I’ve just celebrated ten years at my goal weight after 40 years of yo-yoing up and down the scale.
Three Ways to Make That Happen for YOU: Part 3
- We looked at the First a fortnight ago, and the update now is: Say it with me: It’s still NOT THE DIET – that’s just one tool, so choose what works and you can most easily tolerate. There’s more to it than that.
- Identify what drives you to food for comfort or stress relief and resolve that. Seriously, it makes it sooooo much easier.
- Making choices that were consistent with who I wanted to be in body, mind, and soul.
Here’s the thing: We cannot do this simply on discipline. So much of the reason we eat is outside what “discipline” can do. Discipline fails when we’re upset, frustrated, sad, bored – and oh, boy, it’s weak against holidays. It’s so easy to be felled by your great aunt Edna’s special dish when she “made it just for you.” In a flash you’re slathered in family, tradition, guilt, and her pointed look – as well as not wanting to be impolite or hurtful. That’s kryptonite to discipline.
It helps if we can unpack our emotional baggage so we don’t have lingering issues driving the behavior bus, but the strongest tool in our bag is our best selves: The soul of who we are – the core of our being.
When we’re connected with our best selves, we can manage our behavior more effectively. For example, where do your thoughts go when unsupervised? Like many of you, mine wanders to unhelpful or challenging places. However, if I’m working from my best, my thoughts are more easily managed. I don’t ruminate on old stories that are no longer helpful, and I don’t look for complaints. That behavior may be very normal, but it’s not helpful. It doesn’t make us feel like who we want to be.
It makes quite a difference in our determination when our actions, choices, and reactions are true to our souls. From your “best self,” would you ever feel that piece of cake or the special potatoes are calling your name? It extracts the defensive – please don’t tempt me – energy because we’re not fighting to hold to discipline. We’re making choices based on what we truly want, so we can easily say, “No, thank you,” and mean it. Even during the holiday season.
The holidays are upon us since they now seem to begin with the “Sugar Rush” known as Halloween.
What will you do to manage through these months?
Would you like some help?
I’m opening a coaching group specifically focused on holidays. Our first meeting will be on October 25th, and we’ll follow up at intervals between November 1st and into January.
Interested?
Go to: https://packyourownbag.com/holidaygroup
