Yes, the word FAIL > the thought, any recognition whatsoever, out of my life! I kind of feel slightly addicted to it, almost as though 'it' will comfort me, and let me off the hook. In some ways I have learned that giving up and into NotAchieving is easier than StrivingToAchieve, therefore perhaps more attainable and blissful. Repetition says something. However, it's such a viscious word, don't you think? The mere definition of it : 'falling short', 'weakening' , 'neglect' , 'not succeeding' -- when in fact, perhaps what should be in it's place is more Not Yet Arriving. THat word Yet... is everything. It is not absolute. I have a hunch that though we may be the most hopeful bunch of people on the planet, that we all have in common, an undercurrent of the F word lurking within. Lets exorcize (and exercise) it out of Us !

What other words can we think of that are perhpas more positive sounding and much less absolute?

I for one would like to ban all of the following in addition in reference to weight loss and staying on plan:
-Messed Up
-Screwed Up
-Ruined

Maybe we can replace them with "made a decision I wasn't happy with" or "went off-plan". They are so much nicer!

Can I add "being good" or "being bad"? (as in "I ate a whole pizza, I can't believe I was so bad.) We sometimes make poor choices, but that doesn't make us bad people.

Ooooh, excellent DixieDieter! Our eating and exercise do not define whether we are good people!

Actually, I'd love to see all references to "I Am" or "I have" removed when referring to our struggles. Your weight loss efforts are not definitive of you, and "I have no self control" or "I am so bad at eating well" are destructive statements. Why not replace them with "I struggle sometimes with self control" or "Sometimes it is hard for me to make good food choices" - they get across the same point, but don't imply that your food and exercise are defining characteristics of who you are.

I try to reframe certain situations as "learning opportunities". As in, at a recent gathering I caved in and ate more food than I wanted to. So, now I have an opportunity to learn from my experience that won't happen again.

What a great idea for a thread! And really great ideas, too.

How about getting rid of all statements that are gender based? And society needs to stop defining relationships with cliches - "Married people argue about money." "He has to do what she says."

I'm sure there are so many others, but off the top of my head, that's all I got

wow, you guys got me there!

I agree. There really isn't a END at all.... even if we've accomplished goal, there's still maintenance!

I hate the word "cheat". As in, "I can't believe I cheated today, I ate that _____". I am not a cheat. Never have, been never will be. Eating something off plan, doesn't make me a cheater.

Mine would be the phrase "I'll start again tomorrow" -- why not now? Since when does the fact that you have a rough morning give you the liberty to blow away the whole day and "start again". Also -- "can't" as in "I can't exercise, eat better, etc." There are few things someone truly can't do. We can do anything, as long as we commit to it.

I'm diggin' that we're running with this and realizing how much vocabulary (even in our thoughts) affects and triggers our emotions. And it goes beyond just eating. For an example, I use to feel really uncomfortable calling my boyfriend "Your Dad" to his teenage daughter (especially when we were in a nasty competative phase in her senior year ). I thought to myself that when I addressed my boyfriend as YOUR dad, I was giving him to her.... and it worsened my feeling of abandonment (lets talk Freudian here! Sheesh!!) Well, I decided that calling him MY boyfriend equalled the same thing, it's the same person, but I felt I was not losing myself , or my power, over a word in a statement. (she gets a kick out of it anyway, my calling her dad, 'my boyfriend' )

I know this example is off in left field, but it worked , and continues to work SO WELL ! Just sayin' how really our feeling of power is either bolstered, or weakened, by words we choose to use.