Answer the following questions by giving yourself a score of 1, 2 or 3. One means "no" or "almost never." Two means "some of the time only" or "average." Three means "usually" or "practically every time."

This test was developed by Dr. Peter G. Lindner, of South Gate, Calif., director of medical education for the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, the organization of doctors who specialize in treating obesity and its related diseases.

Question 1: Without shouting, can you tell members of your household to avoid bringing certain foods into your home?

Question 2: Can you refuse second helpings and desserts?

Question 3: When someone presses you to have an alcoholic drink with them, can you refuse?

Question 4: Do you become ill at ease when others watch you select and eat food?

Question 5: Can you make the proper food choices when you are around other people?

Question 6: If you are at a social function and people question you as to why you are not picking certain high-calorie foods, can you explain why you don't want to eat these foods without feeling embarrassed or ill at ease?

Question 7: If a friend asks you to "just take a taste" and sample her cooking efforts so you can give your opinion, are you able to refuse?

Question 8: When discussing diets, are you willing to speak up and give your viewpoint?

Question 9: When a meal in a restaurant is not prepared as you ordered it, do you ask your waiter or waitress to correct it?

Question 10: If it's vital to your weight loss effort, can you ask others for help or favors? For instance, if someone is eating one of your favorite, high-calorie foods in front of you, can you tell the person it disturbs you and ask him to eat it elsewhere?

Question 11: If you purchase an article of clothing during your diet that is just a little too small for you, do you return it to the store or wait until you lose sufficient weight to fit into it?

Question 12: Can you deal effectively with people who try to sabotage your weight loss efforts by repeatedly offering you food or by telling you that you don't need to lose weight?


Analysis of question 1: If you answer "no" or "some of the time" this shows that you are extremely uncomfortable with the idea of asking your family to help you to lose weight. If you are serious about losing weight, you will enlist family and friends to help you. If you have to yell at them to get their cooperation, you haven't explained your real desire to lose weight.

Analysis of question 2: If you won't refuse second helpings or desserts, this shows a lack of commitment to dieting. There's a difference between wishing to lose weight and taking actions to do so.

Analysis of question 3: Alcoholic drinks are high in calories. It's something you don't need for good nutrition. Therefore, there is no reason to have it on your diet. To successfully lose weight, you have to learn to assert yourself and be able to refuse high-calorie food or drink not on your diet. If you drink alcohol, you really haven't made up your mind to lose weight.

Analysis of question 4: This is a tip-off that shows whether or not you feel quilty about eating too much or guilt over selecting appropriate nutritious foods.

Analysis and explanation of question 5: This question has to do with one's actual choices. Again, the dieter who is serious about losing weight will assert himself and be able to resist making poor food choices when around others. You have to make up your mind you are not going to be influenced by other people when making food choices.

Analysis and explanation of question 6: If you are serious about losing weight, you will have thought your diet through to confidently explain your food choices.

Analysis and explanation of question 7: Again, the dieter has to be able to refuse. The last few questions are similar, but that often occurs in psychological tests as a method of getting at the truth. The ability of the dieter to assert himself and refuse food temptations is the single most important aspect of weight control. What we are really talking about here is refusing without offending. However, a dieter who is serious about losing weight puts his own welfare first above the welfare of other people. Thus, if the dieter fears someone will be offended by refusing food, the food is refused anyway. It boils down to a question of someone's feelings being hurt vs. your health. The serious dieter chooses health.

Analysis and explanation of question 8: A dieter who is serious about weight control will understand what he is doing to lose weight and be confident enough to explain these efforts to others.

Analysis and explanation of question 9: This reflects on a dieter's confidence levels. A serious dieter is one who is able to refuse poorly prepared food. If you are not prepared to stand up for your rights in all circumstances regarding food, you aren't serious about losing weight.

Analysis and explanation of question 10: Again, a serious dieter is one who is not afraid or ashamed to speak up and ask others for help with a diet.

Analysis and explanation of question 11: A serious dieter is confident about eventual success, so will keep the too-small item, knowing he will be able to fit into it after dieting.

Explanation of question 12: Again, serious dieters are able to resist temptations of others. Serious dieters calmly, but confidently, refuse offers of extra food and ask others to refrain from tempting them. They have the confidence to know what they are doing is correct.


Scoring: Add your scores. Your total score can range from 12 to 36. If you have a score of 18 or less, your chances of succeeding on a diet are poor. Don't despair. By taking this test you have identified behaviors that need strengthening.

Look at the questions you have graded with a 1. This means you almost never respond with the behavior that would help your weight loss efforts. You probably also marked some questions with a 2, meaning you sometimes act in ways that help your weight loss efforts. You need to learn to react with these positive behaviors more consistently. First of all, recognize that you and you alone are responsible for your actions. You can choose to respond in more appropriate ways. Look at each question you answered with a 1 or a 2 and ask yourself what steps you can take to become more serious about weight loss.

Willpower to resist food is not a God-given gift that some have and others do not. It can be learned, practiced and developed. Now that you have identified areas of behavior that need to be changed, set goals and attempt to reach them in a step-by-step manner. You can learn to assert yourself in situations regarding food.

If you score from 18 to 26, you'll probably be successful on a diet, but you can make your dieting efforts easier by changing certain behaviors. You've probably marked many answers with a 2, meaning you act in ways that help you to lose weight "some of the time" or "an average length of time." You probably do well on most diets and then backslide by going off the diet and regaining some of your lost pounds. You need to examine any question you marked with a 1 and the questions you marked with a 2 to identify areas of behavior you need to strengthen. Focus on these behaviors while you are on a diet. Being aware of them will help you to achieve success without backsliding.

If you scored 28 or above, you probably marked only a few questions with a 2. You are serious about losing weight and should be successful in doing so. You can have an even easier time losing weight if you focus on those questions you marked with a 2 and if you take steps to modify your behavior in those instances. It's obvious you're serious about losing weight. If you do some fine-tuning of your behaviors, you'll find losing weight even easier to do.

How can you overcome roadblocks to your dieting efforts? Your brain is the most important weight control organ in your body. When you are serious about losing weight, you will lose weight.

Many dieters complain, saying, "I don't have any willpower." This is frequently used as an excuse for not taking constructive action to overcome specific dieting problems.

By taking this test, most people will identify areas you need to get more serious about in order for your weight loss efforts to be successful. Rather than being an innocent victim of your "lack of willpower," you can now assume responsibility for your actions, choose goals, and set out to achieve them. Look at the questions you have graded with a 1 or a 2. Ask yourself what steps you can take to become more serious about weight control. If you really want to lose weight, you'll learn to assert yourself in situations involving food.

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