Beck Diet

Front 1

Response Cards- READ THEM EVERYDAY

Back 1

The only way to lose weight permanently is to learn dieting skills & practice them everyday. Then dieting will get easier & easier

Front 2

NO CHOICE

Back 2

That's it. I'm absolutely not going to eat it! I'm choosing to say NO CHOICE. If I want to lose weight, I have to do what I NEED to do, not what I FEEL like doing.

Front 3

UNFAIR?

Back 3

When dieting seems unfair, remind myself that I'm not alone. This is how all successful dieters & maintainers eat. I have a choice. I can let a sense of unfairness overwhelm me, cheat on my diet & gain weight. Or I can accept that this is what I have to do if I want all the benefits of weight loss.

Front 4

Affirmation

Back 4

My weight isn't who I am. It isn't a measure of my worth. It's just a number that tells me important information.

Front 5

EAT SLOWLY & SITTING DOWN

Back 5

I have to eat every bite slowly, while sitting down, so I can fully enjoy it. It's worth developing this lifetime habit so that I can have a lifetime of being thinner.

Front 6

GIVE MYSELF CREDIT

Back 6

I really do deserve credit for breaking old habits & it is essential for building my confidence. Once my confidence grows, everything will become so much easier.

Front 7

Exercise is not negotiable

Back 7

Exercise is not negotiable for good health. I need to make it be a daily lifetime habit. The hardest part is getting started. I'll feel so much better when I'm done. So get started!

Front 8

Exercise

Back 8

Remember that five minutes of exercise is better than zero minutes.

Front 9

Hunger is never an emergency

Back 9

Hunger is never an emergency. It's only mildly uncomfortable. I can tolerate it. It will come & go.

Front 10

Hungry? Wait 20 min.

Back 10

If I feel hungry after a meal, I'll feel full within 20 minutes. I don't need to eat more, and I always feel so much better when I don't overeat.

Front 11

stop eating when you are full

Back 11

Even though I feel like eating more, it's worth it to me to stop now. I really want all the advantages in my Advantages Deck to come true. Besides, the desire will go away once I get involved in something else.

Front 12

Stop eating when satisfied. It's ok to leave food on your plate.

Back 12

Extra food will always go to waste, either in the trash or in my body.

Front 13

Cravings will pass

Back 13

This is just a craving. I don't have to pay attention to it. It will pass.

Front 14

Emotions are not an emergency or a reason to eat.

Back 14

Emotions are not an emergency. I don't have to eat. I can tolerate this feeling.

Front 15

Eating won't solve this problem.

Back 15

Eating won't solve this problem. It will only make things worse because then I'll have two problems; the original one, plus feeling weak, guilty discouraged, & worried that I may have gained weight.

Front 16

MOVE ON

Back 16

Oh Well. Move On. Let it go. Get over it. Nevermind.

Front 17

How is it going to feel?

Back 17

It is true that I don't care at this very moment. But if I eat this unplanned food. I am going to care quite a lot in just a few minutes.. I know I will feel really bad if I give in, but I will feel terrific if I resist. I need to go do something else.

Front 18

MOVE ON

Back 18

Oh Well. Move On. Let it go. Get over it. Nevermind.

Front 19

Unplanned food temptations

Back 19

If I'm not supposed to eat something (unplanned), I will remind myself that just because I feel like eating doesn't mean that I should. There's no emergency...I'll be so glad in a few minutes if I don't give in.

Front 20

How is it going to feel?

Back 20

It is true that I don't care at this very moment. But if I eat this unplanned food. I am going to care quite a lot in just a few minutes.. I know I will feel really bad if I give in, but I will feel terrific if I resist. I need to go do something else.

Front 21

Successful dieters stick to their plans.

Back 21

Successful dieters and maintainers stay successful because they don't eat whatever they want, whenever they want it. They stick to their plans.

Front 22

Unplanned food temptations

Back 22

If I'm not supposed to eat something (unplanned), I will remind myself that just because I feel like eating doesn't mean that I should. There's no emergency...I'll be so glad in a few minutes if I don't give in.

Front 23

Strengthen resistance muscles

Back 23

Every time I resist eating something I'm not supposed to have, I strengthen my resistance muscle- which will make it easier & easier & easier to resist in the future.

Front 24

Successful dieters stick to their plans.

Back 24

Successful dieters and maintainers stay successful because they don't eat whatever they want, whenever they want it. They stick to their plans.

Front 25

Strengthen resistance muscles

Back 25

Every time I resist eating something I'm not supposed to have, I strengthen my resistance muscle- which will make it easier & easier & easier to resist in the future.

Front 26

Strengthen resistance muscles or else

Back 26

Every time I eat something I'm not supposed to eat (unplanned), I strengthen my giving-in muscle- which makes it more likely that I'll give in the next time...and the next...and the next

Front 27

Eating unplanned foods

Back 27

If I eat this unplanned food, I'll get momentary pleasure, but then I'll definitely feel bad afterward. It's not worth it!

Front 28

Deprivation?

Back 28

Either I deprive myself of eating this food today or it's likely that I will deprive myself forever of all of the advantages of losing weight.

Front 29

Stick to my plan

Back 29

If I want to lose excess weight forever, I need to stick to my plan- no ifs, ands, or buts.

Front 30

Plan for treats

Back 30

I can always plan to eat this food tomorrow.

Front 31

Anti-Craving techniques

Back 31

Drink H2O
Breathing Techniques
Read Advantages cards & ask:
How important is this advantage to me? How important is eating this food to me? Which would I rather have: this advantage or this food?

Front 32

VISUALIZE- Fast Forward

Back 32

-Fast forward- how you will feel 10 min after eating the unplanned food.
+Fast Forward- how you will feel 10 minutes after resisting the unplanned food.

Front 33

No Exceptions

Back 33

If I want to lose weight permanently, I can't make exceptions. I'd rather be thinner!

Front 34

Free Food?

Back 34

"Free" food is only free in terms of money. Eating unplanned free food brings a heavy cost in terms of reinforcing my giving-in muscle & increasing my weight.

Front 35

Special Occasions- feeling deprived?

Back 35

I'm going to be deprived no matter what. Either I'm going to be deprived of eating whatever I want @ this special occasion OR I'm going to be deprived of being thinner, being healthier, feeling better about myself, being less self-conscious, being proud of myself, having more energy, & feeling good when the event is over!

Front 36

Dinner eating strategies

Back 36

It's worth it to me to stay in control @ dinner. And I don't want to undo all the good work I did @ dinner by overeating when I get home. I'd rather be thinner!

Front 37

Weekend Response Card

Back 37

Because I want to keep off excess weight, my weekend eating has to be the same as my weekday eating. My body doesn't know or care that it's a weekend & if I eat too many calories, I'll gain weight. It's worth it to me to control my eating- even on weekends.

Front 38

Food Pusher Response Card

Back 38

My goal to lose weight is more important than other people's momentary desire to have me eat their food. Their disappointment will likely be mild & brief. And it's so important to me to reach my goal.

Front 39

Restaurant Response Card

Back 39

If I want to successfully eat @ restaurants, I have to follow my usual eating plan, make special requests, waste food, & remind myself that successful dieters & maintainers do exactly the same thing.

Front 40

Social Events Response Card

Back 40

I need to make social events be about the people and not about the food. I have to face the fact that every time I eat spontaneously at a social event, I undermine my efforts by strengthening my giving-in muscle. Every time I stick to my plan, I feel great & in control.

Front 41

Holiday Response Card

Back 41

My body doesn't know it's the holidays. Holiday time is not a reason to eat unplanned food. When the holiday is over, I'm going ot be so glad that I stuck to my plan. It's worth it to forgo the momentary pleasure of eating foods I haven't planned to eat so I can stay in control, be happier with myself, & lose weight.

Front 42

Travel Response Card

Back 42

It's worth it to me to stay in control while I'm away. THe consequences of getting out of control are too severe. If I cheat, it will put a damper on the trip. I'll feel guilty & bad about myself. I'll be strengthening my giving-in muscle. If I stand firm, I can still enjoy every bite of food I plan to have & I'll fell good about myself both on the trip & when I return home.

Front 43

Under Stress Response Card

Back 43

It's true I'm under a lot of stress right now. But sticking to my plan isn't hard every hour of every day. And, in fact, there are times when sticking to my plan has made life easier because I didn't have to think about or struggle over food. It's not worth it to me to throw in the towel & stop watching what I eat because I will definitely gain weight, feel bad about myself, and feel even more stressed.

Front 44

Under Stress Response Card 2

Back 44

I will feel generally more in control if I control my eating. But I do need to look for other ways to comfort myself. Food is just a momentary distraction that comes with really negative consequences (if I eat overeat). When this stressful period ends, I know I won't want to be heavier.

Front 45

Stress Response

Back 45

It's hard now, but hard times are normal & always pass. As long as I keep going, it will get easier again. It's worth it!

Front 46

Holiday Response Card

Back 46

My body doesn't know it's the holidays. Holiday time is not a reason to eat unplanned food. When the holiday is over, I'm going ot be so glad that I stuck to my plan. It's worth it to forgo the momentary pleasure of eating foods I haven't planned to eat so I can stay in control, be happier with myself, & lose weight.

Front 47

Travel Response Card

Back 47

It's worth it to me to stay in control while I'm away. THe consequences of getting out of control are too severe. If I cheat, it will put a damper on the trip. I'll feel guilty & bad about myself. I'll be strengthening my giving-in muscle. If I stand firm, I can still enjoy every bite of food I plan to have & I'll fell good about myself both on the trip & when I return home.

Front 48

Under Stress Response Card

Back 48

It's true I'm under a lot of stress right now. But sticking to my plan isn't hard every hour of every day. And, in fact, there are times when sticking to my plan has made life easier because I didn't have to think about or struggle over food. It's not worth it to me to throw in the towel & stop watching what I eat because I will definitely gain weight, feel bad about myself, and feel even more stressed.

Front 49

Under Stress Response Card 2

Back 49

I will feel generally more in control if I control my eating. But I do need to look for other ways to comfort myself. Food is just a momentary distraction that comes with really negative consequences (if I eat overeat). When this stressful period ends, I know I won't want to be heavier.

Front 50

Stress Response

Back 50

It's hard now, but hard times are normal & always pass. As long as I keep going, it will get easier again. It's worth it!

Front 51

Another Stress Response Card

Back 51

Stress is a normal part of life. It comes & goes. If I go back to coping with stress by eating, I will feel even worse. My stress will eventually diminish. When it does, do I want to be heavier?

Front 52

3 BITE RULE

Back 52

Three bites is all I need of a treat to be satisfied. I don't need to finish the treat- and it's better anyway if I share!

Front 53

Ask yourself.....

Back 53

What does my body need? What do you want more- cookies or weight loss?

Front 54

Exercise & Motivation

Back 54

The best way to pump up metabolism is to exercise. I will burn calories during the workout and also up to 48 hours after, all the while increasing lean muscle tissue which will speed metabolism up over the long term.

Front 55

Forgive Yourself

Back 55

Let go of the anger & fear about your body.

Front 56

Overeat (cheat) Sheet or Unplanned

Back 56

-What was the situation, and what were my sabotaging thoughts? -Did I eat this food slowly, while sitting down and enjoying every bite? -How do I feel now that I've given in? -Had I read my Response Cards & Advantages Deck today? -Did I try any other Resistance Techniques? -How can I avoid this situation in the future? -What can I say to myself next time?

Front 57

Sit Down to eat

Back 57

I need to sit down to eat. When I eat standing up, I just don't notive what I'm eating. If I want to be thinner, I have to impose this rule on myself.

Front 58

"Credit Worthy" even Partial Credit

Back 58

Sitting down to eat---reading cards---any positive behavior
exercise-activity---staying OP---making better choices---planning---refraining from unhelpful behaviors---not taking 2nd helpings---refusing "free" samples---ignoring treats at work---leaving food on my plate

Front 59

Reflect throughout the day

Back 59

Check in every few hours & make a list of credit worthy behaviors. Check off items on daily to-do list. After a meal of snack reflect on eating behaviors-
did I eat slowly? did I notice every bite? did I stop when I felt satisfied? did I refrain from taking seconds?

Front 60

Eat Slowly & Mindfully -

Back 60

change something in eating environment -every 1-3 minutes put down fork/spoon -take sips of water every few bites -eat soups- hot- for practice -look for signs that you're starting to feel full -notice what you're eating- eat in a relaxed atmosphere -savor taste of each bite - note flavor + texture

Front 61

Diet Coach

Back 61

Knowing that you have to report on your progress to someone else can motivate you to stick to your plan.

Front 62

Tempted by a Food?

Back 62

Consider a compromise, such as taking a small portion of food + saving it for later, or eating a small portion at a time when you won't be tempted to eat more.

Front 63

Read Advantages Cards Everyday

Back 63

It's crucially important for you to review at least a couple of times a day all the reasons you have for wanting to lose weight.

Front 64

CREATE time and energy

Back 64

-plan meals
-show for the food you'll need
-prepare your meals
-sit down + eat your meals slowly
-exercise
-complete + check off tasks on your daily to-do lists.

Front 65

Differentiate between Hunger, Desire, & Cravings

Back 65

Whenever you know your stomach is full but you still want to eat, start labeling this state as a desire or a craving.

Front 66

Hunger Tolerance

Back 66

Most people don't eat every time they're hungry. They wait until their next meal. I need to learn that skill too.

Front 67

Overcome Cravings

Back 67

To weaken the intensity and reduce the frequency of cravings- you have to STOP GIVING INTO THEM.
The emotionally painful part about a craving is the struggle you feel. Once you can say to yourself with total conviction "no choice", the craving will diminish.

Front 68

Mantra

Back 68

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food

Front 69

I choose to make positive healthy choices for myself. I choose to exercise regularly. I'm on the road to fitness. I am feeling thinner today. I'm losing weight now.

Back 69

I look and feel lighter today. I'm enjoying how I'm feeling now. I love the feeling of making progress. I love the food that makes me thin. Losing weight is effortless

Front 70

I am going to fit into the next size smaller any minute.

Back 70

I enjoy being healthy.
I'm making things easy for myself now.

Front 71

My body is getting stronger, slimmer, and healthier every day.

Back 71

I feel so thin inside, my outer is just about to catch up.

Front 72

I am willing to change.

Back 72

I can do this.

Front 73

I have the power to change my life.

Back 73

Yes, I can!

Front 74

I eat only what I need.

Back 74

I choose to eat healthy foods.

Front 75

I choose to stay on track.

Back 75

I am committed to my goals.

Front 76

I effortlessly stay on track.

Back 76

I eat foods that support my new weight.

Front 77

I eat like a thin person.

Back 77

I "WILL" maintain my ideal body weight easily and effortlessly.

Front 78

I am enjoying eating healthy and nutritious foods now.

Back 78

I maintain a healthy weight.

Front 79

I eat healthy and nutritious foods.

Back 79

I am fit, healthy and attractive.

Front 80

I am fit and healthy.

Back 80

Every day I get closer to my ideal weight.