The Gift of Constraint

Today, I want to share the concept of constraint with you and how it can be applied to your goals – whether you wish to lose weight or just eat better.

A constraint is a limitation or restriction you put on yourself to make your life easier.

While the concept of a constraint might seem inhibiting, if placed appropriately, it can actually be quite liberating and create more freedom in your life (not less).

It’s important to underscore one thing — you’re choosing the constraint.

It’s not something that’s being placed upon you by some higher authority, but rather, yourself.

You’re the boss.

An Elegant Solution to a “Problem”

You can also think of a constraint as an elegant solution to a “problem.”

Let’s take the example of counting calories.

Most people don’t like the laborious task of tracking every bite or turning their plate into a complicated math formula.

But to lose weight, we know that we must create a calorie deficit, whether by consuming less through our diet or expending more energy through exercise (or ideally a combination of both).

Now consider certain constraints that would accomplish the same result (reducing overall calories) without having to do any counting.

For example, not snacking between meals or not eating after a particular time in the evening to eliminate excessive calories are just a few.

Both of these examples could be used to automatically reduce overall calories by default without even thinking about it.

Simplicity and Focus

The beauty of constraint is that it brings simplicity and focus to our every day. It can also save us time and mental energy.

Consider all of the areas of your life where you’ve placed certain constraints, whether you’re conscious of them or not.

Take shopping, for example.

You might constrain yourself to specific brands or retailers that you know you like and fit your body well.

Or maybe you constrain yourself to one grocery store when you do your food shopping.

Then there are constraints around our time.

For example, maybe you make a point not to work past 6 pm during the week and not at all on the weekend so you can enjoy your downtime.

Or consider business constraints.

For example, I constrain to one offer in my business – I work with clients privately in my 1:1 program.

I don’t offer group coaching, online courses, or have a private Facebook group.

It’s not to say that I might not decide to do any of these things later down the road, but currently, I constrain my focus to this one area, and I personally feel it allows me to serve my clients at a much higher (and deeper) level because my energy is funnelled into my one offer.

Unconscious Constraints

We also have certain constraints that we’re likely not even conscious of, but they operating in the background nonetheless.

For example, many of us also have constraints around what we’re willing to share with others, whether with people in our lives or what we put out on social media. There are certain private matters that we keep to ourselves.

Or take the example of smoking. For many of us, smoking a cigarette isn’t an option.

If you don’t smoke and somebody offers you a cigarette, it’s an automatic “no thank you” – there’s no internal struggle over whether or not you should take them up on it.

Weight Loss/Eating Specific Constraints

Setting certain constraints around consumption is a great way to free up mental bandwidth about your food choices when you’re trying to lose weight or just eat better.

For example…

Flour

One constraint that I’ve found to be helpful for clients who are trying to cut back on processed foods and refined carbohydrates is to set a limitation around flour (or sugar), for example.

By just avoiding flour, you also automatically avoid all the refined carbs like noodles, pasta, crackers, bread, baked goods, and a whole array of other processed convenience foods without thinking about it.

Of course, you can make exceptions to the “rules.”

Perhaps you’ll make an exception that you’ll avoid flour except if you’re cooking or baking from scratch in your own kitchen, or you’ll make an allowance for a particular type of flour, for example.

Or maybe you’ll avoid flour during the week but make an allowance for certain occasions on the weekend when you plan ahead for it

Alcohol

Another great example would be setting a constraint that you’re not going to drink alcohol.

If you’re out socializing with friends and someone offers you a glass of wine, you already know what your answer is going to be.

Again, you might make exceptions for yourself. Maybe you’ll make an allowance for 2 glasses of wine per week, or only drink on special occasions, for example.

Timed-Eating

You can also put constraints around when you eat.

For example, not eating past 8 pm or not snacking between meals.

Again – these are limits that you set yourself.

It’s not – “I’m not allowed to eat after 8 pm” but rather “I’ve chosen not to eat past 8 pm because I know that it’s most likely unnecessary snacking, and I know that I sleep better and wake up feeling more energized when I don’t eat late in the evening.”

It’s not about arbitrary rules or whether or not the best thing to do is give up flour, alcohol and not snack in between meals, but rather, what makes sense for you individually.

Think about some of the constraints that have simplified your own life.

Is there one that you could add that would simplify things further while supporting your goals along the way?

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P.S If you desire high-level support to help you permanently lose weight, put an end to your food struggles, and elevate your overall health, then my program may be a great fit.

Get all the details here and apply for a Clarity Consult so we can make sure it’s a great fit. In this session, I’ll map out a strategy for getting you to where you want to be.