Ever stop to think about how the words, the exact, precise words you use in your own head as well as to others, can influence your behavior?
Sometimes even to the extent of staying OP versus NOT staying OP?
It's true! What we TELL ourselves becomes our REALITY.
For instance, just yesterday I was picturing an upcoming family event that will take place in May. ("Rehearsing" my behavior in advance has become a habit with me! When you do this ahead of time, and you sort of 'practice' what you'll say, how you'll act, what you'll eat, etc....it's like your brain has already 'been there done that'; so that when you get to the actual event, staying OP becomes easier! Really! Give it a try sometime...)
Anyway. A favorite Aunt is turning 83 -- and our family is planning a surprise birthday party for her.
So I pictured saying hello to my nephew -- who I haven't seen in almost a year but is planning to travel to be there. And I imagined him saying something like "Wow, Aunt Linda, you're still looking good You're keeping the weight on!" (having heard this sentiment before).
And I pictured my own response, and what I imagined saying was "Yeah, well, I'm TRYING!" (I pictured myself surrounded by unhealthy food choices as is the usual fare at these types of events).
Wait. I'm TRYING?!?
What kind of lukewarm sentiment is THAT?
If I just TRIED to do the 5/1 I would still be struggling, instead of at goal. Remember Yoda from Star Wars?
"THERE IS NO TRY".
You'd better believe it!
So NO, I do NOT plan on saying that...instead I will change it to
"You bet your life! I'm determined to keep the weight off".
Ahhh....that's better! Because in fact, I'm COMMITTED to keeping the weight off.
I'm POSITIVE I will keep the weight off.
Just changing the WORDS in my own head changes the feeling inside. Now there's no excuses, it's a DONE DEAL. I don't HAVE to try! Instead, I WILL!
And since I'm so determined, so committed, that means I'll bring healthy choices with me, won't it? (you bet your life I will LOL!) A fresh raw veggie platter springs to mind...maybe with a lowfat hummus dip or light ranch dressing. A pre-made MF brownie in my purse. A bar or 2 just in case....cheese pizza bites and/or pretzels in the car if I decide that's what I feel like instead. And of course, LOTS of extra water bottles. (I never go ANYWHERE without my water bottles...!) Maybe some string cheese in case I can't find enough lean choices, as well.
Whatever.
If I'm prepared, I KNOW I can stay OP.
And getting prepared happens AUTOMATICALLY if I'm committed.
Whereas if I left it up to chance...if I said "I'll TRY"....well, chances are I wouldn't think so clearly, instead my mind might get fixated on all the goodies I'd be 'trying' to avoid, and pretty soon Fat Brain will come up with all sorts of wonderful excuses why I don't have to stay OP 'today',...'just for once'... and then, well....it's just a question of 'what' I'll eat off program and 'when', not 'IF'.
The initial choice of WORDS is ALL IT TOOK to change the entire 'script' for the day!
So ... are you staying OP?
Or are you TRYING to?
Are you DEPRIVING yourself of goodies, or are you DESERVING of the healthy food choices you want to make to stay OP?
Are you REWARDING yourself with non-food treats, a new article of clothing, maybe a good book or having your nails done or a facial or haircut or bubble bath or just time to YOURSELF? Or do you still tend to think in terms of food rewards?
Food isn't a reward. It's nutrition. Right? You aren't a doggie who needs a bone because you did 'good'. You're a human being, an adult, and you don't NEED food rewards.
Are you 'attempting' to 'stick with' the 5/1 over the weekend?
Or are you
DETERMINED to be OP all weekend no matter WHAT?
We all know there are things we can do to be prepared...but the WORDS we use in our heads and our hearts matter, too.
Instead of "I can't have that',
try
'I don't EAT that way anymore'.
Instead of 'I'm on a diet'
try
'I'm eating healthy from now on'.
Instead of 'I have 38 pounds to lose'
try
'I lost 12 lbs already!'
Instead of 'I am ALMOST a size 12'
say
'I'm 2 sizes LESS than I was!'
Instead of 'I'll try to get to the gym tomorrow'
try
'I have scheduled a workout tomorrow'.
And don't dwell on what you CAN'T have....think about all you CAN have, instead.
Think about your favorite MF meals and L&G recipes and plan them out, view them as taking care of yourself, as LOVING yourself instead!
It's all in your ATTITUDE.
A client asked for my 'MF soft serve' recipe (which took me 2 years to develop...I know, I know...I'm a slow learner LOL)...and when I asked if she liked it, she said "OMG it made such a big bowl that I felt GUILTY eating it in front of my husband, so I fixed him a bowl of ice cream."
And I thought, how SAD is that?
The whole idea was to make her feel SPOILED and ENTITLED (the only reason it's a large bowl is because it's plumped up with lots of ice! LOL)....but she wouldn't have it!
She felt GUILTY instead...and on top of that had to torture herself by serving her DH a dish of fattening ice cream that she "couldn't" have!
WHY? WHY do we do that to ourselves?
CHANGE THE SCRIPT. Change the attitude in your HEAD and change the script of what you say to yourself. GUILT gets removed from your vocabulary.
Don't EVER feel guilty about eating ANYTHING OP.
Instead, feel PRIDE. You are taking care of yourself! And you need make NO apologies to ANYONE for that. After all, if YOU don't take care of your body, who will?
Eliminate guilt and shame....and watch your own WORDS in your own head.
There's nothing to be ashamed about if you're doing what you need to do to stay OP.
EVER. We don't sneak food anymore. We're upfront with our food choices. And we're upfront with our LIFESTYLE choices, too...because we know they are HEALTHY choices.
We have a choice...every second of every day....not only in what we eat, but HOW we eat it and WHAT we tell ourselves about what we eat!
Be GOOD to yourself. Be KIND to yourself. You deserve it!
Just think about these two statements:
"I choked down another MF Bar"
VERSUS
"I enjoyed an MF Bar"
Which person do you think will make it to goal?
I'm not saying LIE to yourself. But if you START with an attitude that's GOOD...if you look upon your MF meals as the LIFESAVERS they are (really!)....then you'll find ways to enjoy them. If you don't like one meal, try another one. Everyone is different. But again, your ATTITUDE matters.
More than you know.
Act "as if" you are totally strong and totally in control and OP all the time.
And you know what? Your true actions will follow suit!
Keep on keepin on!
Sometimes even to the extent of staying OP versus NOT staying OP?
It's true! What we TELL ourselves becomes our REALITY.
For instance, just yesterday I was picturing an upcoming family event that will take place in May. ("Rehearsing" my behavior in advance has become a habit with me! When you do this ahead of time, and you sort of 'practice' what you'll say, how you'll act, what you'll eat, etc....it's like your brain has already 'been there done that'; so that when you get to the actual event, staying OP becomes easier! Really! Give it a try sometime...)
Anyway. A favorite Aunt is turning 83 -- and our family is planning a surprise birthday party for her.
So I pictured saying hello to my nephew -- who I haven't seen in almost a year but is planning to travel to be there. And I imagined him saying something like "Wow, Aunt Linda, you're still looking good You're keeping the weight on!" (having heard this sentiment before).
And I pictured my own response, and what I imagined saying was "Yeah, well, I'm TRYING!" (I pictured myself surrounded by unhealthy food choices as is the usual fare at these types of events).
Wait. I'm TRYING?!?
What kind of lukewarm sentiment is THAT?
If I just TRIED to do the 5/1 I would still be struggling, instead of at goal. Remember Yoda from Star Wars?
"THERE IS NO TRY".
You'd better believe it!
So NO, I do NOT plan on saying that...instead I will change it to
"You bet your life! I'm determined to keep the weight off".
Ahhh....that's better! Because in fact, I'm COMMITTED to keeping the weight off.
I'm POSITIVE I will keep the weight off.
Just changing the WORDS in my own head changes the feeling inside. Now there's no excuses, it's a DONE DEAL. I don't HAVE to try! Instead, I WILL!
And since I'm so determined, so committed, that means I'll bring healthy choices with me, won't it? (you bet your life I will LOL!) A fresh raw veggie platter springs to mind...maybe with a lowfat hummus dip or light ranch dressing. A pre-made MF brownie in my purse. A bar or 2 just in case....cheese pizza bites and/or pretzels in the car if I decide that's what I feel like instead. And of course, LOTS of extra water bottles. (I never go ANYWHERE without my water bottles...!) Maybe some string cheese in case I can't find enough lean choices, as well.
Whatever.
If I'm prepared, I KNOW I can stay OP.
And getting prepared happens AUTOMATICALLY if I'm committed.
Whereas if I left it up to chance...if I said "I'll TRY"....well, chances are I wouldn't think so clearly, instead my mind might get fixated on all the goodies I'd be 'trying' to avoid, and pretty soon Fat Brain will come up with all sorts of wonderful excuses why I don't have to stay OP 'today',...'just for once'... and then, well....it's just a question of 'what' I'll eat off program and 'when', not 'IF'.
The initial choice of WORDS is ALL IT TOOK to change the entire 'script' for the day!
So ... are you staying OP?
Or are you TRYING to?
Are you DEPRIVING yourself of goodies, or are you DESERVING of the healthy food choices you want to make to stay OP?
Are you REWARDING yourself with non-food treats, a new article of clothing, maybe a good book or having your nails done or a facial or haircut or bubble bath or just time to YOURSELF? Or do you still tend to think in terms of food rewards?
Food isn't a reward. It's nutrition. Right? You aren't a doggie who needs a bone because you did 'good'. You're a human being, an adult, and you don't NEED food rewards.
Are you 'attempting' to 'stick with' the 5/1 over the weekend?
Or are you
DETERMINED to be OP all weekend no matter WHAT?
We all know there are things we can do to be prepared...but the WORDS we use in our heads and our hearts matter, too.
Instead of "I can't have that',
try
'I don't EAT that way anymore'.
Instead of 'I'm on a diet'
try
'I'm eating healthy from now on'.
Instead of 'I have 38 pounds to lose'
try
'I lost 12 lbs already!'
Instead of 'I am ALMOST a size 12'
say
'I'm 2 sizes LESS than I was!'
Instead of 'I'll try to get to the gym tomorrow'
try
'I have scheduled a workout tomorrow'.
And don't dwell on what you CAN'T have....think about all you CAN have, instead.
Think about your favorite MF meals and L&G recipes and plan them out, view them as taking care of yourself, as LOVING yourself instead!
It's all in your ATTITUDE.
A client asked for my 'MF soft serve' recipe (which took me 2 years to develop...I know, I know...I'm a slow learner LOL)...and when I asked if she liked it, she said "OMG it made such a big bowl that I felt GUILTY eating it in front of my husband, so I fixed him a bowl of ice cream."
And I thought, how SAD is that?
The whole idea was to make her feel SPOILED and ENTITLED (the only reason it's a large bowl is because it's plumped up with lots of ice! LOL)....but she wouldn't have it!
She felt GUILTY instead...and on top of that had to torture herself by serving her DH a dish of fattening ice cream that she "couldn't" have!
WHY? WHY do we do that to ourselves?
CHANGE THE SCRIPT. Change the attitude in your HEAD and change the script of what you say to yourself. GUILT gets removed from your vocabulary.
Don't EVER feel guilty about eating ANYTHING OP.
Instead, feel PRIDE. You are taking care of yourself! And you need make NO apologies to ANYONE for that. After all, if YOU don't take care of your body, who will?
Eliminate guilt and shame....and watch your own WORDS in your own head.
There's nothing to be ashamed about if you're doing what you need to do to stay OP.
EVER. We don't sneak food anymore. We're upfront with our food choices. And we're upfront with our LIFESTYLE choices, too...because we know they are HEALTHY choices.
We have a choice...every second of every day....not only in what we eat, but HOW we eat it and WHAT we tell ourselves about what we eat!
Be GOOD to yourself. Be KIND to yourself. You deserve it!
Just think about these two statements:
"I choked down another MF Bar"
VERSUS
"I enjoyed an MF Bar"
Which person do you think will make it to goal?
I'm not saying LIE to yourself. But if you START with an attitude that's GOOD...if you look upon your MF meals as the LIFESAVERS they are (really!)....then you'll find ways to enjoy them. If you don't like one meal, try another one. Everyone is different. But again, your ATTITUDE matters.
More than you know.
Act "as if" you are totally strong and totally in control and OP all the time.
And you know what? Your true actions will follow suit!
Keep on keepin on!
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