Could feeling less-than-sunny be a good thing?
As the Monty Python boys said, I try to "always look on the bright side of life" and have a positive outlook. But could my attempt at a sunny disposition be damaging my dieting efforts?
Surprisingly, recent research published in the journal BioPsychoSocial Medicine showed patients who started a program with high levels of "optimistic characteristics" were less likely to lose weight than others. Turns out, having some negative feelings about a condition, such as obesity, can work as a sort of impetus for change that all-out optimism does not. The researchers said that those with some "negative emotion" experienced a "positive effect" because they cared more about their condition than those who were more optimistic.
That's not to say we should all be less Pollyanna-ish and more Eeyore-like ... the researchers said that the patients with increased optimism were likely to maintain healthy habits they learned during the study.
What do you think? Can there ever really be too much positivity in our weight-loss efforts? Is there even such a thing as "bad" optimism? And what role do negative feelings play in our efforts to reach a healthier weight? Post your thoughts in comments.
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