Negative Self-Talk: How to Ditch Your Inner Critic for Good
In this episode of Get Sculpted, Coach Marilynn reveals the science behind your inner critic and shares 5 strategies to stop negative self-talk.
Picture this: You're finally hitting your stride in your fitness journey, feeling strong and capable, when suddenly, your inner critic crashes the party like an uninvited guest, flooding your mind with self-doubt. Here's the truth about how to stop negative self-talk: your brain is literally wired for self-criticism, but once you understand this hidden pattern, you can flip the script and use it to fuel your transformation.
I’m Coach Marilynn with the Get Sculpted team, and today, I'm pulling back the curtain on the psychology behind perfectionism and sharing the exact strategies that transformed not just my fitness journey but my entire relationship with myself.
Here’s what we cover:
Why your brain is literally hardwired to be your biggest critic
The "Velcro vs. Teflon" effect: Understanding why negative thoughts stick while positive ones seem to slide right off
How perfectionism might be secretly sabotaging your fitness progress
A powerful two-question technique that stops negative self-talk in its tracks
A simple daily practice that rewires your brain to actually see your progress (It takes less than 2 minutes!)
Why "all or nothing" thinking is the silent killer of fitness goals and how to break free from this mental trap
The counterintuitive approach to handling setbacks that keeps you moving forward even when you feel like giving up
Your inner critic might be loud, but it doesn't have to be the boss of you – and this episode will give you the practical tools to start making that shift today. What's one negative thought pattern you're ready to transform? Share your story with us in the comments below because your experience might be exactly what another woman needs to hear to start her own transformation.
Your inner critic is not the boss of you, and you absolutely have the power to change the way you speak to yourself. And when you do that, everything in your fitness journey, but even more exciting, everything in your life starts to shift.
-Coach Marilynn
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More about the Get Sculpted Podcast
Welcome to Get Sculpted, the podcast designed for women ready to transform their bodies and level up their lives with science-based strategies and actionable advice.
We dive into the essentials of fat loss, muscle building, and metabolism optimization by helping you work smarter, not harder.
This isn’t about quick fixes or fad diets; it’s about creating sustainable habits and stacking wins. We’ll help you fuel your body, strengthen your mindset, and build your 2.0 sculpted self from the inside out.
We’re your hosts, Jordanna, Marilynn, and Tijana. We have over 20 years of collective experience in the training, nutrition, and body transformation business, with over 1000 transformations and counting.
Ready to get stronger, more empowered, and embrace a healthier, more resilient you? Join us every week and start sculpting the life you deserve!
The unedited podcast transcript for this episode of the Get Sculpted podcast follows:
We’re talking about that voice inside your head—the one that tells you:
You’re not doing enough.
You always fail at things.
Why even bother? Nothing works for you.
For years, I let that voice run the show. I let it control how I felt about myself, how I showed up in my relationships, my work, and yes, even my fitness journey. I believed every single word, and it convinced me that I was never good enough, no matter what I did.
But here’s the truth: That voice is NOT the boss of you.
And today, I want to help you take your power back. We’re going to break down how to recognize that voice, shut it down, and move forward with confidence—not just in fitness, but in life.
This is an important conversation because what you say to yourself matters more than you realize. So let’s dive in.
What is Negative Self-Talk?
That voice inside your head? That’s your inner critic. And what it’s doing is called negative self-talk.Negative self-talk is an internal dialogue that makes you:
Second-guess yourself
Doubt your progress
Minimize your accomplishments
Say incredibly hurtful things to yourself
I want you to pause for a moment and ask yourself:
Have you ever thought, “I’m not making any progress”?
Or, “I’ll never be able to lose weight”?
Or, “I hate how I look in these clothes”?
These thoughts aren’t harmless. They shape your reality.
If you constantly tell yourself that you’re failing, you’re going to feel like a failure—even when you’re making progress.
If you focus only on what you’re NOT doing, you’ll feel stuck—even when you’re moving forward.
This is the biggest problem with negative self-talk: It doesn’t actually reflect the truth. Instead, it reflects your fears, worries, and insecurities.
But here’s the good news—just like you can train your body, you can train your mind to think differently. And that’s exactly what we’re going to work on today.
Why Your Brain is Wired for Negativity
Before we go any further, I need you to understand something very important—this isn’t entirely your fault.Your brain is actually wired to focus on the negative.
This is called negativity bias, and it means that your brain holds onto bad experiences way more than good ones.
Psychologists have studied this extensively, and one of my favorite experts, Rick Hanson, explains it this way:
“Your brain is like Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones.”
Think about that for a second. Negative thoughts stick immediately, while positive ones slide right off—unless we actively hold onto them.
But why does this happen?
Let’s go way back—to our ancestors.
Thousands of years ago, remembering threats was essential for survival. If you went out to gather food and almost got eaten by a bear, you needed to never forget that experience so you wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
Even though we’re not dodging bears anymore, our brain still treats everyday setbacks—like missing a workout or seeing a number on the scale we don’t like—as threats.
That’s why negative thoughts stick so easily.
But just like you can train your body, you can train your brain to focus on the positive. You can quiet your inner critic and start recognizing your wins.
And that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
How Negative Self-Talk Shows Up in Your Fitness Journey
If you’re struggling with negative self-talk, it could be holding you back from making real progress in your fitness journey.Here’s how it usually shows up:
1️⃣ Downplaying Your Wins
Think about the last time you accomplished something—even something small. Maybe you:Increased your daily steps
Lifted heavier at the gym
Made a healthier food choice
Instead of celebrating it, did you dismiss it as “not a big deal”?
If so, that’s your inner critic stealing your momentum.
2️⃣ Letting One Mistake Define You
Maybe you skipped a workout or had an unplanned meal. Did you immediately think:“I’ve ruined everything.”
“Might as well just give up.”
Let’s put that in perspective:
If you have a bad day at work, do you quit your job?
If you spill some water, do you dump the whole glass on yourself?
If you're running late, do you turn around and go home?
No. That would be ridiculous.
So why do we do it with our fitness?
One mistake does NOT define your journey.
What matters is what you do next.
3️⃣ Stuck in All-or-Nothing Thinking
This one is huge.If you’ve ever thought, “If I can’t do it perfectly, I might as well not do it at all,” that’s all-or-nothing thinking.
For years, I struggled with this because I was a perfectionist. If I couldn’t do it perfectly, I wouldn’t do it at all.
But here’s the thing:
Perfection is impossible.
Consistency is what matters.
So instead of aiming for perfection, aim for progress.
5 Powerful Strategies to Overcome Negative Self-Talk
If you’re ready to take control, here are five strategies you can put into action right now:
1️⃣ Catch the Thought & Question It
Next time you think something negative, pause and ask:Would I say this to my best friend?
Is this actually true?
Most of the time, it’s not. Your emotions are speaking, not reality.
2️⃣ Reframe the Thought
Instead of thinking:“I always mess up my diet.”
Try:
“One meal doesn’t define me. I’m learning how to eat with balance.”
Words matter. Choose ones that move you forward.
3️⃣ Start a Wins Journal
Negative thoughts stick—so we need to actively train our brain to focus on the good.Each day, write down 1-3 wins, no matter how small.
4️⃣ Practice Self-Compassion
Think of someone you love. Imagine saying your negative thoughts to them.If you wouldn’t say it to them, why say it to yourself?
5️⃣ Zoom Out & Look at the Big Picture
Missed a workout? Overate?That does NOT define your progress.
What matters is what you do next.
Your Inner Critic is NOT the Boss of You
You don’t have to be perfect to make progress.You don’t have to listen to the voice telling you you’re a failure.
You are already enough—right now.
So make the decision—right now—to start speaking to yourself with kindness.
If this episode helped you, share it with someone who needs to hear it.
And next week, Coach Tijana is sharing how fitness helped her thrive in her sobriety journey. You won’t want to miss it.
Chat soon! 💛