Are you still beating yourself up? Self-Compassion...

Thanksgiving was nearly a week ago, and I'd bet that some of you are still concerned with your behavior on THAT DAY. 

"I can't believe I..."

Stop. it.

Are you holding grudges against yourself?  Are you hating on your own choices on that day --- and the days following?  How do you manage a full "holiday season" of temptations?

What about learning be be a little kinder to yourself -- do you think that would help? 

(MM is NODDING YES, BECAUSE, YES!  Because... yes.)  And, in our weight loss surgery community, THERE IS A WHOLE HELL OF A LOT OF SELF-LOATHING in regards to choices one makes.

I am bad in a whole lot of people's eyes in our community, for a variety of reasons and also because:  I have a logo that contains THE INSINUATION OF A CUPCAKE, y'all.  Food is not bad.  People are not bad.  It's all choices and how you handle situations.  /end rant

Take this quiz from Jean Fain, that I found on HuffPo this morning:

The Self-Compassionate Eating Quiz

This quiz measures your current state of self-compassion by helping you assess your mental, emotional, and physical reaction to diet, weight, and body image. When you can find a quiet moment away from distractions, take a pen or pencil and sit down to reflect on how compassionate you are toward yourself.

Check eight statements that come closest to reflecting your general experience. That is, they should reflect how you most often feel in the situation described.

___ 1. When I eat something "bad," like a donut, I can't stop thinking about how I've blown it.
___ 2. After an indulgent weekend, I trust myself to rein in my eating.
___ 3. I often feel alone with my eating issues, but I know I'm not.
___ 4. When I eat junk food, I try not to beat myself up too much.
___ 5. I may feel uncomfortable if I'm bloated or a few pounds heavier, but it doesn't stop me from enjoying social activities.
___ 6. I might never love my body, but I know I'd like it better 10 pounds lighter.
___ 7. No one struggles with eating like I do.
___ 8. I don't trust myself to eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full, but I'd like to learn.
___ 9. I can get down on myself when I'm bloated or a few pounds heavier, but I'll still go out in baggy clothes.
___ 10. Paying attention to my hunger makes me want to eat, so I try to ignore it.
___ 11. I'm always interested in what my body has to say about hunger and fullness.
___ 12. If I lose one to two pounds per week, I'll never reach my goal weight.
___ 13. I'd like to jumpstart my weight loss with a crash diet and then eat healthfully.
___ 14. I didn't stick to my eating plan the whole weekend; all my weight-loss efforts are for nothing.
___ 15. When I eat something less than healthful, I try to savor it all the same.
___ 16. I really indulged myself over the weekend; I'm afraid to step on the scale.
___ 17. When I feel bloated or especially fat, I won't leave the house.
___ 18. After overeating, I feel like punishing myself, but I know restricting and purging only make me feel worse.
___ 19. Overeating is a signal to care for myself more, not less.
___ 20. After I overeat, self-punishment (restricting food intake and/or purging, vomiting, or over-exercising) is the only thing that makes me feel better.
___ 21. My weight takes care of itself when I feed myself delicious, nutritious food.
___ 22. When I'm overweight, I feel gross; I hate my body.
___ 23. Everybody overeats and feels stuffed on occasion.
___ 24. I love and respect my body.

Scoring Sheet

Give yourself 1 point per statement for checking any of the following:
1, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 20, 22.
Subtotal: _______

Give yourself 2 points per statement for checking any of the following:
3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 13, 16, 18.
Subtotal: _______

Give yourself 3 points per statement for checking any of the following:
2, 5, 11, 15, 19, 21, 23, 24.
Subtotal: _______

Total Score: _____ Date: _____ / _____ / _____

Your Score and What to Make Of It

When it comes to self-compassion, 0-8 means you're sorely lacking, and you seriously need to go easier on yourself; 9-16, you've got some, but you could use some more; 17-24, you've got way more than the average American dieter, so you're in good shape. However, you can never have too much self-compassion.

Even if you're already pretty kind to yourself, know that even a slight increase in self-compassion can brighten your worldview, give you more emotional balance, help you get a handle on your eating and facilitate sustainable weight loss. (That is, if you are trying to lose weight.)

 

• Watch this YouTube video.
• Source - Huffington Post