Recent Research Suggests That Showing Yourself More Self-Compassion After Diet Slip-Ups Can Result In Better Weight Loss Success
Since we have such a wide array of delicious snack and meal options right at our fingertips, it’s common for us to indulge in something that we might regret later. Especially during a diet, these moments of weakness can seem like a major setback.
However, recent research offers a fresh perspective on handling these often disappointing situations.
According to a study conducted by researchers at Drexel University, individuals who practice more self-compassion experience improved mood and demonstrate better control over their exercise and eating habits shortly after a “lapse” in diet.
The researchers behind the study suggest that self-compassion– or extending the same kindness to yourself as you might show to loved ones– can be key in encouraging and sustaining healthier weight loss practices. This is because it helps individuals not to feel disheartened by occasional slip-ups.
“Many people worry that self-compassion will cause complacency and lead them to settle for inadequacy, but this study is a great example of how self-compassion can help people be more successful in meeting their goals,” explained Charlotte Hagerman, the study’s lead author.
“The road to achieving difficult goals– especially weight loss– is paved with setbacks. Practicing self-compassion helps people cope with self-defeating thoughts and feelings in response to setbacks so that they are less debilitated by them. In turn, they can more quickly resume pursuing their goals.”
The study gathered data from 140 individuals who were all actively engaged in a weight loss program based on group lifestyle changes. Throughout the study, participants completed several daily surveys on their smartphones.
These surveys asked them to report any deviations from their diet, such as eating more than planned, consuming unintended foods, or eating at unplanned times. They also assessed their level of self-compassion in response to these lapses.
Additionally, the participants answered questions about their mood and the effectiveness of their self-control regarding eating and exercise habits since their last survey.
Monkey Business – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person
Hagerman pointed out that losing weight is significantly harder than maintaining one’s figure. So, people tend to unfairly burden themselves with excessive amounts of blame in these situations.
“In reality, we live in a food environment that has set everyone up to fail. Practicing self-compassion rather than self-criticism is a key strategy for fostering resilience during the difficult process of weight loss,” Hagerman said.
“The next time you feel the urge to criticize yourself for your eating behavior, instead try speaking to yourself with the kindness that you would speak to a friend or loved one.”
The research team emphasized that adopting a self-compassionate attitude doesn’t mean you’re excusing yourself from taking responsibility. Rather, it offers a way to extend understanding and grace to yourself, which is crucial in navigating the difficulties of weight loss.
So, they now hope the study’s findings will help inform more effective methods that encourage people to cultivate self-compassion in the face of challenges like weight gain or overeating.
The team is also eager to conduct further research to identify optimal approaches for fostering self-compassion and minimizing self-criticism, all while maintaining personal accountability toward personal goals.
“It can be easy for the message of self-compassion to get muddled, such that people practice total self-forgiveness and dismiss the goals they set for themselves. But we’ve shown that self-compassion and accountability can work together,” Hagerman concluded.
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in the journal Appetite, visit the link here.
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