Bad food choices follow thoughts: “I deserve this,” “One won’t hurt,” “The day is ruined.” Research by Beck shows these cognitive patterns function as permission — bridging “I shouldn’t” to actually eating. Catching the thought is easier than stopping the behavior. Name your sabotaging thoughts, track patterns, create counter-thoughts. The goal isn’t to never have them, but to recognize them as thoughts, not truths.
This companion covers the thought-behavior chain, common sabotaging thoughts, and catching them earlier. (3 min read)