OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND

Clients ask me all the time how to stop snacking at home. I think the first step is very simple. Just don't have it in the house. If you are in your cozy armchair watching television and you know there is a bag of chips in the pantry--you might be tempted. However, if you go to the cupboards and they are empty...it is highly unlikely that you will make the effort to put your clothes on, grab the keys and go to the store.

One of the best ways to overcome temptation is to not put yourself in the position to begin with.

END OF THE THIRD QUARTER

If I were a stock broker you wouldn’t expect to invest your money and be a millionaire by the end of the month. Especially these days. You would view " it" as a long term investment. Healthy weight loss is best viewed as an investment. And you are making an investment in yourself. Think of it as a long-term investment. Now, unlike the stockmarket you know that if you stick to regular sessions of exercise, commit to making one healthy choice at a time and are persistent –there is a pay off at the end. And this is a life long pay off. This is an investment for the rest of your life.

LIVE AND LEARN

The other morning I was backing out of my office parking space and managed to hit a cement pole. The result was a very minor scratch on the front bumper. Immediately, I began to bombard my thoughts with what I "should" have been doing. It didn't change what happened. It only made me feel worse.

In that moment I recognized that this was similar to what some overweight people do. Let's say you were to binge and then afterward feel "bad" about it. Typically the "feeling bad" is followed by reprimanding oneself verbally. The cycle continues as one feels bad and continues to punish oneself. Never recognizing that this obsession is the problem.

Being healthy is not about beating oneself up after making a not so wise choice. It is the decision you will make afterward. What will you focus on?

Even if the damages to my car were more severe, my punishing myself would not change what already happened. What really was necessary is what I was going to do to rectify the situation and that I learned to pay more attention the next time.