I recently did some 2 week journal reviews for my veteran Fat Loss Fast Track clients and decided it’s time to talk about the basics of fat loss and specific habits that will dramatically accelerate your results.
If you are trying but not getting results, this episode is for you.
If you aren’t trying but want results, this episode is for you.
If you feel stuck, unmotivated or unsure of where to start, this episode is for you.
If you think you know everything, this episode is for you. đ
Struggling with sugar cravings? Do you want to make better choices but find yourself repeatedly giving into the pull of your cravings?
One of critical steps we need to take in order to overcome cravings is understanding how our current behavior is actually creating those cravings.
Sure, practice, discipline & self-control play a role, but identifying the ways that your current choices are triggering the return of your cravings is a powerful place to start.
In today’s episode we’re geeking out on a couple aspects of the science of cravings so you can begin to create your own personal sugar solution.
We see things as we choose to see them and what we experience as “hard” or “easy” is a direct result of our choices.
Let me give you an example. Today in one of my FLFT Facebook groups, someone made this comment:
Eating is such an emotional mind game!
Here’s exactly how I responded:
It’s whatever relationship between food & your thoughts you decide to create.
You get what your consistent choices create. That’s what determines what is hard or easy.
It’s no different than when we get super stressed over a family vacation. The relationship between your thoughts about the event & the event itself creates your experience. You can choose to focus on how you don’t like being away from home & out of your element. How there can be tension between certain family members. How you don’t have control over your food choices and getting packed up is such a pain in the butt.
Or, you can be grateful that you have a family to travel with. That you have the ability to go on vacation. That you’re well enough to do so.
You create the relationship between your thoughts & events. That relationship determines your experience.
You have way more control than you think you do. It’s really not that complicated. It’s not always easy, but it’s pretty simple.
Change the way you think and you change your experience of the world.
Today’s workout wasn’t very fun. It was challenging, but not intense the way I really prefer.
For Time:
50 seated shoulder press
50 push-ups (right leg crossed over left to my right quad dis-engaged)
50 hanging knee raises
I also did a little seated-shoulder stabilization work doing seated single-arm kettlebell presses, which the ball of the KB facing up. Like I said in my Anchor post yesterday, right now my workouts are about consistency & recovery, not intensity. Hopefully in another week & a half my knee will be better and I’ll good to go full speed.
On the food front:
As you can see from my past blogs, I usually do lunch/dinner food for my first meal of the day but I wasn’t in the mood for it today. I wanted yogurt. So, I had it. I picked up some greek yogurt on the way home from the gym and added coconut flakes to it. So tasty. I can’t do greek yogurt on the regular but every once in a while it makes me happy!
Around noon I had a large cobb salad with extra raw cabbage. I resisted the temptation to have my computer open while eating. That continues to be something I need to pay attention to. No multitasking while eating! I want to pay full attention to my meal, my body as I eat and if I’m still enjoying each bite.
I was planning on an early dinner & early bedtime but at the last minute I decided to go away for the weekend so I’m not sure what dinner will be…
The other day I had a powerful interaction with someone in my Primal Potential Masters Club. She loves food (I do too) and she’s struggling with a feeling of “missing out” if & when she’s trying to eat less.
How do you love food & still lose weight? I promise it’s possible…
She knows she is probably eating too much but the idea of eating less creates a real uneasiness for her.
She called it fear. Whatever it is for you, it can feel like tension, deprivation, fear of missing out or lack. Today we’re going to dive into solutions for those fears.
Big shout out to this super special client for being open to me sharing some of our exchange.
**This episode is explicit for language and content beginning around the 25+ minute mark**
If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click here to listen on Anchor, my new short form audio channel.
That quote jumped out at me this morning as I sat outside reading tao te ching.
I’m sure it resonated because I was pretty darn uncomfortable this morning. I shared with you yesterday that due to a knee injury & the desire to avoid a much more serious issue, I have to keep weight off my right leg for the next two weeks and avoid anything that requires flexing my quad. But, that’s not the discomfort I’m talking about…
I went to the gym this morning with a great attitude, planning to find something I can do. As soon as our warm up started, I noticed myself feeling insecure & uncomfortable. While they did jumping jacks, push-ups and air squats, I sat there stretching.
My mind was drifting to insecurities related to what other people might be thinking of me. They don’t know I’m injured. Do they think I’m lazy? Incapable? Are they judging me?
It was uncomfortable and I was deeply desiring comfort in that moment. I didn’t want to stand out.
I made the decision right there in that moment to change my perspective. Maybe they are thinking those things. Maybe they aren’t. I’m certainly not going to assume the worst. In fact, I’m not going to assume anything. I don’t know what they are thinking and, quite frankly, it doesn’t matter.
I don’t go to the gym to prove myself to anyone there. So, what anyone might think or not think is just none of my business and has nothing to do with my purpose: to take great care of my body and mind.
Every time those uncomfortable, insecure thoughts arose, I chose to remind myself: I will not assume the worst. I will not assume, period. And, I am here for me and only me.
I came home, had some food and went to sit outside to read and journal. Low & behold, one of the first things I read was that quote:
“She doesn’t cling to her own comfort, thus problems are no problem for her.”
Uncomfortable in the gym? That’s fine. I’m not seeking comfort.
Uncomfortable facing temptation? Great. Defy that comfort zone.
When I don’t cling to my own comfort, to what it easy or convenient, problems are no problem.
How beautiful & empowering is that?
Back to that uncomfortable workout (comfort ain’t for me anyway!)….
I had to modify the heck out of it. The workout called for push jerks, front squats and all the things I can’t do right now. Here’s what I did instead:
5 sets of 7 bench press
3 sets of 5 bench press (heavier)
2 sets of 3 bench press (heaviest)
9 minute AMRAP
6 ring rows (right foot crossed over left to avoid weight bearing)
9 heavy KB deadlifts (yeah yeah, my weight was on my leg but I used my hams & glutes instead of quads)
Did I perfectly follow the rules? I did not. But I made sure that everything I did avoided all pain & discomfort. And, I’m learning.
On the food front:
After the workout I had a decent sized piece of steak & a big plate of steamed broccoli.
Around 1pm I took my normal cobb salad from Paleo Power Meals and added 3 cups of raw, shredded cabbage to it.
Dinner was early (because I plan to go to bed as early as possible) and was chicken & broccoli over cauliflower & broccoli rice. Allllll the cruciferous vegetables today! They keep me so freakin’ full!
