Saying NO
The Secret to Weight Loss: Saying NO
Ever since you were a child, you might have always been a
people pleaser. You tried to excel in your academic to win
your parents’ approval, and you would spend time practicing
soccer for hours on end to win a vote of support from your
coach…etc. Of course, there is nothing wrong about pleasing
others. It can make you a respected leader, a valued friend,
and even a comforting mentor. However, it should be recognized
that some of the bad food addictions begin with an inability
to say “no.”
It might have begun with a Thanksgiving when you were young
when your mother asked if you wanted a second helping of pasta.
Or a teacher at your elementary school might have given you
a gold star if you cleaned your plate. Most of us have been
taught that it is wrong to waste food and that a hearty appetite
was a blessing. The problem with the world today is, such
cues from your environment might have caused you to learn
the wrong impression about food.
In fact, there are many people around us today have difficulty
saying “no.” They always want to be part of the
crowd and they don’t want to be left out for non-participation.
They will do what it takes to blend in and that leads them
to say “yes” more times than they are really willing
to. In fact, the epidemic of alcohol and drug abuse may be
due in part to the refusal of many people to say “no.”
By admitting that you have a problem over committing yourself
is the first step to progress. It will show that you have
a clear view about your own problems with food and you want
to change your bad habits and replace them with admirable
ones. However, this is not going to be easy given the fact
that so many families have a number of rituals involving food.
Also, unlike cigarettes or marijuana, food is not considered
inherently bad and it should not be. All you need to do is
learning how to use food effectively.
Part of your training should be started with learning the
power of “no” or “no thank you.” You
need to learn to declare yourself clear, to recognize that
you do not have to go along in order to get along. And, you
will realize that you are doing yourself no favors by accepting
extra helpings of pasta or any kind of food. You are just
harming yourself by accepting extra food.
So, how should we undergo assertiveness training the best
way? One of the methods you can use is role-playing. For a
start, you can practice saying “no” to extra servings
with the help of a friend playing the role of adversary. You
might feel more comfortable in saying ‘no’ in
this role-play situation. You will also learn that saying
“no” isn’t the end of the world and you
are not going to lose friends by taking a “negative”
stance.
Another effective tip is to keep a journal recording your
thoughts after you’ve said “no”. Writing
your problem down can help you with problem-solving, enabling
you to find more ways that you can say “no” without
hurting another person’s feelings.
Besides, you will also need to know that it is not necessary
for you to fulfill another person’s expectations. In
short, you do not have to care about what others think about
you. You must do only what’s best for your eating habit.
Of course, assertiveness will not happen overnight. But, with
practice, you can learn to say “no” like a pro.
As a result, you and your waistline will be better off.
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