"It keeps me on track.
Reminds me when I’ve eaten too much.
And also reminds me when I’ve eaten too little
^^^ A major reason why many of us feel hungry, tired, and crave high sugar and fatty foods
But…
It can be time consuming
Seem like a bit of a chore.
So, do I need to do this forever?"
^^^ A conversation I had with a member of my Fit For Life Body Transformation Programme yesterday.
What she was referring to was the Fruci Fit Lifestyle Tracker.
It essentially helps you see how much of each nutrient you’re getting across the week
And this impacts things like:
* Your motivation to exercise
* Your sleep
* Mood and stress (in some cases)
* Hunger levels
* Bloating
So you can start to put together the types and amounts of foods that work for you and your lifestyle.
And going back to the question of whether you have to do this forever…
The short answer is NO!
Because, as Michelle mentioned to me…
She now knows how much she has to eat in order to:
1) Lose weight (or more importantly…lose body fat)
2) Maintain her weight <<< because when you reach your goals / go through certain stages in your life that are stressful, such as getting a new job and looking after a baby (which people keep reminding me about...), you may just want to maintain the weight loss you have already achieved
^^^ which is still progress given that 1/3 of dieters put on more weight than they lost in the first place!
And she also understands the types of foods that make her feel:
1) Full of energy
2) Less bloated
^^^ which in her case, means not overeating dairy products, such as ice cream and milk... similar to my case. Cheese I can eat until the cows come home…but milk CAN be a completely different story.
And what I’m leading up to is this:
Michelle doesn’t have to track anymore (And we have actually agreed not to track for the next 4 weeks)
She's back in tune with her body.
In control of her cravings.
Because she’s put the work in.
Took the time to understand the science.
^^^ The stuff that works.
And learnt how to fit it to her lifestyle so it doesn’t feel like she’s “dieting”.
But here’s the thing I found even more satisfying…
She's confident in her ability to amend her own nutrition to optimise it for her goals.
And if needs be...
Just track again for a day or so should any drastic changes in her weight, energy or appearance occur.
She no longer stresses (as much...it’s still there a bit…we’re only human after all) about what happens ‘after’ the diet.
^^^ The whole yoyo dieting / weight rebound thing
And when she does get a ‘worry’…
We use The 3 Step Worry Plan (Which I learnt from one of my own coaches):
1) Never worry alone –
Tell someone. A problem shared is a problem halved. Don’t isolate yourself. Get outside. Walk. Talk!
2) Learn the facts –
Is what you’re worried about even real?
How do you know?
What can you CONTROL right now to overcome that worry?
3) Devise an action plan –
Get rid of the stuff that isn’t benefiting you.
Prioritise the stuff that gives you the best outcomes and memories
Reflect on your journey so far <<< You’ll often find many reasons why you should pat yourself on the back and say ‘well done’
Use the skills you’ve learned through assessing about how the types and amounts of foods you eat / your exercise habits impact your weight, energy levels, and how you feel.
^^^ which usually ends up with you knowing the answer and solution to your worry / problem
Because the ‘DOING’ is the only way you’ll discover...
Matt
PS. If you're looking for 'waist friendly' ice cold treats to help curb a craving in this heatwave...stay tuned for tomorrow (I've been investigating for you).