Why Do I Keep Screwing Up? What is Wrong With Me?

One of the things I hear most often from listeners & clients is something along the lines of “What is wrong with me? Why do I keep doing this to myself??

It’s inevitable. You want to change. You commit to change. You psych yourself up. You’re doing it.

Until you don’t.

You want to eat well, but you don’t.

You want to workout more, but you don’t.

You’re frustrated and wondering what is wrong with you.

I’ve got a few thoughts on that, but first, you’ll have to indulge a simple story.

The other day, my sister Debi came by to record a podcast with me. If you haven’t listened to the episode, you’ll definitely want to. We laugh, we cry and we talk a lot about having a messed up relationship with food.

Anyways, after the episode we decided to go play tennis.

We don’t play tennis.

I haven’t played in 20+ years. She hasn’t played much more recently than I have.

I borrowed some rackets, bought some balls & off we went.

We missed more shots than we returned. At times, each of us looked like we had two left feet and you might have wondered if our eyes were even open (they were!)

We weren’t good.

As we played, I thought about how playing tennis for the first time in many years is SO MUCH like trying to lose weight or get fit.

As we played, I was tempted to apologize for every return I missed, every ball I shanked, every time I didn’t hustle fast enough.

I caught myself comparing myself to my sister. Was she faster? Was she returning more shots than I was? Was she annoyed that I wasn’t good? Was she thinking about how much I sucked?

It would have been easy to get frustrated. It would have been easy to give up and shout, “I suck! I’m awful. Why bother!”

But dude, c’mon. I haven’t played much.

I’m not good.

If I want to get good, I have to practice.

If you want to get good, you have to practice.

If you’re going to practice so that you improve, you’re going to miss shots.

Heck, starting out, you’ll miss more shots than you make.

It’s not going to be pretty when you start. It’s certainly not going to be flawless!

What you do at this point determines whether or not you get better.

What you do at this point determines whether you give up or you keep trying.

Do you complain? Do you compare? Do you quit? Do you apologize?

Or do you smile, recognize that the more you practice, the faster you improve and decide to just keep taking shots and have as much fun as you can along the way?

This is life, guys.

When you learn a new habit or behavior, you’re NOT going to be perfect.

GASP.

Did I just blow your mind?

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT.

Ever.

At anything.

In fact, the less consistency you’ve had, the less often you’ve practiced, the worse you’ll be.

There’s nothing wrong with you.

You don’t need to apologize.

You don’t need to confess your dietary sins.

You don’t need to complain.

You don’t need to quit.

You need to keep practicing.

211: Thin People & Food Issues (My Sister Is On The Show)

211: Thin People & Food Issues (My Sister Is On The Show)

Food issues, guilt, emotional eating and food obsession are not exclusive to overweight and obese individuals. Not even a little bit. Today, we’re talking about thin people & food issues.

Except, it’s more than that. We’re talking to my sister.

A couple weeks ago, I had my mom on the show. It was a tough episode but we talked about how, as a thin mother, she really struggled with having an overweight child (me). I was the token fat kid. It was a rough road.

That episode triggered a lot of comments and questions, many of which were related to that sister I talked about. What was it like for her, as a thin child, to grow up with so much emphasis on food and shame related to obesity?

Well, “that sister” is Debi. My oldest friend, my closest friend and the yin to my yang. Don’t miss this candid conversation about food issues then & now in the absence of a weight struggle.

Listen Now

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Resources

Join me at ASCEND in Nashville!

Change Your Mind To Change Your Body

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211: Thin People & Food Issues (My Sister Is On The Show)

210: When You Are Your Own Worst Enemy

I used to be my own worst enemy. There was a huge gap between what I wanted and what I did. There wasn’t anyone keeping me from achieving my goals…except for me.

Because of that, one of my affirmations is now “I am militantly on my own side”. I am on my team. I will not sabotage myself.

I don’t need all the answers but I will not stop seeking, trying and finding a way.

In today’s motivational minisode, I’m talking about how and why to get on your own team. It’s time to stop being your own worst enemy.

Listen Now

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When You Are Your Own Worst Enemy

 

Resources

Join me at ASCEND in Nashville!

Change Your Mind To Change Your Body

Support the Show

Subscribe in iTunes

Subscribe in Stitcher

211: Thin People & Food Issues (My Sister Is On The Show)

209: How To Stop Overeating

If we could master how to stop overeating, we’d be pretty much all set, right? In fact, I’d be a bazillionaire if I could give you just a couple words to help you stop overeating forever. Easier said than done, for sure!

But today we are moving in that direction. I want to help you understand why we overeat and what we can do about it, beginning today.

If you listen to the facts & strategies in this episode, I am 100% positive that we can move you in the direction of your goals right now, today.

Listen Now

Download Episode

How To Stop Overeating

Overeating is a complex issue. If we want to understand how to stop overeating, we have to understand what triggers us to overeat and how to overcome or re-wire those triggers.

In today’s episode (don’t miss it!), we’ll talk about things like:

  • Taste specific satiety (how you can feel “full” of one thing but keep eating something different)
  • Overeating cues
  • Understanding our desire for food rewards and how to break the cycle
  • The power of hyperpalatable foods
  • What it really means to determine if & when food is “worth it”
  • How to make incremental improvements
  • Food urges that come with behavioral transitions

If you want to reduce or stop overeating, you absolutely need to listen to today’s episode!

Resources

Inside A Binge

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Free Motivational Phone Backgrounds & Wallpaper

Free Motivational Phone Backgrounds & Wallpaper

I gotta say, my Fat Loss Fast Track Veterans made me feel pretty special for my birthday last week! Every day, the gave me gifts and shared how Primal Potential has made their lives better and helped them move towards their goals.

They also shared their favorite “EBisms” – motivational mantras I’ve shared that motivate & encourage them. Today, I thought it would be fun to share them with you in the form of free motivational phone backgrounds and wallpaper! Some of the EBisms they shared with me were:

  • Do it anyway
  • Just for today
  • I can do hard things
  • I choose foods I love that love me back
  • Self control & resistance to distractions

Seriously! This is one of the best ways I keep my affirmations in front of me – I make them the lock screen & wallpaper for my iPhone!

I can’t count the number of times in a day that I unlock my phone. Hundreds, easily. I want to see my affirmations & goals in front of me every single time! Why not, right?

So, all you have to is hit the button below & drop in your email address so I can send you the link to download these free images! You will be redirected once you drop in your email address, so don’t click off the browser! Give it a few seconds 🙂

Here’s the thing though: if you have additional mantras you’d like me to create as images for your phone, just let me know! I’d love to add to the collection. I hope you enjoy these!

Tag me on Instagram with your new motivational phone backgrounds! I’d love to see them! #primalpotential

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