Realizing Reality

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Weight Loss Readiness Test

Answer the questions below to see how well your attitudes equip you for a weight loss program.

Section 1 – Goals and Attitudes

4___ 1. Compared to previous attempts, how motivated are you to lose weight at this time?

1 – Not at all motivated

2 – Slightly motivated

3 – Somewhat motivated

4 – Quite motivated

5 – Extremely motivated

1___ 2. How certain are you that you will stay committed to a weight loss program for the time it will take to reach your goal?  I really, really, really want to say extremely confident but past performance says “who are you kidding”

1 – Not at all certain

2 – Slightly certain

3 – Somewhat certain

4 – Quite certain

5 – Extremely certain

4___ 3. Consider all outside factors at this time in your life (the stress you’re feeling at work, your family obligations, etc.). To what extent can you tolerate the effort required to stick to a program?

1 – Cannot tolerate

2 – Can tolerate

3 – Uncertain

4 – Can tolerate well

5 – Can tolerate easily

5___ 4. Think honestly about how much weight you hope to lose and how quickly you hope to lose it. Figuring a weight loss of one to two pounds per week, how realistic is your expectation?  Yes, I am under no illusions whatsoever that I will be bikini-ready by May LOL

1 – Very unrealistic

2 – Somewhat unrealistic

3 – Moderately unrealistic

4 – Somewhat realistic

5 – Very realistic

3___ 5. While losing weight, do you fantasize about eating a lot of your favorite foods?  Eh, not if I’m actually *losing* weight

1 – Always

2 – Frequently

3 – Occasionally

4 – Rarely

5 – Never

3___ 6. While losing weight, do you feel deprived, angry, and/or upset?  Again, I disagree with the premise of the question.

1 – Always

2 – Frequently

3 – Occasionally

4 – Rarely

5 – Never

Total Score for Section 1 (add up responses): 20

If you scored 6 to 16: this may not be a good time for you to start a weight loss program. Inadequate motivation and commitment, together with unrealistic goals could block your progress. Think about those things that contribute to this, and consider changing them before undertaking a program.

If you scored 17 to 23: you may be close to being ready to begin a program but should think about ways to boost your readiness before you begin.

If you scored 24 to 30: the path is clear with respect to goals and attitudes.

Section 2 – Hunger and Eating Cues

3___ 7. When food comes up in conversation or in something you read, do you want to eat even if you are not hungry?

1 – Never

2 – Rarely

3 – Occasionally

4 – Frequently

5 – Always

4___ 8. How often do you eat because of physical hunger?  Are you kidding - I don’t wait until I am actually hungry to eat - ever!

1 – Always

2 – Frequently

3 – Occasionally

4 – Rarely

5 – Never

5___ 9. Do you have trouble controlling your eating when your favorite foods are around the house?  yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes - and I have a LOT of favorite foods!

1 – Never

2 – Rarely

3 – Occasionally

4 – Frequently

5 – Always

Total Score for Section 2 (add up responses): 12

If you scored 3 to 6: you might occasionally eat more than you would like, but it does not appear to be a result of high responsiveness to external cues. Controlling the attitudes that make you eat may be especially helpful.

If you scored 7 to 9: you may have a moderate tendency to eat just because food is available. Weight loss may be easier for you if you try to resist external cues, and eat only when you are physically hungry.

If you scored 10 to 15: some or most of your eating may be in response to thinking about food or exposing yourself to temptations to eat. Think of ways to minimize your exposure to temptations, so that you eat only in response to physical hunger.  I could try sleeping 24 hours a day - might help!

Section 3 – Control Over Eating

If the following situations occurred while you were on a weight loss program, would you be likely to eat more or less immediately afterward and for the rest of the day?

4___ 10. Although you planned on skipping lunch, a friend talks you into going out for a meal.

1 – Would eat much less

2 – Would eat somewhat less

3 – Would make no difference

4 – Would eat somewhat more

5 – Would eat much more

5___ 11. You “break” your diet by eating a fattening, “forbidden” food.

1 – Would eat much less

2 – Would eat somewhat less

3 – Would make no difference

4 – Would eat somewhat more

5 – Would eat much more

3___ 12. You have been following your diet faithfully and decide to test yourself by eating something you consider a treat.

1 – Would eat much less

2 – Would eat somewhat less

3 – Would make no difference

4 – Would eat somewhat more

5 – Would eat much more

On all questions in this section, absolutely, once I screw up, I don’t stop and let it go until AFTER I punish myself by multiplying a small mistake 10X.

Total Score for Section 3 (add up responses): 12

If you scored 3 to 7: you recover rapidly from mistakes. However ,if you frequently alternate between eating out of control and dieting very strictly, you may have a serious eating problem and should get professional help.

If you scored 8 to 11: you do not seem to let unplanned eating disrupt your program. This is a flexible, balanced approach.

If you scored 12 to 15: you may be prone to overeat after an event breaks your control or throws you off the track. Your reaction to these eating events can be improved.

Section 4 – Binge Eating and Purging

2___ 13. Aside from holiday feasts, have you ever eaten a large amount of food rapidly and felt immediately afterward that this eating incident was excessive and out of control?  All. The. Time. - at least on the “large amount of food” part, not sure that over 3 or 4 hours counts as “rapidly”

2 – Yes

0 – No

5___ 14. If you answered yes to question 13 above, how often have you engaged in this behavior during the last year?

1 – Less than once a month

2 – About once a month

3 – A few times a month

4 – About once a week

5 – About three times a week

6 – Daily

0___ 15. Have you ever purged (used laxatives, diuretics, or induced vomiting) to control your weight?  Oddly, no - despite being a nearly 100% match for perfectionist tendencies that are often associated with anorexia/bulimia, I’ve never done any of the things listed here as “purging”.  Overexercising, on the other hand - most definitely.  Kind of surprised that wasn’t included as a question.

5 – Yes

0 – No

NA 16. If you answered yes to question 15 above, how often have you engaged in this behavior during the last year?

1 – Less than once a month

2 – About once a month

3 – A few times a month

4 – About once a week

5 – About three times a week

6 – Daily

Total Score for Section 4 (add up responses): 7

If you scored 0 to 1: it appears that binge eating and purging are [not] problems for you.

If you scored 2 to 11: pay attention to these eating patterns. Should they arise more frequently, get professional help.

If you scored 12 to 19: you show signs of having a potentially serious eating problem. See a counselor experienced in evaluating eating disorders right away.

Section 5 – Emotional Eating

5___ 17. Do you eat more than you would like to when you have negative feelings, such as anxiety, depression, anger, or loneliness?

1 – Never

2 – Rarely

3 – Occasionally

4 – Frequently

5 – Always

2___ 18. Do you have trouble controlling your eating when you have positive feelings – do you celebrate feeling good by eating?

1 – Never

2 – Rarely

3 – Occasionally

4 – Frequently

5 – Always

5___ 19. When you have unpleasant interactions with others in your life, or after a difficult day at work, do you eat more than you would like?  I think this is double-counted - I have negative feelings, such as anxiety, depression, anger, or loneliness when I have unpleasant interactions with others in my life or after a difficult day at work.

1 – Never

2 – Rarely

3 – Occasionally

4 – Frequently

5 – Always

Total Score for Section 5 (add up responses): 12

If you scored 3 to 8: you do not appear to let your emotions affect your eating.

If you scored 9 to 11: you sometimes eat in response to emotional highs and lows. Monitor this behavior to learn when and why it occurs, and prepared to find alternative activities.

If you scored 12 to 15: emotional ups and downs can stimulate your eating. Try to deal with the feelings that trigger the eating, and find other ways to express them.

Section 6 – Exercise Patterns and Attitudes

3___ 20. How often do you exercise?

1 – Never

2 – Rarely

3 – Occasionally

4 – Frequently

5 – Always

4___ 21. How confident are you that you can exercise regularly?

1 – Not at all confident

2 – Slightly confident

3 – Somewhat confident

4 – Quite confident

5 – Extremely confident

5___ 22. When you think about exercise, do you develop a positive or negative picture in your mind?

1 – Completely negative

2 – Somewhat negative

3 – Neutral

4 – Somewhat positive

5 – Completely positive

3___ 23. How certain are you that you can work regular exercise into your daily schedule?

1 – Not at all certain

2 – Slightly certain

3 – Somewhat certain

4 – Quite certain

5 – Extremely certain

So yeah, I don’t mind exercise.  I just need to get back in the habit.

Total Score for Section 6 (add up responses): 15

If you scored 4 to 10: you are probably not exercising as regularly as you should. Determine whether your attitudes about exercise are blocking your way, then change what you must and put on those walking shoes.

If you scored 11 to 16: you need to feel more positive about exercise so you can do it more often. Think of ways to be more active that are fun and fit into your lifestyle.

If you scored 17 to 20: it looks like the path is clear for you to be active. Now think of ways to get motivated.

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Weigh in tomorrow - I am 99.999% certain that I am going to be on probation one week into this program (for not losing weight) when everyone else has lost 7-10 pounds.  Talk about a trigger for a 6 hour binge.  You would think that knowing that I would be able to make a conscious decision to NOT do that.  I am “not at all confident” that I can.