good morning,
This morning I was thinking about eating habits (I know I am boring), I recalled times in my life where eating felt out of control and I had a constant push/pull going on in my head. I wanted to have a bite or a small piece of something and I couldn't. If I was eating that meant I was EATING, you know what I mean. So many clients over the years had that very same struggle. I used to give such shitty advice, I would say things like "you just have to want it bad enough" or I would boast about how I did it. How the hell did that help? They weren't me, fitness and nutrition weren't a part of their profession. That was all ego flexing bullshit, a common practice among trainers, dont be too impressed. They flex their own egos while making you feel ashamed because you cant be like them. Thanks bro. (did I just bro in a blog?)
We comprehend the word moderation but cant seem to achieve it. We often feel out of control. We are either on the tracks or off of them. I have done a good amount of reflection on this imbalance over the years and I really do get it. It's that damn pendulum concept, it swings really hard to one side, charges and swing back again. When we are being "good", following the plan, on track, the pendulum charges up before it swings back the other way and knocks us quite literally on our ass "off the tracks", out of control, filled with shame.
And there we sit, on our ass, feeling shitty. We recognize that this is a pattern we continuously repeat over the years and so we identify it as a character flaw. We need to just find that one diet that we can stick to, the right one that makes the weight loss easy and when we find it we start the process all over again. We believe it's working but, there is no way its working the issue isnt the diet, the issue is the restriction. We do a thing that isnt maintainable, too challenging to sustain, but it causes quick weight loss so we think it's "working". Since we are losing weight we dont realize that the same pendulum is charging up getting ready to knock us back on our respective asses.
We cannot divorce ourselves from our hunger. The answer is to slowly move in a better direction without charging up the pendulum. Small steps. I know they arent sexy BUT this is how you break the pattern. The diet isnt the issue is the recurring act of deprivation to the point of suffering.
Usually when people begin one of these catastrophic patterns its after a period of overindulgence or being out of control, there is a surplus of food in the body. Therefore we can diet for a few days without feeling super hungry. The first few days are easy so we feel successful and we are convinced. What happens when Wednesday, Thursday and Friday roll around? Old behaviors or patterns begin to creep around the corner and before we realize we are back on our respective asses.
It's just a pattern that doesnt really suit most people. We rarely get anywhere but frustrated and here's the kicker…. Imagine what we could do with all that wasted time and energy. we could spend it doing something that truly enhances our lives, feeds our soul and brings us joy. By the way, thats all we are really looking for anyway.
SOOOOOOO, if you are waking up on this Monday morning all pumped and ready to go with your new plan after a weekend of debauchery. Why not spare yourself? Instead add in a small behavior change with regard to your nutrition practices, one that seems almost too simple to work. Think of it as a brick. If you layer enough bricks eventually you will have a wall. You will never have a wall unless you lay that first brick.
Behavior changes that work:
* 3-5 servings of fruit/veggies daily
* protein at every meal
* having your next meal ready
* staying ahead of hunger
* plate planning/meal structure
* pushing a plate away once it stops tasting incredible
* truly savoring your food
I hope you have a joyful week and I pray it doesn't end up with you feeling like shit about yourself because honestly, that's not a good look for anyone. Walk a joyful path toward your goals so you will want to stay there.
-Jess
