the changes you want.
In a few sentences, CBT is looking at a trigger with a different outcome. For example, you get nervous knowing that you have to make a presentation at the quarterly operations meeting tomorrow.
Thinking about this meeting causes anxiety and as a result, you eat more than you should and finish it off with a huge, sugary dessert.
The next time you get notification of the meeting, making sure you are prepared, get a good night of sleep and treat yourself to 30 minutes of an activity of your choosing the day before.
Realize that if you did not belong there the company would not have you as part of the meeting.
Nobody is perfect and life is about adapting and adjusting to the curve balls it throws you.
The best motivation to make progress is a little bit of success. Starting with small goals will increase your chances of achieving them.
Once you have reached a few of your milestones, you can up your game and make your goals a little more ambitious.
Don’t feel like going it alone? Look for an accountability partner that can keep you eating healthy and exercising regularly is an option.
Don’t know where to get started or you don’t have a partner?
Fitbit has some great communities that do everything from eating healthy to exercise challenges to practicing mindful living.
An online community is a perfect place for introverts and social media buffs alike.
Incentives are an excellent way to stay motivated to meet your goals.
Weight Watchers uses them, 12-step programs use them, the weight loss reality shows use them and you should too. Incentives do not have to be extravagant.
They are meant to celebrate milestones. Think of some things you would like to have or something you would like to do and match the rewards up with some milestones and get started.
Cognitive behavioral therapy exercises is one of the many tools you can use to manage emotional eating.
It is a method that allows you to change the outcome before it happens. It teaches you how to plan a new action for a common problem in your life.