Shame doesn’t motivate us to become kinder to ourselves.
And in fact, habits formed out of shame don’t work.
For fuck’s sake, put down the cookie, you fat slob.
Raise your hand if you have ever talked to yourself this way.
I can see a room full of raised hands in my mind right now.
Here’s a fun Pinterest board — motivational refrigerator magnets for losing weight. What do they say, all these magnets you could put on your refrigerator to make you remember you want to stick to your diet?
Eat like you give a damn about yourself.
There’s a thin girl inside me. I ate her.
This is your refrigerator speaking. Put down the ice cream, back away slowly, and no one will get hurt.
Did you track that point?
Why can’t vegetables be made of chocolate?
A very good diet tip to share: turn your head to the left. Turn your head to the right. Repeat every time you are offered something to eat.
Holy cow! Are you eating again?
That last one is accompanied by a drawing of a cow. Many of them have pigs, cows, fat cats, and other horrifying photos of grossly obese creatures on them, to remind you that you’re disgusting.
Is any of this motivating for you? It certainly doesn’t work for me.
Well, it doesn’t work for me anymore.
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