If you are wanting to lose weight, but are tempted by fattening foods, it will be helpful to focus on the pain you’ll feel AFTER you eat something that tasted good in the moment but felt guilty about later. For example, when you are about to reach for junk food to ease the stress of the day, remind yourself “If I eat this I’m self-sabatoging my weight loss goals.” Associating self-sabatoge with eating junk will cause emotional pain which will lessen your desire to continue your behavior.
Begin to link pleasure with positive healthy behaviors. For example if you get a breath of fresh air to reduce your stress instead of reaching for junk, tell yourself “I feel good about my healthy choice to take a needed break. Because I avoided eating junk I am one step closer towards my wieght loss goal.” Linking positive behaviors with pleasure, “I am one step closer towards your weight loss goal”, will increase your desire to continue a behavior. In summary, the more you link pain with unhealthy habits the less likely you’ll continue to do them, and the more you link pleasure with positive behaviors the more likely you’ll continue to do them. -Sara Holliday MFT, CPT