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.
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.
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.
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!
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
What is food guilt? We’ve all done it to ourselves, one bad food choice leads to throwing in the towel on the entire day. That gross feeling and disappointment with ourselves, that is food guilt. Beating yourself up and assigning emotion to your food choices is the essence of food guilt.
Looking at yourself as good or bad based on your food choices – that is food guilt.
Here’s what I want you to consider: Is it working for you?
Is it improving your choices or is it keeping you stuck in a negative cycle of your own creation that leads to more choices you feel badly about?
Does it help you feel better about yourself, or help you make a better choice the next time you think about cheating? Chances are it doesn’t, and it never will. So you’ve got to stop beating yourself up over FOOD!
In today’s episode, I’ll be diving into why food guilt doesn’t work, why you should stop it, and what you should be doing instead.
The choice you made was in the past! Don’t let a past choice affect your current emotions or your future choices. Let it go, and MOVE ON. Instead of focusing on your bad day, focus on what is next and how you are going to push forward to achieve your goals.
Create a Different Strategy
Food guilt is only making yourself miserable about choices you’ve made in the past. You can’t move forward if you are focused on the past. It is time to get rid of old bad strategies and create new strategies to move towards your goals in a positive light.
We have to eliminate what doesn’t work & embrace what does. Does food guilt work for you?
Be Objective
Don’t assign unnecessary emotions to decisions that should be objective. Food is neutral!
Take a step back from your food choice and ask yourself, does eating this get me closer to my goals? If I eat this how will it make me feel immediately? How will it make me feel in a couple of hours? How will it make me feel tomorrow? Take your answers into consideration, make the choice, and MOVE ON. Don’t spend time dwelling on the choice you made. Focus on your next choices!
Practice looking past the immediate consequences. Ask yourself hard questions about the choice. How will this food choice make you feel about yourself as you are laying in bed tonight? Will this choice stall your overall progress towards your larger goals?
Examine 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Order Consequences
Don’t ignore 2nd and 3rd order consequences for immediate satisfaction!
A 1st order consequence would be what happens immediately after a decision is made (i.e. The great taste of the cookie!). People who focus solely on 1st order consequences struggle and sabotage their overall goals.
A 2nd order consequence is what happens later, but not necessarily long term (i.e. The cookie may trigger cravings and doesn’t satisfy your hunger). A 3rd order consequence would be a long term consequence (i.e. The cookie does not push you towards your fat loss goals).
Examining your 2nd and 3rd order consequences may not come easy, and can take a bit of practice. Those who consider these consequences are more aligned with their goals and are more likely to achieve them.
Every Choice You Make Is A Lesson To Be Learned
Find a lesson in every choice you make, and implement that lesson into future decisions. Make your choices productive for you and you will accelerate progress towards your goals.
Not every correct choice will be an easy choice, but it is important to understand objectively why you are making that choice and move forward after the choice is made.
