Positive Self-Talk | What are you saying to yourself?

Some experts estimate that the mind thinks between 60,000 – 80,000 thoughts a day. That’s an average of 2500 – 3,300 thoughts per hour. And studies show the type of talk you engage in has a significant impact on your quality of life.

One of the most important fundamentals when it comes to establishing healthy eating habits is eliminating feelings of guilt or shame — instead, engaging in positive self-talk.

And of course, this doesn’t happen overnight or from reading an article or two. This is a PROCESS that takes time, focus, and practice to develop, not unlike establishing your own meal prepping, exercise or meditation routine.

We should all strive to eliminate guilt and shame from our ENTIRE vocabulary but our relationship with food is a great place to start. In addition to your eating and exercise habits your VOCABULARY has the potential to lead you to a life-changing transformation. Negative self-talk is one of the fastest ways of destroying self-esteem, sabotaging your goals, and upsetting your mood and emotions (and those around you).

Statements like I COULD HAVE, I SHOULD, and my personal nemesis I USED TO, short-circuit progress toward your goals and keep you focused on the past or future, not your accomplishments here in the present.

Think of all the things you say to yourself (that you wouldn’t say to your best friend). The words you choose to describe your food and yourself have real power.

You are not “good” or “bad” based on your choices. These are simply choices and opportunities to learn from.

Negative self-talk and the emotional eating that goes along with it is very real (you’re not alone) and a huge reason why so many people struggle with achieving their nutrition goals.

It all starts with the choice to acknowledge and address why we are making certain food choices in the first place. Once you do that, you become more in touch with your emotions, thoughts, and most importantly…your ACTIONS.

Remember: you are in control of how you respond. For example, instead of telling yourself that you “can’t eat that right now”, tell yourself that you “choose not to eat that right now.”

Creating new habits that go against what you’ve done in the past is a MENTAL workout that requires A LOT of effort. So many people focus on just the food, the workout, the number on the scale, etc. and overlook the most CRITICAL part of the entire process…your MIND!!

Remember, just like any other skill, this takes PRACTICE!!

Here are a few positive affirmations to get you started:

1. I accept myself for who I am.
2. Every day I choose to eat well, exercise and take care of my body.
3. My health is improving more and more every day.
4. I choose to let go of guilt when it comes to food. I will recognize it and move on.
5. I am the best version of myself, and I am working hard to become even better.
6. I am grateful for my body and what it allows me to do.
7. Every day I choose to make positive choices for my body.
8. I have non-stop daily determination to reach my health and fitness goals.

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