I want to lose 15 pounds. I am ready to change my eating habits so I can better my health. Eating healthy can be hard. Food is expensive. What will my friends think when I say I can’t go out anymore? Can I go out anymore? What if I fail and don’t reach my goal? Can I reach my goal? Fuck! This is stressful! I think I’ll just wait until tomorrow. I can get started when I want to anyway, right?
And when tomorrow comes, the same thoughts exist. Those same cyclical thoughts that desperately try to get us to move in the right direction, but simultaneously prevent us from moving forward.
WELCOME TO THE HAMSTER WHEEL! Around and around we go, trying to get ahead to achieve our goals, but not actually moving anywhere at all. Worse yet, we end up exhausting ourselves with failed attempts to eat smart, train hard, and become who we know we are deep down. Eventually, the exhaustion catches up with us, and sometimes we fall off the wheel all together.
I know this thinking pattern quite well. In fact in 2014 I was on my own hamster wheel when it came to my own nutrition. That might sound weird, considering I have been published on other websites regarding good whole food practices. The hamster wheel I found myself in was related more so to performance based nutrition. I came to find that my hobbies were becoming interesting new fitness ventures of mine, but all the kettlebell lifting, trail running, rock climbing and all had put me into a new level of exertion I wasn’t quite used to (and perhaps, at the time there was just too much of it. Another reason I ended up hiring my own coach to balance this stuff out). There is a TON of nutritional information out there, and it lead me to a serious level of confusion in terms of how to keep up with my activity level.
Do I eat this yam? Is this banana ok? Wait, what’s all this about pre an post workout nutrition? does that shit matter? What do I do on my off days? This is all so confusing! What if I can’t figure it out? Can I figure it out? Screw it! Off to ice cream!
and around and around I went until eventually, I had a fairly sad epiphany at a local eatery. I caught myself, FREAKING OUT over the fact that I had ordered a 3 egg omelet with all the fixings after a heavy lifting session. All the veggies, side fruit, topped with half and avocado and some salsa. Nothing wrong here (but in my head at the time there was).
Is this right up my macro alley this day? What if it isn’t? Did I just screw this whole thing up? Ugh! You know something? I need help!
I flew off my hamster wheel of nutritional sanity, and it took about a year to relearn a lot of patterns of behaviors that would eventually lead to a much more balanced approach for myself (oh! And I DID learn how to deal with harder training days too. HUZZAH!)
Perhaps you are in a similar predicament. With all the nutritional info out there telling us what to eat, how to eat, when to eat, and all that jazz, it can be very difficult to find a particular method to all the madness. If you wan’t a really blunt and hilarious read on this subject, click this link and download (what I consider) the best memo on eating healthy that was ever written.
So. .. where do you begin?
Here’s my go-to Top 2 Things you can do RIGHT NOW to change your nutritional direction and end the confusion surrounding food.
Step 1. Eat Whole Food. Focus on lean proteins, healthy fats, veggies galore and carbohydrates based on your activity level. Best places to focus your attention at the grocery store are the produce aisle. For more information on navigating your grocery aisle, click this link.
Step 2. Eat until you are just about 80% full. This one takes some time to master, and by no means does this mean intentionally under-eat. I have found in my own life and working with clients now, that 9/10 times, we over-eat because we are rushed to get food after working all day, we are distracted by eating in front of a tv, or our portions are simply bigger than what we really think they are in reality. Slow the pace down! When you eat slowly, you will find that you may not feel the need to eat everything right in front of you. Give this a go for a solid two weeks! You will be amazed by how much better you will look and feel 🙂
Want more? As a Precision Nutrition level 1 coach, I can help you personally come up with a plan to help YOU master your own eating habits and become who you know you are, that healthy and strong person you really are! To request a consultation for more information, click this link! And hey! Feel free to email me at janelle@janellepica.com to get started today!
Enjoy your life today! I look forward to hearing about your success!
Press on!
