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LEARNING TO SAY, “NO”.

WE ARE CONSTANTLY BOMBARDED BY IMAGES AND SMELLS OF DELICIOUS AND UNHEALTHY FOODS, FOOD IS THE MAIN EVENT AT MOST SOCIAL FUNCTIONS, FOOD IS AT-HAND ALMOST 24/7.

 

LEARNING TO DECLINE OFFERS TO EAT WITHOUT FEELING LEFT OUT OR DEPRIVED MIGHT SEEM LIKE AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK, BUT WITH A LITTLE PLANNING AND PATIENCE IT CAN BECOME LIKE SECOND NATURE. SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN NAVIGATING SOCIAL FUNCTIONS, OFFERS OF FOOD, OR EVEN YOUR COMMUTE TO AND FROM WORK:

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  • FOOD IS ABUNDANT - THIS CONCEPT CAN NOT BE OVERSTATED. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MEAL, OR FOOD, RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.

SAYING NO THIS TIME IS NOT THE END OF THE ROAD FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITIES TO EAT DELICIOUS FOOD. WHEN YOU BEGIN TO TRULY ACCEPT AN ABUNDANCE MINDSET, TURNING DOWN OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLECT CALORIES BECOMES A NON-ISSUE. THE REASON YOU FEEL THREATENED BY TURNING AWAY FOOD IS THAT YOU ARE STILL OPERATING FROM DEPRIVATION. INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON WHAT YOU CAN'T HAVE, FOCUS ON ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT YOU CAN HAVE, IN ABUNDANCE.

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  • YOUR SUPPORT NETWORK WILL UNDERSTAND - THE PEOPLE WITH WHOM YOU CHOOSE TO SURROUND YOURSELF CAN DICTATE THE OUTCOME OF EFFORTS TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE.

IF THE PEOPLE WHO SURROUND YOU ARE UNWILLING TO SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR EFFORTS TO CREATE A NEW HEALTHY LIFESTYLE YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER LESSENING THEIR IMPACT, OR REMOVING THEM ENTIRELY. INVITE PEOPLE INTO YOUR LIFE WHO SHARE YOUR HEALTH-CONSCIOUS GOALS AND ARE WILLING TO SUPPORT YOU WITH YOUR ENDEAVOR. IT'S OKAY TO DECLINE AN INVITATION TO DINNER, OR FORGO ATTENDING A SOCIAL EVENT IF IT MEANS THAT YOU'LL ADHERE TO YOUR PROGRAM. IF YOU CHOOSE TO GO, JUST PLAN FOR IT. MAKE SURE YOU ALLOT YOUR DISCRETIONARY FOODS FOR THE EVENT.

 

  • DECISION FATIGUE IS REAL - DECISION FATIGUE IS WHAT WE EXPERIENCE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE DAY MAKING DECISIONS FOR OUR JOBS, OUR FAMILIES, AND OURSELVES.

WE MAKE DOZENS OF DECISIONS A SECOND WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT. MAKING DECISIONS ALL DAY IS EXHAUSTING; AS YOU BECOME FATIGUED, YOU BEGIN TO LOSE THE ABILITY TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. YOU BECOME MORE IMPULSIVE AND LOOK FOR QUICK FIXES. MAKING YOUR MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS EARLY IN THE DAY, OR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. THIS IS WHY MEAL PREPARATION AND MEAL PLANNING IS SO IMPORTANT. MEAL PREP LEAVES UNCERTAINTY OUT OF YOUR DAY AND GIVES YOU MORE POWER TO STICK TO YOUR PROGRAM.

 

  • SETBACKS HAPPEN - THE ROAD TO SUCCESS IS NOT A STRAIGHT LINE.

SETBACKS HAPPEN. JUST BECAUSE YOU USED 7 DISCRETIONARY "CHEATS" THIS WEEK DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE FAILED. THE FACT THAT YOU'RE TRYING SPEAKS VOLUMES. THE FACT THAT YOU'RE MAKING PROGRESS SPEAKS EVEN LOUDER. PROGRESS IS PROGRESS, NO MATTER HOW SLOW!

 

  • IF YOU CHOOSE TO SAY "YES", PLAN FOR IT - SEE BELOW.

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SAYING “NO" IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF SETTING HEALTHY BOUNDARIES. NURTURING THAT ABILITY WITHOUT SHAME OR GUILT IS PIVOTAL TO YOUR SUCCESS IN THIS PROGRAM. JUST REMEMBER, SUCCESS DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

Holiday Destination

PLANNING FOR SPECIAL EVENTS!

Beach BBQ

SOCIAL EVENTS, VACATIONS, OR DATE NIGHTS SHOULDN'T STRESS YOU OUT...

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MAKING SURE THAT YOU WALK INTO ANY FOOD-ORIENTED EVENT WITH A PLAN IS YOUR KEY TO SUCCESS.

  1. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALLOTTED DISCRETIONARY FOOD CHOICES FOR THE EVENT.

  2. KNOW WHAT IS ON THE MENU, OR BEING SERVED, IN ADVANCE AND FIRMLY DECIDE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE.

  3. DO NOT ATTEND THE EVENT HUNGRY!

  4. MAKE SURE YOU DRINK PLENTY OF WATER (MOST PRE-PREPARED FOOD COMES PACKED WITH SODIUM).

  5. SCHEDULE YOUR FOOD FOR THE DAY WITH THE EVENT IN MIND. PERSONALLY, I FOLLOW TIME-RESTRICTED EATING WHILE ON VACATION.

ADDRESSING BAD HABITS!

WE'VE ALL GOT THEM... HERE'S A LIST OF THE WORST, AND MOST COMMON BAD FOOD HABITS!​

  • EATING WHILE WATCHING T.V.

EATING WHILE WATCHING T.V. IS PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON BAD HABIT I ENCOUNTER WITH MY CLIENTS. IT IS INCREDIBLY EASY TO OVEREAT, OR NOT REALIZE THE VOLUME OF FOOD YOU'RE CONSUMING WHILE YOU'RE DISTRACTED. IF YOU CHOOSE TO EAT A MEAL WHILE WATCHING T.V., IT IS IMPORTANT TO PRE-PORTION YOUR MEAL AND NOT GO BACK FOR MORE ONE YOU'VE FINISHED.

Painted Living Room

  • EATING WHILE BORED

EATING FROM BOREDOM IS THE NEXT MOST COMMON BAD HABIT I ENCOUNTER WITH CLIENTS. IN OUR HECTIC LIFESTYLES, FINDING DOWNTIME IS OFTEN AN UNCOMFORTABLE RARITY. WE OFTEN CORRELATE DOWNTIME WITH FOOD CONSUMPTION. IF IT ISN'T MEAL TIME, AND YOU FIND YOURSELF WITHOUT A TASK, REVISIT YOUR TO-DO LIST OR TAKE A NAP. DIVERT YOUR ATTENTION.

LANDSCAPE ILLUSTRATION OF A HUMAN DEMONS

  • AVOIDANCE EATING

WHAT YOU'RE AVOIDING MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. YOU MIGHT BE AVOIDING MOWING THE LAWN, OR YOU MIGHT BE AVOIDING HAVING A HARD CONVERSATION WITH YOUR SPOUSE. EITHER WAY, FOOD CAN OFTEN BECOME PART OF A MECHANISM FOR PROCRASTINATION.

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  • "I CAN'T DO XXXXX BECAUSE I NEED A SNACK."

  • "I'LL DO XXXXXX AFTER LUNCH."

  • "I HAVEN'T HAD BREAKFAST YET, SO I CAN'T XXXXX."

 

WE'VE ALL BEEN THERE. SOME TASKS ARE HARDER THAN OTHERS AND THEY'RE HARDER TO GET A JUMP ON. START SMALL AND MAKE PROGRESS.

  • USING FOOD TO RELIEVE PAIN

USING FOOD AS AN ANALGESIC MAY SEEM STRANGE, BUT FOR THOSE WHO WORK OUT HARD, OR EXPERIENCE CHRONIC PAIN, IT IS QUITE COMMON. EATING OFFERS A TEMPORARY DISTRACTION AND RELIEF FROM DISCOMFORT. IT TRIGGERS A DOPAMINE RESPONSE WHICH MAKES US TEMPORARILY FEEL GOOD. HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN POSTULATED THAT FOR THOSE WITH CHRONIC PAIN, DOPAMINE CAN ACTUALLY INCREASE PAIN SIGNALING OVER TIME.

THE MOST EFFECTIVE REMEDY FOR THIS HABIT IS TO TAKE STOCK OF WHY YOU'RE EATING BEFORE YOU EAT. MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE EATING FOR SUSTENANCE RATHER THAN AN ALTERNATIVE. IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING PHYSICAL PAIN, YOU SHOULD FIRST ADDRESS IT'S ROOT CAUSE.

landscape illustration of a sad person taking pills.jpg

  • EMOTIONAL EATING

MOST COMMONLY, EMOTIONAL EATING BEGINS AS A RESULT OF THE MISDIRECTION OF DISCOMFORT IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. VERY RARELY WILL AN INDIVIDUAL GO BINGE EAT FAST FOOD BECAUSE THEY GOT A FLAT TIRE ON THE WAY TO WORK. HOWEVER, IT WILL HAPPEN DUE TO EMOTIONAL UPSET FROM FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND/OR COWORKERS. THE KEY TO AVOID EMOTIONAL EATING IS TO:

  1. BREATHE THROUGH THE EMOTION - FOCUS ON YOUR BREATH FOR A MINUTE OR TWO. BREATHING DEEPLY HELPS RESTORE OUR CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM TO REST/DIGEST VIA OUR VAGUS NERVE.

  2. JOURNAL YOUR EMOTIONS - HAVE A SELF-DIALOGUE SO THAT YOU CAN CLEARLY ARTICULATE HOW AN EVENT MADE YOU FEEL.

  3. TALK IT OUT - NOW THAT YOU HAVE CALMED DOWN AND CAN ARTICULATE YOUR FEELINGS, ADDRESS THE EVENT WITH THE INDIVIDUAL(S) INVOLVED. COOLER HEADS WILL PREVAIL.

 

WITH EMOTIONAL EATING, FOOD ACTS AS A SALVE TO GIVE YOU A HIT OF DOPAMINE AND ALLOWS YOU TO REPRESS THE EMOTION. WORKING TO FACE YOUR EMOTIONS AND EXPRESSING YOUR FEELINGS NOT ONLY HELPS YOU RESOLVE EMOTIONAL EATING TENDENCIES, IT HELPS YOU TO FEEL MORE CAPABLE AND CONFIDENT IN DAY-TO-DAY LIFE.

landscape illustration of a sad person eating a hamburgeremotionally sad.jpg

  • MISINTERPRETING BODY SIGNALS

FINALLY, OUR LAST BAD HABIT IS MISINTERPRETING BODY SIGNALS. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO MISTAKE FATIGUE, DEHYDRATION, ILLNESS ONSET, HORMONAL CHANGES, OR RAPID BLOOD SUGAR FLUCTUATIONS AS HUNGER CUES.

  • A HARD WORKOUT CAN LEAVE YOU FEELING HUNGRIER AS OUR BODY TRIES TO REPAIR ITSELF.

  • P.M.S. CAN MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE A BOTTOMLESS PIT

  • DEHYDRATION SIGNS, LIKE HEADACHE, LIGHTHEADEDNESS, FATIGUE, OR AN EMPTY-FEELING IN YOUR STOMACH, CAN ALL BE MISTAKEN FOR HUNGER.

  • AT THE ONSET OF AN ILLNESS, LIKE A COLD OR THE FLU, CAN LEAVE US FEELING HUNGRIER BECAUSE OUR BODY IS WORKING DOUBLE-TIME TO FIGHT OFF INFECTION.

  • RAPID BLOOD SUGAR FLUCTUATIONS LIKE THOSE FROM EATING SWEETS (AFTER YOUR BLOOD SUGAR SPIKES; THEN CRASHES), OR DRINKING ALCOHOL CAN BE MISTAKEN FOR HUNGER CUES.

 

SIMILARLY TO ALLEVIATING PAIN WITH FOOD, IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE STOCK OF YOUR MOTIVATIONS FOR EATING. IF IT IS NOT YOUR NORMAL MEAL TIME, CONSIDER WHAT OTHER FACTORS MIGHT BE COMING INTO PLAY AND DRIVING YOU TO EAT. ASK YOURSELF A FEW PROBING QUESTIONS LIKE:

  1. WHAT WAS MY LAST WORKOUT?

  2. AM I SORE?

  3. WHERE AM I IN MY MENSTRUAL CYCLE?

  4. WHEN IS THE LAST TIME I HAD A BIG GLASS OF WATER?

  5. DO I FEEL LIKE I'M COMING DOWN WITH SOMETHING?

  6. WHAT IS THE LAST THING I ATE, AND WHEN?

 

IT ONLY TAKES A MOMENT TO CHECK-IN WITH YOURSELF, BUT IT CAN CHANGE THE COURSE OF YOUR WHOLE DAY.

landscape illustration of a confused person.jpg

RECOVERING FROM SETBACKS?!

THE MOTTO I HAVE USED WITH MY CLIENTS SINCE I STARTED PERSONAL TRAINING IN 2011 IS:

 

"IF YOU GET ONE FLAT TIRE, YOU DON’T SLASH THE OTHER THREE!"

 

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT A SETBACK IS, A FLAT TIRE. IT'LL SLOW YOU DOWN A LITTLE, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP YOU FROM REACHING YOUR DESTINATION!

RECOVERING FROM SETBACKS IS MUCH EASIER PHYSICALLY THAN IT IS MENTALLY.

 

THE PHYSICAL TOLL:

  • A LITTLE WATER RETENTION AND INFLAMMATION FOR A FEW DAYS

  • A NIGHT OR TWO OF LOWERED SLEEP QUALITY

  • A LITTLE DEHYDRATION

 

THE MENTAL TOLL:

  • NEGATIVE SELF-TALK

    • "I'M A FAILURE."

    • "I'M WORTHLESS."

    • "THIS IS HOPELESS."

  • NEGATIVE SELF-VIEW

    • "I'M SO DISGUSTING."

    • "I SHOULD GIVE UP."

  • LOWERED SELF-EFFICACY

    • "I CAN'T DO THIS."

    • "I NEVER DO ANYTHING RIGHT."

 

THIS IS YET ANOTHER REASON WHY JOURNALING IS ABSOLUTELY PIVOTAL TO YOUR SUCCESS! REWORDING YOUR NEGATIVE EMOTIONS INTO FORWARD MOMENTUM STATEMENTS CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON HOW QUICKLY YOU REBOUND FROM SETBACKS.

On the Scales

IT’S FINALLY TIME TO REASSESS!!!

YOU HAVEN'T STEPPED ON THE SCALE OR LOOKED AT PRECISE DATA FOR 4 WEEKS, RIGHT?! YOU MUST BE READY TO REASSESS BEFORE YOU MOVE INTO YOUR MAINTENANCE MONTH!

RE-ASSESSING CAN BRING WITH IT A LOT OF TREPIDATION AND ANXIETY. DON'T WORRY. NO MATTER WHAT NUMBER COMES UP ON THE SCALE, OR WHAT YOU BODY FAT PERCENTAGE IS, I GUARANTEE YOU'VE EXPERIENCED A TON OF NON-SCALE VICTORIES BY NOW!

KEEP THOSE NSVs IN MIND AS YOU RE-ASSESS YOURSELF. JOURNAL WHAT YOU'RE FEELING, AND ADDRESS YOUR FEARS LOGICALLY. IN WEEK 3 WE TALKED ABOUT DEDUCTIVE REASONING, JOURNALING, AND SELF-LOVE. REVISIT THIS TOPIC WHEN YOU SEE YOUR RESULTS.

 

REMEMBER: THE PAST 4 WEEKS HAVE BEEN AN EFFORT TO RECLAIM YOUR HEALTH, NOT AN EFFORT TO LOSE WEIGHT.

 

MANY PEOPLE MAY EXPERIENCE WEIGHT LOSS FOLLOWING THE UN-DIET, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN THE GOAL. KEEP IN MIND WHY YOU STARTED THIS JOURNEY:

  • BREAK THE CYCLE OF DEPRIVATION

  • ADDRESS DISORDERED EATING BEHAVIORS

  • IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH

  • UNLEARN DIET CONVENTIONS

  • BREAK YOUR UNHEALTHY ATTACHMENT TO FOOD

  • FEEL EMPOWERED OVER YOUR DIET

LANDSCAPE ILLUSTRATION OF A SOFT MEASURI

DOWNLOAD YOUR ASSESSMENT SHEET AGAIN, SHOULD YOU NEED IT:

JOURNALING IN WEEK 4

WHAT SHOULD I BE JOURNALING ABOUT IN WEEK 4?

YOU SHOULD BE TRACKING:

 

  • HOW SOCIAL FUNCTIONS, VACATIONS, AND DISORIENTING EVENTS MAKE YOU FEEL

 

  • HOW YOU’RE REPHRASING YOUR NEGATIVE SELF-TALK INTO POSITIVE

 

  • WHAT OTHER EMOTIONS ARE YOU EXPERIENCING?

 

  • WHAT BAD HABITS ARE YOU NOTICING AND HOW ARE THEY IMPACTING YOUR EFFORTS?

 

  • WHAT ARE YOU EATING DAILY?

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  • HOW DO YOU FIT “DATE NIGHTS” OR OTHER GET TOGETHERS INTO YOUR PROGRAM AND HOW DO YOU USE YOUR DISCRETIONARY FOODS?

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  • NOTE SOME OF YOUR NEGATIVE SELF-TALK AND WRITE OUT HOW YOU COULD REPHRASE IT

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  • WHAT ARE SOME MEAL PLANNING IDEAS YOU HAVE FOR WEEK 5?

MY BIOMECHANIC LLC

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Copyright © 2021 MyBiomechanic - All Rights Reserved. This site is for educational purposes only. It is recommended that you consult with a doctor before making significant changes to your current diet and exercise routine.

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