Weight Loss Sabotage: Managing ANTS
I was fortunate enough to watch some of the Wimbledon final this year. It was such a treat to watch the 2 best tennis players in the world battle it out.
But I couldn't help noticing what the commentators said whenever a player missed a shot.
Apparently the grass surface had been beaten down, so the missed shots were often attributed to the uneven surface:
". . . the ball skipped on the surface"
". . . the grass is really slick"
Or the weather:
". . . the cool temperatures are really bothering him"
". . . the wind took that one"
Or the players responses to such an important tournament:
". . . he's feeling the pressure"
". . . he's a bundle of nerves"
Are these really any different than the excuses we use (we call them *reasons* why things don't go the way we planned? When our weight loss strategies go off course?
We are constantly searching for the factors (inside and out) that influence our behavior and our results.
The problem is -- one of the biggest factors is subconscious . . . almost imperceptible to our conscious minds.
Was it the bad bounce that caused the missed shot, or did an unconscious thought creep into the player's mind . . . ?
"I missed that shot last time."
That tiny whisper of doubt can make a world of difference in the arc of a player's stroke.
And it's no different than reaching for that second slice of pie, with the thought . . .
"I'll never keep it off anyway. Why try?"
If those doubts and fears are not uncovered and cleared, you will continue to sabotage. Things will continue to go wrong over and over again, even though your conscious desire remains strong.
No matter what you call them --
* Gary Craig, the founder of Emotional Freedom Techniques calls them "tail enders" (http://www.EFTvideos.com)
* Psychologists call them "ANTS" (Automatic Negative Thoughts)
* Coaches call them "Gremlins" - the inner critic, the narrator in your head who tells you who you are and what you should or shouldn't do.
Whatever you call them, these pesky doubts and fears have to be rooted out and cleared . . . or at the very least managed, in order to be successful.
Otherwise, they are more than a nuisance taking up space in your mind. They can outright lead to self-sabotage every time. Self-sabotage is extremely frustrating and discouraging when it comes to weight loss. It's not so easy to shake off the ANTS since they are nearly imperceptible. The first step is becoming aware and then taking steps to counteract them.
Tennis players do as much work on the "inner game" as they do on stroke production and strategy. They know that the game is 90% mental. They ALL have the ability to win if they don't get in their own way.
You do too.
Copyright 2006 Carol Solomon
But I couldn't help noticing what the commentators said whenever a player missed a shot.
Apparently the grass surface had been beaten down, so the missed shots were often attributed to the uneven surface:
". . . the ball skipped on the surface"
". . . the grass is really slick"
Or the weather:
". . . the cool temperatures are really bothering him"
". . . the wind took that one"
Or the players responses to such an important tournament:
". . . he's feeling the pressure"
". . . he's a bundle of nerves"
Are these really any different than the excuses we use (we call them *reasons* why things don't go the way we planned? When our weight loss strategies go off course?
We are constantly searching for the factors (inside and out) that influence our behavior and our results.
The problem is -- one of the biggest factors is subconscious . . . almost imperceptible to our conscious minds.
Was it the bad bounce that caused the missed shot, or did an unconscious thought creep into the player's mind . . . ?
"I missed that shot last time."
That tiny whisper of doubt can make a world of difference in the arc of a player's stroke.
And it's no different than reaching for that second slice of pie, with the thought . . .
"I'll never keep it off anyway. Why try?"
If those doubts and fears are not uncovered and cleared, you will continue to sabotage. Things will continue to go wrong over and over again, even though your conscious desire remains strong.
No matter what you call them --
* Gary Craig, the founder of Emotional Freedom Techniques calls them "tail enders" (http://www.EFTvideos.com)
* Psychologists call them "ANTS" (Automatic Negative Thoughts)
* Coaches call them "Gremlins" - the inner critic, the narrator in your head who tells you who you are and what you should or shouldn't do.
Whatever you call them, these pesky doubts and fears have to be rooted out and cleared . . . or at the very least managed, in order to be successful.
Otherwise, they are more than a nuisance taking up space in your mind. They can outright lead to self-sabotage every time. Self-sabotage is extremely frustrating and discouraging when it comes to weight loss. It's not so easy to shake off the ANTS since they are nearly imperceptible. The first step is becoming aware and then taking steps to counteract them.
Tennis players do as much work on the "inner game" as they do on stroke production and strategy. They know that the game is 90% mental. They ALL have the ability to win if they don't get in their own way.
You do too.
Copyright 2006 Carol Solomon
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