Day 26 - Beck Diet Solution, Recognize Thinking Mistakes

Common Thinking Errors

1.     All Or Nothing Thinking

You see things only in absolutes – as if things are only black or white when really there are shades of grey.

Examples:

·       I’m either 100% on a diet or not on one at all.

·       I have to follow my plan perfectly, otherwise I’m a failure.

2.     Negative Fortune Telling

You assume that future events will turn out negatively without considering other possibilities.

Examples:

·       I didn’t lose weight or gained weight this week – I’ll never lose weight this way.

·       I gave into that craving – I have no chance of ever resisting them!

3.     Overly Positive Fortune Telling

You assume that future events will only be positive without considering other possibilities.

Examples:

·       I’ll just eat a little bit of this food, then I’ll be satisfied enough to stop.

·       I don’t have to measure my food – I’ll just eyeball it, I’ll still lose weight anyway.

4.     Emotional Reasoning

You believe your ideas and feelings must be correct and valid even though there’s solid evidence to the contrary.

Examples:

·       I fell off the wagon – I’m such a complete failure.

·       I have to satisfy my craving for something sweet.

5.     Mind Reading

Even without having evidence or reasonable information, you’re sure you know what others are thinking.

Examples:

·       People will think I’m weird if I don’t join them in drinks.

·       My boss won’t like it if I don’t eat what he ordered for the office.

6.     Self-Deluding Thinking

You come up with thoughts to give yourself permission to do things you wouldn’t do at other times.

Examples:

·       It doesn’t matter if I eat this, no one can see me.

·       It doesn’t matter if I give in to this craving.

7.     Unhelpful Rules

You force yourself to take certain actions without taking relevant circumstances into consideration.

Examples:

·       It’s wrong to waste food.

·       It’s wrong to do all this running and exercise when I should be spending this time with my family.

8.     Justification

You give yourself permission to eat by linking two unrelated ideas or facts.

Examples:

·       I deserve to eat this because I’m stressed out/bored/sad…

·       It would be crazy to pass up free food.

9.     Exaggerated Thinking

You make a situation seem greater or worse than it really is.

Examples:

·       I can’t stand this craving.

·       It’s pure punishment to be on this diet.

Now, take your list of sabotaging thoughts you wrote down yesterday.  Match the applicable thinking mistake(s) to each sabotaging thought.