When You’ve “Blown” it with Food. (Try This)

Many of us have been here before.

Maybe a Friday night of snacking turns into a weekend of poor food choices.

Or you have a few too many treats one afternoon, and the next thing you know, you’re ordering pizza for dinner.

You give into that doughnut at work, and now you’re blowing off your eating for the rest of the day.

Maybe even a few bad days turn into a few bad weeks!

I hear this from clients all of the time.

They feel like they’ve “ruined things” – the streak of good food choices, the progress they’ve made.

They want to know the best way to get back on track after a few too many “slip-ups.”

Can you relate?

Of course, I might say things like:

Make a better choice at your next meal.

Eat more vegetables.

Drink more water.

Choose more whole foods.

Move your body.

But most people know these things already.

Here’s what I want to offer instead.

If you’re feeling stuck, stagnant, or out of control with your eating…

Plan out your next 3 meals.

(You can do this for tomorrow or start with your next meal if you want to get a head start).

Write it down.

Choose 3 meals that are nourishing, enjoyable, and that you can easily prepare (this isn’t the time to try out a new and elaborate recipe).

Choose 3 meals that you will be happy about eating. Don’t try and be rigid or overly restrictive.

Choose 3 meals that you know you will 100% follow through on eating. Again – not the time to try out that new diet!

If you are someone who generally needs a late afternoon and/or evening snack – include those as well.

Maybe you’re working towards NO eating after dinner, yet night after night, you find yourself snacking unnecessarily despite your best intentions.

Rather than tell yourself that you’re not going to eat anything when you know full well that you will (which only degrades your self-trust further), include this in your plan.

For example, if you know, you’re going to want to have that bowl of chips – plan on it.

If you know you’re going to want the ice cream in your freezer – plan on it (and include how much).

Then when that time comes around, eat precisely what you planned (nothing more).

Maybe you’re thinking, but wait – are you encouraging me to eat chips and ice cream? That seems a little backwards.

The question is…are you going to eat them anyway?

What I’m encouraging is to be intentional with your eating.

This way, you’re making a choice rather than eating behind your own back – which only leads to feelings of shame, guilt, and distrust in ourselves (and likely more unwanted eating).

Once you’ve built up the practice of following through on your plans, you start to build momentum.

Then you can make further changes and upgrades if you want.

But you’ll do so from a place of self-trust and confidence, rather than relying on “hope” and willpower.

Remember, it only takes a few meals to turn it back around!

Love Elaine

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Here are few other blog posts related to planning and making decisions ahead of time:

Making Decisions Ahead of Time

The 24 Hour Plan (Decisions Ahead of Time)

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