Thinking traps that sabotage healthy habits

Our brains often lie, distort, and exaggerate because its primary job is not to make us happy but to keep us alive. When we sense danger, our brain becomes hypervigilant and scans for immediate threats, whether real or imagined. In pursuit of safety, it leans toward the negative, focusing on what could go wrong and interpreting ambiguity as a threat. In this state, our brains take natural shortcuts for quick decision-making. Psychologists call these shortcuts “thinking traps” because they distort reality. This negativity bias is critical for human survival, but it can also keep us from thriving.

Our brains often lie, distort, and exaggerate because its primary job is not to make us happy but to keep us alive. When we sense danger, our brain becomes hypervigilant and scans for immediate threats, whether real or imagined. In pursuit of safety, it leans toward the negative, focusing on what could go wrong and interpreting ambiguity as a threat. In this state, our brains take natural shortcuts for quick decision-making. Psychologists call these shortcuts “thinking traps” because they distort reality. This negativity bias is critical for human survival, but it can also keep us from thriving.

Thinking traps are unhelpful and untrue, and lead to negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, and self-doubt. They are often called cognitive distortions because they are exaggerated and irrational thought patterns. In the moment, they feel completely logical, but they actually distort reality.

Example: You planned to eat a healthy lunch, but coworkers bring in pizza and cookies.

Mind Reading 

• You assume you know what others are thinking (and it’s usually negative). 
• Example thoughts: 
  • "They probably think I'm eating too much." 
  • "She's judging me for ordering dessert." 
• Reality check: 
  • You can't know what others are thinking. Challenge these assumptions by asking yourself what evidence you actually have. Most people are paying far less attention to your plate than you imagine.

Fortune telling

• You predict that the future will turn out badly before it happens. “Failure” becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. 
• Example thoughts: 
  • "I know I'm going to overeat at the party tonight." 
  • "There's no way I'll be able to stick with healthy eating this week." 
• Reality check: 
  • You can't predict the future. Instead of expecting failure, strategize a plan to help you navigate challenges. 

Black-and-white thinking

• You view eating as either perfect or a complete failure, with no middle ground. 
• Example thought: 
  • "I ate a cookie, so I might as well forget healthy eating for the rest of the day." 
• Reality check: 
  • There is no such thing as a perfect diet or a “right” or “wrong” way to eat. Focus on progress over perfection.

Filtering

• You dwell on the less healthy choices you made while ignoring the positive ones. 
• Example thought: 
  • "I can’t believe I ate all that ice cream after dinner” (even though you prepped your breakfast and ate vegetables at lunch). 
• Reality check: 
  • Look at the big picture. Your eating habits are made up of hundreds of choices, not just the one you're criticizing. 
  • Be intentional to identify and celebrate the things you do well. 

Catastrophizing

• You imagine the worst possible outcome and assume you won't be able to handle it. 
• Example thoughts: 
  • "I ate out twice this week—I'm never going to reach my goals." 
  • "If I eat this slice of pizza, I'll completely lose control." 
• Reality check: 
  • One meal or one day doesn't make or break long-term success. Every meal and every day are new opportunities to make choices that support your health.

Overgeneralization

• You believe that one setback means future efforts will fail too. It becomes evidence that you'll never succeed. 
• Example thought: 
  • "I overate all week, so it’s obvious I will never be able to lose weight.” 
• Reality check: 
  • One setback doesn't predict the future. Remind yourself about instances in your life when you overcome setbacks to achieve something. 

Labeling

• You assign yourself a negative identity based on your behavior. 
• Example thought: 
  • "I have no self-control because I ate that whole bag of chips." 
• Reality check: 
  • Labeling yourself makes you more likely to engage in behaviors that support that label. 
  • Negative labels breed negative feelings. 
  • Replace labels with specific observations, such as, "I ate more than I intended today."

Personalization

• You believe that other people's comments or behaviors are directed at you or your eating habits. 
• Example thought: 
  • "My coworker brought donuts because she knows I can't resist sweets." 
• Reality check: 
  • Most situations have little or nothing to do with you. Avoid assuming other people's actions are about your food choices.

Should statements

• You create rigid food rules that leave little room for flexibility. Breaking one of these rules often leads to guilt. 
• Example thought: 
  • "I should avoid sugar." "I should never eat after 7 p.m." 
• Reality check: 
  • Rigid food rules often backfire. 
  • Ask yourself 
    • “Who says I should?” 
    • “What evidence exists that I should?” 

Emotional reasoning

• You assume your feelings reflect reality. 
• Example thought: 
  • "I feel guilty after eating dessert, so eating dessert must be a bad thing to do.” 
• Reality check: 
  • Feelings aren't facts. Instead of focusing on the feeling itself, explore where that feeling came from. 

Control fallacies

• External control fallacy: You believe you have no control over your eating because of your environment or circumstances. 
• Internal control fallacy: You believe every nutrition outcome is entirely your fault. 
• Example thoughts: 
  • "I can't eat healthy because my family always brings home junk food." 
  • "If my diabetes hasn't improved, I must be doing everything wrong." 
• Reality check: 
  • You can control your behaviors, but not always the outcomes. Focus on actions that are within your control. 

• Notice the distortion. 
  • Pay attention to thoughts that feel extreme or absolute. 
• Identify the distortion. 
  • What kind of thinking trap is it? 
• Challenge the distortion. 
  • Is it true? What is the evidence? 
  • Would I respond to other people in this way? 
  • Would other people respond in this way? 
• Reframe the distortion. 
  • Replace your initial thought with a more realistic or compassionate thought. 
  • Tell yourself what you would tell a friend. 
  • This may feel unnatural or forced at first, but the more you do it the more natural it becomes.