Happy 4th! I hope you indulged in the sun and good food today with family and friends.
I thought today is a good day to talk about the opposite of indulging — deprivation. Unfortunately, a lot of women equate healthy eating with deprivation. But they’ve got it all wrong because deprivation serves no one and eating healthy serves all. It allows you to indulge in life.
I spend a lot of time working with clients around this mindset. In fact, a deprivation mindset is a sure way to guarantee failure especially when it comes to healthy eating and healthy lifestyle choices.
Instead of thinking of deprivation, I like to move to a mindset of indulging and nourishment. I want to reframe it from what you are taking away to…
- what delicious new foods you are ADDING to your diet;
- what new lifestyle choices you are making; and most importantly,
- what you are now able to do because you feel better.
It’s not easy but I have 3 tips below for you to reframe your mindset and make changes.
I also have set up my 5-day Detox to get your there as well. The 5-day detox is focused on nourishing yourself with well-balanced whole food meals. And while that means you will be taking some problem foods out of your diet, you are adding in many nutrient-rich and delicious foods.
You’ll be amazed at how you feel and how much you don’t miss what you’ve taken out. The 5-day detox is a quick way for you to see this for yourself. It’s a chance for you to reset your habits and to take healthy eating a step further. The next detox is coming up soon – July 17-21. Will you join me?
Here are three tips to get you in the right frame of mind to say YES! to the detox or to try making changes on your own.
1. Owning the decision. If someone tells you to stop doing something, you will most likely rebel. It’s human nature. But if you decide you want to stop then you are more likely to stick to it. Sometimes it helps if you understand a little of the WHY stopping will help you feel better. The why may be the little push to get you to make the decision but the real gem is in owning the decision. You decide.
2. Finding fun substitutes. This can get fun. Yes, FUN! Finding new, alternative ways to enjoy something is fun. It lets you use your creativity, delve into new foods and expand your palette. You will be surprised at what you discover.
You have to be flexible and willing to explore. It will hardly ever be a 1-for-1 substitution. And that’s ok. When you own the decision, you welcome the new.
3. Making the connection. This is where the magic begins! I can explain to you that you would feel better eating or not eating certain foods and making some lifestyle changes and you can decide to do it. But… if you don’t see or feel a change, this decision won’t last very long. You’ll go back to your old ways, claiming it didn’t make a difference.
The key is for YOU to make the connection in your body and mind that something is or is not good for you. This is YOUR WHY. This is when the shift in mindset and the magic really begins. This is what makes it easy for you to say no and walk away when someone asks you if you want some not-so-healthy food or to do something that will not be healthy for you. And when they ask why, you can say with confidence that it’s because “I feel so much better when I don’t”. You’ve got better things to do than feel bloated, foggy headed or whatever it is for you.
But here’s the tricky thing, seeing or feeling that connection is sometimes harder than you think. You have to stick to it to feel the difference — even the smallest cheating will skew your results. And sometimes it’s not so obvious – the change is subtle or unexpected — and you don’t make the connection. So the key here is to be open and aware. Write down how you feel while you are trying new things. It’s an objective way to look back at your progress and make those important connections.
It’s a gradual process so don’t feel like you’ve failed when you give in or haven’t quite made the magical connection. Sometimes it takes a few tries before your body convinces you and your mindset allows you.
Ready to give it a try? Then, join me for my 5-day Detox. I provide you with all recipes and meal plans you need to make it really easy. You can check out the details and register here. I hope you’ll join me!