How Guilt Can Be Counter-Productive Towards Your Weight-Loss Goals

So we've done it, we made weight-loss our New Year's resolution.    We've stated it to ourselves and advertised it to others hoping this will motivate us to stay on track.  Whether it is about eating healthier, joining a running class or spending more time with loved ones we from time to time struggle to meet our goals.  Guilt then pops its ugly head and shakes its finger at us expressing its disappointment in our actions (or lack of) making us hang our head in shame.

Guilt is actually a response from our subconscious which can be an important tool to life lessons, following code of behaviors, maintaining important relationships and keeping us out of jail.  But if your guilt has nothing to do with doing something illegal and immoral then it can become a self-afflicted and prosecuting emotion that causes anxiety, worry, on-going grief and low self-worth.  Guilt can be very unhealthy and paralyzing.

Guilt played a very significant role in my eating disorder and was always by my side.  It never stopped talking and always kept reminding me of what I should have and shouldn’t have done.  Guilt made me eat so I could dull its constant chattering and then guilt made me purge and on the cycle went. Guilt defined me.  It took a long time for me to recognize its power even though others could see it and would use it to manipulate me.  I used to be angry that my ex-husband used guilt to control me but as I matured in my thinking I realized guilt is what controlled me.

Guilt should not play the lead role in motivating you towards your goals especially weight-loss goals.  Guilt does not serve your best interests and can prevent you from moving forward.  If you have a gym membership that you haven’t used for a year and you keep paying on it, you need to cancel it.  Stop torturing yourself and wasting your money.  Accept and move on to find other means of physical activity that you may enjoy.

Life is about growth and change and not always about what we define as right and wrong.  We sometimes take two steps forward and one step back but we are still moving forward.  Also our intentions don’t always work out but we have the opportunity to learn from the situation and forgive ourselves.  Take the power away from guilt through forgiveness and empower yourself.

Treena Wynes, BSW, RSW

Author of Eating Ourselves Crazy

www.f4tw.com