"The person with the most flexibility has the best chance of achieving the outcome. " — Tony Jeary
Do you ever make a plan and then when the time comes to FOLLOW that plan…you don’t want to do it anymore?
Last week was a long one for me and by Friday I was feeling pretty exhausted.
For dinner that night, I had planned to eat the turkey breast and green beans that my husband cooked for us a few days before.
But when dinner time rolled around, I had ZERO interest in eating that meal.
What I REALLY wanted to eat was a box of Triscuits (the best crackers ever and I am not open to debating this) and a block of cheddar cheese.
But as I was standing in front of the cabinet, staring at the box of crackers, I stopped and considered how I wanted to feel the next day.
I had a lot on my to-do list for Saturday.
And I knew that if I chose the cheese and crackers, I would most likely end up eating in front of the TV, with a glass (or two) of wine.
AND THAT would most likely lead to going to bed late.
AND THAT would lead to waking up late AND feeling crappy on Saturday.
So, I took a moment and asked myself,
“What could I eat that my CURRENT self feels excited about AND that supports how my FUTURE SELF wants to feel tomorrow?”
And after considering a few options, I landed on this:
And let me tell you,
This was a super satisfying meal.
I enjoyed eating it and felt good about eating it.
The sandwich helped satisfy my CURRENT SELF’S craving for something "carby" while also giving my FUTURE SELF fiber and protein that will keep her full (and support her goals) better than cheese and crackers would.
Flavored seltzer in my favorite panda wine glass satisfied my CURRENT SELF'S craving for something "fun" while also ensuring my FUTURE SELF had a clear head (inside of a wine hangover) on Saturday morning.
And, even though the time I spent preparing this meal was probably more than it would have taken to reheat the leftovers, it FELT easier to do.
As I was eating, I reflected on how far I've come in the way I think about food and healthy eating habits.
Rigid mindset Amanda saw foods as either "good" or "bad".
Rigid mindset Amanda was either "on" or "off" her plan.
Rigid mindset Amanda was not able to consider ANY other options aside from,
FORCING herself to eat the things she "should" eat...and feeling bored, resentful and deprived OR,
GIVING IN to cravings for the things she "shouldn't" eat...and feeling guilty, ashamed and weak.
Reflecting on how much things have changed had CURRENT ME feeling grateful to and proud of PAST ME for taking the steps she needed to take to break out of the rigid mindset promoted by diet and wellness culture,
And to learn how to be flexible in her thinking instead.
Earlier this week, I went live in my brand new private FB group "The Messy Practice" to talk about how a rigid mindset keeps you stuck in the cycle of yo-yo dieting and what you need to do to build a more flexible, realistic, approach to food.
So if you the only options you can see right now when it comes to eating healthier are ALL or NOTHING,
👉 Go HERE to join the group and watch the training.
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