article: perfect way to stay on Track

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<A HREF= " http://www.ediets.com/news/article.cfm?article_id=2744 " >eDiets.com:

Here's The Perfect Way To Stay On Track</A>

Here's The Perfect Way To Stay On Track

- September 18, 2000

by Dr. H. Sklare

eDiets.com Psychologist

As I approach a year of working with our members at the Emotional Support

Center (ESC) here at eDiets.com, I become increasingly more aware of the

commonality of their issues. In other words, we are all so much more alike

than we are different.

Basically, we all have the same wants and needs -- and we struggle with the

same issues. One of the issues that consistently comes up and interferes with

weight management is perfectionistic thinking.

A perfectionist is someone who allows no room at all for error. The job must

be done to the letter or all is lost. The typical weight-loss pattern for a

perfectionist: Once they vary from their program, even slightly, they abandon

the entire effort. I’m sure many of you will identify with this pattern. This

kind of thinking leaves you incredibly frustrated and can make weight

management seem like the impossible dream.

For example, let’s say that you've followed your eDiets program perfectly for

a couple of weeks when, in a moment of weakness, you eat a piece of cake.

Now, because you are a perfectionist, you don’t simply chalk this up as a

minor slip and get back on the program. Noooooo!

Being a perfectionist you equate a minor slip with total failure and so now

may even consider yourself a failure. And since you have failed why not eat

the rest of the cake. And, of course, what’s cake without ice cream. You see

how this pattern develops?

This is how perfectionistic thinking sabotages your best effort at weight

control. Since no one is perfect, this “all or nothing†mentality dooms you

to failure before you even begin. When you equate a “minor slip†with total

failure you have no chance of succeeding. Perfectionism in weight control is

a built-in guarantee of failure.

All right let’s take roll call. All of you who are perfectionists please

raise your hands. Just as I thought. You are definitely not alone. In my work

and research with Inner Diet over the years, I have gathered research on over

50,000 overweight people. This research revolves around perfectionism and

several other emotional issues relating to overeating and weight control. By

the way, that’s a substantial sample size. The theory in statistics is that

the larger your sample size, the more confident you can be of your findings.

Anyway, perfectionism is one of issues I’ve tracked and tested for over the

years.

My findings reveal that 51% of all overweight individuals have a serious

problem with perfectionism regarding weight control. That’s a little more

than one out of every two people. So, as you can see, this is a major issue

for a great many of you.

A perfectionist is someone who brings an unrealistic attitude to weight

management. Perfectionists expect the impossible of themselves. So, if you

happen to be one of these people, what can you do? Well, the antidote for

perfectionism is a three-step process.

First, you must set realistic goals. The principle problem here is that as a

perfectionist you allow absolutely no room for error. To a perfectionist, a

minor slip is equated with total failure. That’s simply untrue and

unrealistic. You must incorporate some reality and flexibility into your

thinking.

The second step involves changing the way you think. It's the irrational

belief you must be perfect -- a belief you've held onto and reinforced over

the years -- that leads to the " negative result. " To the perfectionist, the

thought that a minor slip means total failure promptly leads to the negative

result of bingeing or giving up. One leads directly into the other; the

thought leads directly into the action. You can't have the negative result

without the irrational belief. So you must challenge the irrational belief.

The third step in combating perfectionism is preparation. You must learn to

be prepared for minor slips. I suggest you have what I call a " retracking

plan " in place. It's a technique to get you right back on track once you

slip. Here's how it works. Take out a piece of paper and write down a days

worth of healthy meals. I then suggest that you go to the store and purchase

what you need for these meals so that you have the ingredients available at

all times. When you slip, you immediately make these your next three meals.

This prepares you to get right back on track should you slip.

Set realistic goals, challenge irrational beliefs and be prepared. Now that’s

the perfect solution to perfectionism.