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Post by bbbearsmom on Jul 26, 2021 23:31:48 GMT
Day 27 – Master the Seven Question Technique
This is a way to decide how to handle your sabotaging thoughts and coming up with actions you can take to counter them.
1. What kind of thinking error could I be making?
2. What evidence is there that this thought might not be true (or not completely true)?
3. Is there an alternative explanation or another way of viewing this?
4. What is the most realistic outcome of this decision?
5. What is the effect of my believing this thought and what could be the effect of changing my thinking?
6. What would I tell a (close friend or family member) if he/she were in this situation and had this thought?
7. What should I do now?
What do you think of the 7-question technique? Have you tried it? If you want to, try it now and share it with us. If you’ve done it in the past and kept a copy please share it. Do you think you’ll try it in the future?
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Post by bbbearsmom on Jul 26, 2021 23:33:03 GMT
From Marcia: I want to be cooking healthy meals but I'm not. In order to lose weight & be healthy as I age. But I can't decide what to make. Nothing sounds appealing. I'm tired of the same old stuff I made when I was working.
1. What kind of thinking error could I be making? All or nothing thinking.
2. What evidence is there that this thought might not be true (or not completely true)? Some of my old meals still sound good.
3. Is there an alternative explanation or another way of viewing this? I just don't feel like cooking.
4. What is the most realistic outcome of this decision? My health will deteriorate. I've developed a bad habit.
5. What is the effect of my believing this thought and what could be the effect of changing my thinking? If I think I'm tired of my meal plans, it gives me an excuse not to plan or shop. If I chose some new recipes, I might get more enthusiastic.
6. What would I tell a (close friend or family member) if he/she were in this situation and had this thought? Choose the foods you really like from the usual & try 1 or 2 new ones from WW materials. And you don't have to plan & shop for the whole week like you did when you were working.
7. What should I do now? Choose a couple of new recipes and plan & shop for 3 or 4 days. Decide when to plan for the rest of the week.
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Post by bbbearsmom on Jul 26, 2021 23:34:16 GMT
From Carol Ann 1. What kind of thinking error must I be making? Self-Deluded Thinking
2. What evidence is there my thought isn't correct or entirely correct? The process is going on, whether I think about it or not. Evidence from other sources (scales, tape measure, changes in clothing sizes) tells me that something is happening, even if I refuse to think about it.
3. Is there an alternative explanation or another way of looking at this thought? If I acknowledge that I have a faulty thought process, I will have to change the thoughts and change my behavior. Even though my behavior may be self-destructive, at some level I accept myself as I am right now and feel no urge to change.
4. What is the most realistic outcome? If I don’t think about my weight and my behavior, I will lose my hard-won status as a Thin Person.
5.What is the effect of believing this thought vs changing my thinking? If I change my thinking, and think about the connection between behavior and weight, I will maintain my current status as a Thin Person, and may even get thinner.
6.What would I tell a family member or close friend if they were thinking the same thing? There is no value judgement involved here. Just physics. Like Judy says, the laws of physics apply to everyone. Carol Ann is not special. The connection between behavior and weight changes are a fact. If you are unhappy with the weight, then modify the behavior. .
7.What should I do now? There is a behavior going on that needs adjustment. Take a closer look at all behaviors, not just the obvious or easy ones. The laws of physics apply, and change will happen.
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Post by bbbearsmom on Jul 26, 2021 23:35:10 GMT
From Tammy: I get tired of doing this all the time, especially when it seems like I do everything right and still gain. I think it should be easier than this.
1. What kind of thinking error could I be making? Exaggerated thinking, emotional reasoning, all-or-nothing thinking, self-deluded thinking.
2. What's the evidence that this thought might not be true (or completely true)? I remember attending an activity when I was a bridesmaid, and all the thin bridesmaids wanted to talk about was their diet. When I was overweight, I didn't think about what I ate, but I thought about being fat. Which is better?
3. Is there an alternative explanation or another way of viewing this? The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
4. What is the most realistic outcome of this situation? It is unrealistic to think that I can maintain with no effort. It is unrealistic to think that being overweight does not matter to me. If I quit putting in effort, I will regain, and I will be very unhappy.
5. What is the effect of my believing this thought and what could be the effect of changing my thinking? I can regain or I can continue to maintain.
6. What should I tell a close friend/family member if he/she were in this situation and had this thought? Quit your whining.
7. What should I do now? Stick with your plan. It has worked in the past.
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Post by bbbearsmom on Jul 26, 2021 23:36:08 GMT
From Lizlor: Thoughts: who am I kidding? I’m great at beginnings but fail at the follow through and long view. My body is used to being fat. I’ll never be able to keep this daily, diligent pace up until next October in order to hit my goal weight. I’m going to fall back into old habits.
1. What kind of thinking error could I be making? self-delusional and exaggerated thinking
2. What evidence is there that this thought might not be true (or not completely true)? 1) I’ve been OP for a month and lost 7+ pounds 2) I haven’t failed yet and am still motivated
3. Is there an alternative explanation or another way of viewing this? Why shouldn’t I eventually be able to hit goal? Others in my group have done it.
4. What is the most realistic outcome of this decision? I’ll keep losing slowly and surprise myself with losing weight over time.
5. What is the effect of my believing this thought and what could be the effect of changing my thinking? I’ll stop viewing this process at not being obtainable and start believing I can do it.
6. What would I tell a (close friend or family member) if he/she were in this situation and had this thought? Wow, I can already see you are losing weight, keep up the good work and talk to anytime you need encouragement. 7. What should I do now? Focus on my short term decisions: planning, prepping, tracking and exercise and celebrate each 5# loss. And stop with the sabotaging thoughts.
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Post by bbbearsmom on Jul 26, 2021 23:42:14 GMT
I used this once and it worked. I sometimes trigger and get obsessed about having a particular sweet. This happened to me over a cupcake and I had a big bakery cupcake. After that I promised myself I would use this technique the next time I got obsessed. Well six months later I got obsessed about Dunkin' Donuts' Peeps donut. I used this technique and I was able to work through my craving and not have the donut.
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Post by mac on Jul 27, 2021 0:34:09 GMT
What do you think of the 7-question technique? * I like the idea as I need something to work through the sabotaging thoughts I have with the unplanned eating.
Have you tried it? * No.
If you want to, try it now and share it with us. If you’ve done it in the past and kept a copy please share it.
Do you think you’ll try it in the future? * Yes.
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Post by lani on Jul 27, 2021 15:26:26 GMT
I have used it more with emotional meltdowns in other life areas besides weight managment. It worked. Or at least helped.
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Post by bbbearsmom on Jul 27, 2021 16:29:08 GMT
lani, I was having some obsessive thoughts the past two weeks and thought about using this. The thoughts have calmed down but next time I might try this.
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Post by lani on Jul 27, 2021 21:26:56 GMT
bbbearsmom, you're still meditating, right? I skipped two days in a row and I could feel myself spiralizing into a place I don't want to be. Meditation really works for me, but I have to keep it up or I feel a definite negative mood change. Only time I can skip it is when I'm in Hawaii.
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Post by bbbearsmom on Jul 27, 2021 23:20:25 GMT
lani , Yeah, I'm still meditating. I'm sure it helps me. I feel so calm after I've meditated. I use to have an audio tape of relaxation exercises (from 1980's) that if I was obsessing over something I could play and in three days I would be fine but somehow I lost it. Haven't found another one that worked as well as this one did. Obsessing is just something I do and I need to remember the issue isn't important and not to act on my thoughts, it is just me obsessing.
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lizlor
Transcendent Member
Posts: 1,152
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Post by lizlor on Jul 28, 2021 14:12:55 GMT
1. What kind of thinking error could I be making?
I’m not capable of sustained weight loss
2. What evidence is there that this thought might not be true (or not completely true)?
I’ve lost 20 pounds and tracking works when I do it
3. Is there an alternative explanation or another way of viewing this?
Yes, sabotaging thoughts win out, but if I push back I can be successful
4. What is the most realistic outcome of this decision?
That I really am capable of sustained weight loss
5. What is the effect of my believing this thought and what could be the effect of changing my thinking?
I need to realize and congratulate myself that I really am in control and I really am capable of sustained weight loss
6. What would I tell a (close friend or family member) if he/she were in this situation and had this thought?
Liz, you’ve got this, keep going to where you want to be
7. What should I do now?
get serious, start countering sabotaging thoughts and get motivated by seeing success on the scale again.
What do you think of the 7-question technique? Have you tried it? If you want to, try it now and share it with us. If you’ve done it in the past and kept a copy please share it. Do you think you’ll try it in the future?
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lizlor
Transcendent Member
Posts: 1,152
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Post by lizlor on Jul 28, 2021 14:13:45 GMT
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Post by bbbearsmom on Jul 28, 2021 16:35:35 GMT
lizlor, Great job on the question technique. Can I use it as an example?
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Post by lani on Jul 28, 2021 17:11:50 GMT
bbbearsmom, we just met with our financial planner and he had a crisis during the lockdown, racing heart and feeling out of control. He is a work-aholic and loved it, until the pandemic. He could only work one hour a day. He went to therapy and also started meditating. He agreed that it is something he needs to do regularly. It's so easy to skip, especially when you're feeling pretty good. P.S. He is fine now. Also, he's Chinese and was freaking out about the whole Asian hate thing. Poor guy. He is such a wonderful person.
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