Bounce Back from a Diet Slip

You may view missing a week of exercise or grabbing a doughnut when you've been trying to lose weight as a failure. But this all-or-nothing outlook can actually undermine your future success, says Carol Tavris, Ph.D., a Los Angeles-based social psychologist and co-author of Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me). "When you feel disappointed in yourself, pay attention to the way you explain your behavior," she says. "Thoughts or statements like 'I have no willpower' or 'I knew I'd never stick to a diet' are self-defeating and could lead you to repeat the very actions you hoped to change." Instead, admit that you screwed up and take a moment to realize that doing so was natural. "When you make a mistake with a diet, an exercise plan, or for that matter any major decision, it doesn't mean that you're a bad person or that you'll never improve," says Tavris. "It simply means that you need to renew your motivation."