Guest Post by Lisa Goldberg, Certified Dietician & Nutrition Specialist

Do you find yourself repeating negative habits and behaviors when it comes to emotional eating and yo-yo dieting? Do you find you set an intention to get healthy and by the end of the day or week you always “do yourself in?” This is self-sabotage showing up.

What is Self-Sabotage?

Self- Sabotage is any behavior, thought, emotion or  action that holds you back from getting what you consciously want – as well as the conflict that exists between conscious desires and unconscious wants that manifest in self-limiting patterns of behavior. It’s usually rooted in lack of self-esteem and self-worth.

All of us sabotage ourselves at some point . We say we want something and then we do the opposite that prevents us from getting what we want. Not only can self-sabotage prevent you from getting what you want but its also a safety mechanism from disappointment. This safety mechanism keeps you in your comfort zone. This can be especially true for those of us with a dieter’s mentality. We talk about wanting to initiate positive change that will lead to a healthier body weight. The only problem is that we are sometimes talking about this while bingeing on fries or other foods in portion sizes that don’t serve the goals we’re saying we want to achieve.

We usually sabotage ourselves because we have trouble mastering our emotions. So if you are an emotional eater, you use food as a coping mechanism to deal with your emotions.

What does self-sabotage look like?

• Succumbing to fear of failure
• Not taking action if we think we can’t do it perfectly
• Not planning ahead
• Not considering the consequences of your actions
• Incessant worrying
• Allowing your inner critic to take charge
• Always complaining or being the victim
• Focusing on what’s not working vs what is
• Always making excuses

Do any of these examples of self-sabotage resonate with you?

Can you overcome self-sabotage?

Good news… The answer is yes! The whole reason I created The MindShift Method was to help lifelong dieters stop self-sabotage, lose their excess weight for good and change their lives for the better. After all, what good is looking great if we’re not feeling great?

If you’ve been telling yourself “I should be able to lose weight on my own” but you haven’t been able to, self-sabotage might be getting in the way. Or, if you keep beating yourself up because you promised yourself that your latest food binge was going to be the last one ever, but it never really is the last one, this is another example of self-sabotage that might be creating mental roadblocks on your wellness journey.

Getting past self-sabotage comes down to changing your mindset. Instead of being your own worst enemy, you want to become your very best friend. This might sound like it’s simplifying things. In a way it is. But I also understand that beating the negative voice (along with the negative habits) isn’t always easy. This is why I work with my clients to create tools that they can turn to any time self-sabotage threatens their goals.

Because self-sabotage can vary greatly by individual, I’d be happy to discuss your “mental roadblocks” to help find ways to get past them once and for all. To find out more, I invite Just Stop! readers to schedule a complimentary call with me today.

The only thing that stands between you and your weight loss, the body and the life that you want is your self-sabotage and the emotional relationship you have with food. If you have spent too many years trying to change it on your own but haven’t been able to, you can click here to find out more about The MindShift Method Online Program I’m starting very shortly.

About the Guest Blogger: 
Lisa Goldberg is a nutritionist with a Masters degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. In addition, her certifications and Licenses include: Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Dietician/Nutritionist licensed by New York State, Certified in Adult Weight Management by the ADA. Lisa is also a personal trainer certified by the American Counsel on Exercise since 1994. She was the Nutritionist at the New York Stock Exchange from 2003-2007 and for 10 years served as the nutritionist to traders on Wall Street. Anyone who would like to discuss their weight loss goals with Lisa can schedule a free 30-minute weight loss consultation with her by clicking here. (Simply let Lisa know you found out about her on the Just Stop! blog.)

A Note from Gregg:
As some of you Just Stoppers might remember, I have been lucky enough to be a guest in nutrition rockstar Lisa Goldberg’s recent weight loss summits not once, but several times. I love Lisa’s total approach to wellness, which not only includes getting to a healthy weight, but also enjoying life and learning to love and appreciate yourself in the process. Any Just Stopper who wants to find out more information (without any obligation), can click here to schedule a free 30-minute Discovery Session with Lisa herself to find out more about the upcoming online group weight loss program.

Top Photo Credit: Grace Filled Plate