Three Questions to Beat a Snack Attack

How many times have I told my kids to not snack before dinner because it will ruin their meal yet I will hijack a strong nutrition day with a lousy late night snack!

They absolutely cannot wait because they’re starving. But I’m no different when I want to justify a snack attack. Holler if you hear me.

And a snack attack can sound so believable: “Oh well, its JUST a snack” or “I’m only having one. Okay two.” and “I’ll get back on track tomorrow…”

Ironically, there are only a limited number of scenarios where a snack attack will come. So when I put a plan in place I’m far more likely to set myself up for success.

My goal is to Make the Healthiest Choice which includes the slippery slope of snacks that can take you down at any given moment.

There are three specific questions to ask yourself about your snack attacks:

Question #1 – When Do You Snack?

This question is key because we all have “our time” that we’re most likely to succumb to going south with a snack. (and so does the weight, right?!)

I’ve found there are key times when I’m going to struggle. These are the weak times when I’m the most vulnerable:

before bed – my ultimate weak spot

long stretch before meals – especially when I’m traveling

You know your habits. When do you tend to snack? Mid morning pick me up? The afternoon blues?

Question #2 – Why Do You Snack?

This question goes much deeper. Often it goes beyond the obvious. But we have to be willing to find out why if we want to change our snack habits.

Here are some possible reasons:

Hungry –  What was going on with your last meal? Portion size or quality of food? For me, I don’t like to be hungry especially before bed and can make foolish choices if I’m not thinking ahead.

Bored – I find if I’m home and not much going on, I find myself circling the kitchen like a pack of wolves. I don’t need to eat but boredom can sure tempt me.

Stress – some people don’t eat at all when under stress but most eat out of comfort. Instant gratification with a powerful back end kick. (literally)

Triggers – sometimes we’ve settled in on a habit that has a trigger. For example, sitting down to watch TV and you always snack. Or always having dessert after dinner.

If you can get an answer to this question, you may learn something about yourself that could be very revealing and hopefully start gaining some victory in this area.

Question #3 – What Do You Snack On?

As someone who has really made a conscious effort to eat healthy and “make the healthiest choice”, I continue to be surprised and disappointed at the choices people make in the moment of a snack attack.

Again, this is a solvable problem, Nutrition Fans! Here are three suggestions:

Don’t react – if you react, you leave yourself open to going off impulse and willpower is almost always SOLD SEPARATELY – be smarter than that!

Prepare – you’re allowed to plan ahead especially if you know your day yet most rarely do. Since most of our days are rather predictable, know thyself and plan accordingly. Your success rate will sky rocket.

Have options – I’m an options guy. I like choices. And if I can have a couple of snacks to choose from, I’m far less likely to go off course and make a dumb snack choice.

I fly a ton for work and as a result, I am often tempted by grabbing a quick and very unhealthy snack.

But I can easily combat this sneak attack by preparing ahead of time and bringing options. For example:

Mixed Nuts bags from Trader Joes

Fruit – banana / apple

Organic Bars – Clif Bar / Kind Bar

Gallon Bag of mixed greens / strawberries and blueberries / baby carrots, etc (you should see the looks I get when I pull this awesome snack out on an airplane! People start hiding their chips and candy bars)

Another idea if you’re a traveler, I can almost always find a grocery store (Trader Joes or Whole Foods) to stock up on some fresh and healthy snacks. It’s ALWAYS worth taking that little extra time to be prepared in moments when I could easily react and cave.

And sometimes I just need more water in my system. Check out the three watered down lies we believe about hydration. You would be surprised what water and a few minutes could do for an appetite.

Closing Challenge…

You have complete control of what you put into your mouth. Many of us have done better eating the big meals but the snack attack is what usually takes us down.

In the end, there are two ways to take down the Snack Attack:

Desire

You have to “want” to eat healthy snacks and willing to do whatever it takes even if that means over-paying or not eating.

Nobody can put this desire in you. And you have to find it in order to handle the pressure.

Planning 

In order to win at the snack attack, you have to go in with a plan. Study your possible scenarios. There aren’t as many as you think.

For me, night time and travel are my culprits. But with planning on my end, I can make the healthiest choice.

So, motivated, busy professional… answer these three questions and prepare for your next snack attack!

Closing Challenge…

What do you need to do to implement healthy snacks into your day?

 

 

 

Do You Really Have THIS Character Quality in Your Life?

 

Have you ever thought about how someone describes you when you’re not there? How accurate do you think the description would be of you?

Their description is your character qualities. It’s what they experience of you.

Character qualities are what define us for who we are. It’s the language we use to describe each other.

 

For example, Jenny is never on time and always late. Unfortunately, whether Jenny knows it or not, others feel she is not dependable and irresponsible.

I was brought up by a father who was ALWAYS early. He viewed being late as irresponsible and disrespectful.

If the Buckley’s weren’t 15 minutes early to church it meant one of two things:
Church was canceled or worse yet…
Something happened to the Buckley family!

One character quality that is a must in business and in life is Responsibility.

Everyone feels they’re responsible but so few actually take responsibility.

It’s one of those character qualities that no one really focuses on yet drives everyone crazy when not there.

The relationship changes when someone is viewed irresponsible.

 

Here is a Definition of Responsibility:

Taking Ownership of Who I Am and What I Do in My Life

 

It’s the ability to respond, be pro-active and take ownership of our choices.

Responsibility comes to light first in the small things which ultimately lead to the big things.

For this very reason my wife and focus big time teaching our kids to Be Responsible.

The language goes like this:
If you get it out, you… (put it away)
If you open it, you… (close it)
If you start it, you… (finish it)
If you turn it on, you… (turn it off)
If you make a mess, you… (clean it up)

Any given day, I could say through the house, “If you open it, you…” and the child who left the door open comes up the stairs, shuts the door, and finishes the sentence, “close it. Sorry, Dad.”

We want to teach our kids at a very early age and in the very small things how to Be Responsible because it only gets harder the older we get. Can I get an Amen?!

 

Responsibility Comes Out in Four Specific Ways:

 

1. Completely Owning What Happens

This is for BOTH the good and the bad.

Some of us have work to do in this area because of how it what was modeled to us by our parents and others growing up.

The focus MUST be on ownership not the consequences. If we choose to do something, we must be prepared for the consequences.

And complete ownership goes for not just what we do but who we are.

These choices become our character and who we are to other people. We must take complete ownership of both our actions and our character. That’s Big Boy Talk right there.

 

2. Not Blaming Others

According to Laura M. Stack, “When you hear the word ‘responsibility,’ what do you think of first? Many people think of the word BLAME, as in, ‘Whose responsibility is this?’ and as a result, it becomes a negative thing.”

And when something does go wrong, the natural human response is to react and blame something or someone else.

We may take on part of the blame but the reality is how quickly we can shuck full responsibility and pull someone else into the blame in what happened. And it usually starts with two specific words, “Yeah but…”

Blame is one of the easiest things to share but we cannot stand when it’s given to us. We absolutely hate it when done to us yet how quickly we do it to others.

This is usually the quickest and most obvious area of growing in responsibility.

 

3. Thinking How This Will Affect Yourself and Others

Our choices affect ourselves and other people more than we even realize.  Most people are lucky if they think ahead of how their choices will even affect themselves let alone others.

I can make a poor choice that will be incredibly irresponsible and cause a tremendous amount of pain to myself and my family.

Learning to think ahead of how my actions may affect someone else will often allow you to make the right choice and take responsibility.

This is a learned skill that is part of the growing in the responsibility classroom of life.  And this is where maturity becomes evident in someone’s life.

 

4. Doing What You NEED to Do Not Just What You WANT to Do

This, one would think, is just part of growing up. But how often do you see adults who are immature in this area of their lives?

I love seeing this growth process in my kids. My 11 year old son has made huge advancements in this area of his life and it’s so rewarding watching him become truly responsible. But it’s a conscious effort on his part.

We have areas of our lives, both professional and personal, that require us to do things we simply don’t want to do.

But growing in responsibility is doing them and eventually with the right attitude and heart.

 

Closing Thoughts…

One more time, here is the Definition of Responsibility:

Taking Ownership of Who I Am and What I Do in My Life

Motivated, busy professionals want to grow and this is a challenge to look beyond the quick, defensive response of “I’m definitely responsible” and really think through these four specific ways responsibility comes out in your life.

 

Closing Question…

Which one of the above four areas is a weak area of responsibility for you right now?

 

 

Are You Following THIS Fitness Formula?

Everyone likes to say “I workout”. It sounds impressive and something you’re suppose to do.

But the reality is completely subjective and debatable. It’s more of saying the right things and wanting to fit in verbally claiming to do the right things.

Yet how does this attitude really play out in your body? Are you really in shape, getting in shape or are these just mere poser words?

 

I had a great test this weekend with my 11 year old son. We went to a large park as a family where the little ones played on the swings, some played sand volleyball and my oldest son was dying to get on the basketball courts to run with the big boys. Doing some scouting while we were waiting for “next” (game), I noticed two immediate observations:

• these guys could play I mean really play
• every single one was at least half of my age

I couldn’t wait for next and to play with my 11 year old son. This was going to be a good test for both of us.

Finally our time came. We picked up three extra guys and it was go time.

The first couple of points everyone is figuring out who they’re guarding and who can really play. Myself included. My son was quickly catching on to big boy street rules.

But as the game progressed, I could use my size and strength to make a difference in the game. My endurance allowed me to keep up and to be honest, it felt so good at my age.

As the game grew in score and intensity, more guys around the other courts came to watch this close, intense game.

While some other guys were tiring, I was able to stay strong and the onlookers enjoyed watching the “old white guy” take the young ballers down.

I was SO proud of playing with my son (who held his own and did great!) And it felt great to be in shape to still play street / playground ball at 45!

How did this happen? I’ve committed to not being the person who “says” they workout and could back it up with guys half my age. But this didn’t happen by accident or overnight.

Let me give you a formula:

FREQUENCY

To say you officially workout, here are some general guidelines:

20 min (minimum and no breaks) or 30 min (preferred)
3 days a week (minimum) to 4 to 5 days (preferred)

You simply have to commit to showing up for a certain amount of time over a certain amount of days. No questions asked.

There is power in the momentum of Frequency and it’s the first “must have” in the formula.

INTENSITY

I’ve worked out with SO many people who prefer “hanging out” more than “working out” during their fitness time and sadly, their results are obvious.

Just watching them check their phones, go to get a drink of water after every single set, chat or make a phone call, etc. just absolutely tanks my energy level. I can only imagine the little results that come from their lack of intensity. (if it’s not physically obvious)

They’re underestimating the power of Intensity. You lose all momentum of Frequency is you dog it on Intensity.

FOCUS

Most do not focus when they workout. It’s more of a “la de da” time then really focusing on the overall workout, each set, and even to each rep. I subscribe to the philosophy of No Rep Left Behind to achieve maximum results. This alone will allow you to see gains in your workouts.

Focus starts with the following:

scheduling the workout
preparing physically for the workout – clothes / going to the gym or prepping the DVDs
preparing mentally for the workout – getting yourself in a mindset of making the most of the workout

Focus requires going in with a plan and getting it done. You know exactly what you need to do next and you follow the plan.

It seems so basic yet few really Focus and miss the reward of…

Fitness Results

IF you’re going to take this time, why not actually see tangible results?

And IF you do this formula, you will see results.

This is the overall goal, right? Then why not work the formula to get the end results?

I know it’s hard. And it takes time. But it’s there’s a major difference between showing up and working out.

Here’s my motto for working out:

Get In – Get It Done – Get Out

Get In is your frequency.

Get It Done is your Intensity.

Get Out is guarding your time after you’ve been productive with your workout and moving on to the rest of your day.

This is why I absolutely love Beach Body workouts.

The Frequency or set time – most workouts land around the 30 min mark and are 5 days a weeks.

The Intensity – it’s go time for that allotted amount of time. There are breaks but barely enough to catch your breath or chug some much needed water. And you can always hit the pause button.

The Focus – you can choose what kind of workout you want. For example:

Turbo Fire is pure cardio and 25 very long but focused minutes

P90X3 is strength training and some cardio focused for 30 minutes

Insanity Max:30 is mostly cardio with some strength training and absolutely insane!

Body Beast is all dumbbell based workouts that are around 30 minutes and perfect for the traveler. I absolutely love this workout.

These are just examples of taking Frequency x Intensity divided by Focus to receive Fitness Results and they subscribe to Get In – Get It Done – Get Out

Closing Challenge…

In the end, ONLY YOU are responsible for your fitness. No one else can make you workout and definitely no one can make you work the formula of…

Motivated, busy professionals need to take care of the areas only you can do to excel in your lives and fitness is a MAJOR area that could use improvement for most people.

It’s like the Rob Lowe DirecTV commercials of “Don’t Be This Guy”

Don’t be “this guy” who brags about their workouts but would be completely embarrassed and even ashamed if someone saw what they actually do (or more like don’t do) for their workouts.

I challenge you to really question your workouts.

Closing Questions…

How frequent are your workouts?
How intense are your workouts?
How much do you focus on and during your workouts?
Are you seeing the fitness results you want and need?

 

 

Why I’m Questioning My Purpose

 

Purpose is just such a big, subjective word and difficult to wrap your head around if you don’t feel you have it.

So much of my life I’ve felt that way. What am I REALLY suppose to be doing with my life?

 

I thought it was one thing, had it, lost it, chased it, changed it, but never really felt the next thing was it.

I’ve always worked hard and done well at what I’ve done but inside I just felt there was something more I was suppose to do with my life. I was questioning my purpose.

Fear of Not Finding My Purpose

I would never admit it to most people, but I was afraid I would not find my purpose and in the end, my life would not make a difference. I would not accomplish anything that really mattered. I wondered Do I Have IT?

I found myself drawn to those who I wanted answers from but who usually left me with more questions. Big questions. Deep questions. But questions that pulled back the covers and really made me wrestle with my thoughts.

These questions weren’t easily answered but overtime I began to develop some clarity. Without it, I had no focus.

 

My wise counsel ultimately led me to Question My Purpose and ask these two simple yet vital questions:

Question One –  What Do I REALLY Enjoy Doing?

Ironically, there are things you’re good at but simply don’t enjoy. Crazy, huh?

It’s easy to say we enjoy things we’re good at but is it actually true? I found myself partial on a lot of those answers which means I didn’t really enjoy them.

This is key in discovering your purpose. I want to really enjoy this activity because ultimately it’s what I want to spend a majority if not all of my time doing the rest of my life.

I want to lose track of time when I do it. I want to smile, be fully engaged, and not want it to end. Ever.

What do you really, really enjoy doing in your life? If you know the answer, you may be on to something…

 

Question Two – When Do I Feel the Most Fulfilled?

At the end of the day, there were a lot of things that really drained me. I felt like I had a skill in doing them but they simply left me exhausted and unfulfilled.

When I looked at those activities and analyzed their affect on me, I learned something about myself. There are very few things that actually fulfill me and leave me more energized after doing them.

I was on to something.

Others that I trusted were affirming me that they could tell this was an area of passion for me that was bringing me life.

If they really knew me, they could tell this was missing in my life and I was finally discovering something about myself they seemingly knew all along.

This Isn’t Fair

It doesn’t seem fair. Why couldn’t they just tell me the answer and save me all of this time?

Simply because this is a process in life that must be self-discovered.

The comparison is a teacher just giving you the answers and you wrestling with the problem to come up with the answer on your own.

Sure, it’s easier for the teacher to answer the questions for you. But the value really comes in the process of discovery more than anything else. It’s what you learn about yourself that develops your personal growth.

When we can come up with the answer with the guidance of others, we truly get it, understand it, and own it.

Purpose is a lot like that. It’s big. It’s truly impactful. And it’s very personal.

The Journey

This led me on a personal journey of deep thought and reflection which I feel like I’m FINALLY at the implementation of the answer.

I’ve met so many people who were where I was at awhile ago who just want the answer from the teacher but not willing to do the homework and wrestle through the process on their own.

But those willing to work through the process will ultimately find the answers. It may start today for you asking the above two questions and really being willing to Question Your Purpose and think through your responses.

They will change. They will need to be edited and revisited. But remember the process is SO good for you in the end.

Closing Challenge…

Purpose is SO personal and must be individually discovered. There is such a struggle and beauty in the process that produces growth and maturity.

Some people just seem like they naturally and easily find it. But most people must go through this challenging process to find its answer.

I challenge you to Question Your Purpose and find clarity in this key area of your life.

Closing Questions…

What is your answer to the following two questions:

1. What do I really enjoy doing?

2. When do I feel the most fulfilled?