Four Words That Could Change Your Nutrition Regrets

 

The average person opens up the fridge or looks at the menu and says these four words: “what should I eat?”

How does THAT usually end?

It then leads to a downward spiral choice of another possible four words:

What’s the easiest choice?
What’s the quickest choice?
What’s the largest choice?
What’s is the tastiest choice?

Here’s the problem. These seemingly innocent and simple four words put you in reaction mode. You’re willpower is the absolute lowest in these moments and as a result, so are your food choices.

 

But what if you chose four words that were proactive and offered few to no regrets?

I want to challenge you to adopt another four words that you train yourself to ask every single time you have the opportunity to eat something, anything.

Four Words That Could Change Your Nutrition Regrets

Make The Healthiest Choice

There is one word that should absolutely jump off this page so let me write the statement again and see if you catch it:

Make the Healthiest Choice

What if you said those specific four words absolutely every time you were about to eat? How much different would the results be AFTER you eat whatever you chose to eat?

Here are Four Ways to Maximize the Use of the Four Words:

1. Plan Ahead

When we meal plan at home, it avoids opening the fridge and making a poor choice. If we do, we’re consciously choosing to not make a healthy choice and that’s a completely different conversation.

We can avoid what is easiest, quickest, etc. by simply planning our meals ahead of time.

If you’re going out to eat, again, plan ahead. This can be done in two ways:

• Offer to do intel if you’re going out to eat. Come back with a couple of choices that you know you’ll be fine with either way
• Look at the menu ahead of time. Almost every restaurant has their menu online or you can call in advance.

For example, I was out on business last week and taking a group out for dinner. I volunteered to look at the restaurant choices while I went out for a run and at dinner I knew in advance exactly what I would order at the two best restaurant choices.

By planning ahead, I was able to make the healthiest choice. This can be done, nutrition fans.

 

2. Let Someone Know Ahead of  Time

If you’re going out to eat or over to someone’s house for dinner, simply let them know.

Most of the time we host people to our house so we can control what is prepared.

But other times we’re invited over to someone’s house or out for dinner. If they don’t ask us our preference, we voluntarily weigh in our choice to prefer something healthy.

Then we add a KEY detail: defining healthy to us!

You cannot assume others have the same definition of healthy as you.

This is critical for me on the road. Many of my meetings are over one of the three major meals. You have more say and influence than you realize but must speak out. This is on you ultimately.

Lastly, if you’re at a restaurant and have chosen to truly adopt these four words that could change your nutrition regrets, it’s okay to ask for the server to work with you.

I do NOT suggest just ripping the menu apart and leaving the server as your enemy.

I DO recommend saying something similar to this:

“Hey Lauren, would you be willing to work with me on the menu and what I order? I’m on a pretty restricted diet, and it would mean a lot to me if you would help me in this area.”

I’ve yet to have one server balk for a second on a question like this because I’m asking for their help. Often they go over and above and even go as far as asking the kitchen if they can alter off the menu for you. What a difference!

 

3. Be Ready for the Lesser of the Evils

Sometimes there are no true healthy choices. A lettuce-based salad with two vegetables (always one cucumber and two, count em, two grape tomatoes) with a piece of dried grilled chicken is your healthiest choice.

And this could easily allow you to justify going for broke and ordering whatever you want. Careful nutrition fans.

I struggle when there are limited options and I’m on the road because I do NOT like feeling hungry. And when I do, I’m far more likely to make a bad choice the next time because my only criteria becomes portion size! Holy Over-eating, Batman.

But if I know going in, it’s going to be slim pick ins on my choices, I refer back to #1 go in with a plan.

If I’ve done my intel and I’m prepared, it will allow me to either supplement on the front end or back end. This is what I mean.

I can choose to have a healthy snack before I go in to take the edge off or I can eat something healthy after the dinner. You have these choices and they will avoid an all too-often nutrition regret.

 

4. Get Past the Fear of Missing Out

This is a biggie for me especially charging the meal on a gracious corporate card.

I seem to have the self-control and willpower UNTIL I see the menu or here what someone else is going to order.

I just always seem to feel like I’m going to miss out on something good.

Here’s the problem. I’m looking at the NEAR term only. One hour after the meal never seems to be a consideration, but only in the moment.

If you go in with a different mindset of “make the healthiest choice” and your choice is choosing a better future than an “impulsive now”, you will be better off.

But this take practice and pre-decision. It cannot be done in the moment.

I’ve failed in this area more than any other because I started reacting and looking at only what I’m missing out on right now if I don’t indulge. Avoidable.

 

Closing Challenge…

Warning: this is a process.

It takes determination and dedication to have these four words become natural before you eat each meal or even snack.

Chances are there will be times you will choose a different key word in the four words (easiest / quickest / largest / tastiest).  But the key is what you do the exact next meal.

I’ve found that not continuing the pattern and making the 2nd mistake (excellent post by James Clear) is absolutely critical to getting back on the nutritional wagon.

Engrave “Make the Healthiest Choice” in your mind.

Write it down on a 3×5 card. Put it on a Post-It Note on your fridge.

Make small Post-It Notes with the acronym MTHC as reminders everywhere. Get serious!

Remember, only YOU control your nutrition, so take responsibility now and escape your average in this area.

Implement these four words with your very next meal. Then the next meal. Then the next…

 

Closing Question…

What is your barrier to implementing the four words: Make the Healthiest Choice?

 

Two Surprising Reasons You May Not Be

As Grateful As You Think You Are

 

How far does a thank you go with you?

How do you feel when someone thanks you and you really sense how much it means to them? How much more likely are you to do it again?

 

The character quality of Gratefulness most say they have yet little proof can be given to back that statement up.

I love being in the presence of a grateful person. You can truly tell when someone embodies this quality.

Yet how ironic everyone loves to be around the grateful person but rarely willing to do what it takes to actually become that person.

I actually really like the definition of grateful:

Deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received

Another way of saying it is gratitude is the experience of counting one’s blessings. Or as my kids would say “focusing on what I have, not on what I don’t.”

But there may be a couple of reasons why you don’t have this endearing character quality…

 

Two Specific Reasons You May Not Be As Grateful

As You Think You Are

 

1. You Simply Rarely Think About What You’re Grateful For In Your Life

Since being Grateful may not be completely natural to us so we must do something to inherit the Gratefulness character quality.

Gratefulness is active not passive which means we must choose what to focus our minds on during the day.

This is harder than it seems and often times, we need something to help us focus.

For me personally, I’ve recently been introduced to a means of daily thinking about gratitude.

I was listening to a podcast called Achieving Your Goals by Hal Elrod and was introduced to UJ Ramdas. He is the co-author of the Five Minute Journal.

He cited a 2003 study by Emmons and McCullough* found that keeping a daily gratitude journal leads to not just an increased sense of well-being but also better sleep, willingness to accept change and also help and lower symptoms of physical pain.

I was SO challenged by starting my day with gratitude, I bought the Five Minute Journal immediately.

The challenge was what if I were to immediately begin my day with writing down three things I’m grateful for right now.

As you can see, there are other questions as part of the journal (which will be discussed in more detail in a future post).  But I love thinking through “What would make today great?” And there are a couple of questions to end your day as well.

I’ve now done this everyday for the last month and it’s amazing what this simple exercise each morning has done for my attitude and perspective on life.

To think you’re a grateful person is one thing but when you sit down and actually write out what you’re grateful for is something completely different.

This exercise actually showed the dichotomy of believing and doing.

I’m grateful for having the necessity of becoming a grateful person brought to my attention. And it’s even a character quality we’re focusing on with our kids! “Buckleys are grateful by focusing on what we have and not on what we don’t.”

 

2. You Rarely If Ever Express What You’re Grateful For In Your Life

The first step has to be thinking of what you’re grateful for but should go to the next level. How?

By expressing your gratefulness.

I found that since I’ve been journaling the three things each day I’m grateful for, I want to let someone else know how much I appreciate them or a certain area of gratitude I feel towards them.

One specific way I found was in good old fashioned card writing. I went to Target and bought a box of colored cards and envelopes ($15?) and have been writing notes to my wife and friends letting them know a very specific way I am grateful for them. Here’s a visual of the suspect:

I love seeing the pile of notes from my wife and I know just how much they mean to her.

As a result from this simple yet powerful exercise of expressing gratitude, these relationships have changed. How would they know if I only “think” it without “expressing it?

Written grateful expressions can also be done through a text, email, voice mail, or even stopping someone, looking them in the eyes, and letting them know you’ve been thinking of an area of gratitude and just wanted them to know. Here are two examples:

Just today I did that to a friend who has become very close in the last six months. I took a moment, looked him in the eyes and let him know just how grateful I am for his friendship and investment into my life. It was a special moment for both of us. The idea came from my morning gratitude section in my Five Minute Journal.

I have one friend who used to choose one person a day to leave a voice mail at a time he knew he they would not pick up the call just so he can leave them a message of one area he was grateful for that person. How awesome is that?! (selfishly, I always loved it was my turn for that call!)

 

Closing Thoughts

No matter how busy we are in our lives, we can and need to take time to be grateful.

This is an area of your character that ONLY YOU can do.

So, I highly recommend doing one or more of the following action items:

1. Purchase the Five Minute Journal (can only be bought online by clicking here)

2.  Purchase a blank cards / envelopes to write thank you cards.

3. Choose someone to call, email, text, or tell each day for the next seven days.

Be the motivated person you are and apply this post in your life today. I would love to hear a few days or weeks from now of the difference it’s made in your life like in mine.

 

Closing Question

What will you do TODAY as a next step to strengthen your character with Gratefulness?

 

*source: Count Blessings versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life, Emotions and McCullough (2003)

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 Reasons Why You Must Have a Fitness Goal This Year

I’m what you call a fitness junkie. I love to talk about it, read it, try new things, and have it as part of my routine.

But there is one thing I had never done before last year.

This one thing did more for me than I ever thought it could do and believe me, I had my doubts.

But one year later, it’s something I will try and do every year for the rest of my life.

What is it? A Fitness Goal.

Now, I’m not talking about a certain number of workouts a week.  (although important – do that!)

I’m talking a good old fashioned physical goal to do something you’ve never done before.

[tweetthis]What is a Fitness Goal? It’s a fitness experience that will push you beyond your limits.[/tweetthis]

 

I’ve always been an athlete. I absolutely love any sport and the competition that naturally comes with it.

But I’ve also played it safe. I know my limits and have never really tried anything new.

Until last year.

I decided to do a Sprint Triathlon. Mind you, this is NOT an Ironman but the 100 level in triathlons. (remedial for the professional triathlete)

But it would push me to do something that didn’t have a ball required in the activity.

The year started off by running my 1st 5K (3.1 miles). I’ve always been allergic to running unless it involved sports or I was running for my life. But it was part of a bigger fitness goal: the sprint triathlon.

My wife had done two the previous two years and I was SO incredibly proud of not only her accomplishment but the level of training she had committed to in order to accomplish this goal.

So, last year I committed to doing this fitness goal knowing it would absolutely push me. And what I found out were these…

3 Reasons Why You Must Have a Fitness Goal This Year:

 

1. The Challenge

If you’re anything like me, you need a challenge. You’ve accomplished a lot but possibly hesitant to push yourself to the next level. (especially the older we get – the excuses just get that much more convincing)

For me, the challenge was a sprint triathlon because of the endurance required and the pushing myself beyond what I knew I had ever done before.

I had always done something safe. Something I knew I could not only complete but excel. And THIS was definitely out of my comfort zone. (like out there and take a left)

And exactly why I needed this to be my fitness goal.

I had watched my wife train and knew this would be a great challenge for me.

Some of us just simply need a challenge to go after in our lives right now. Why not push our body with this need for a challenge?

2. The Motivation

Once you accept the challenge, you acquire the the one thing you will need to actually pull it off. Motivation.

For example, once I knew the date of my triathlon, I became VERY motivated to begin my training process to pull off what I just committed myself to doing in a few months.

And I needed motivation because I was NOT a strong swimmer. I had never biked the required distance. And I definitely had not run 3.1 miles simply for the sake of running.

Do you see a motivational pattern?!

And here’s the kicker: they were all one right after each other when I had never completed just one! The Big Mo of motivation HAD to be present in order for me to actually pull off this fitness goal.

And you know what? The more I began to train, the more my motivation kicked in. And it was needed on days the weather was rough or my body was sore.

Another thing about motivation. It was deeper this time because of the challenge I had accepted. I had made it known this is what I was going to do and I did NOT want to go back on my commitment to pull off this fitness goal.

One added bonus that came out of the training. I used my time wisely by choosing not to just listen to music but intentionally planned and chose to listen to audiobooks while riding and running.

Can you say mobile classroom?

Sometimes my motivation wasn’t physical but knew I could finish an audiobook or start another one with today’s training. Gotta love that extra bonus!

Big Mo came in with a huge payoff. I was ready for my race physically and had grown mentally (at no additional charge, of course!)

 

3. The Reward

For those of you have accepted a challenge, and rode the motivation until the end know exactly what I mean with the reward.

I worked SO hard for my 1st triathlon. That morning I was nervous and just wanted to finish strong.

I struggled through the swimming portion (which was my weakest of the three areas) but lived to tell and made up the time on the bike.

I could actually enjoy the challenge because I was prepared. I remember a couple of moments that were surreal that I would think “I’m actually doing this and going to pull this fitness goal off!”

My last mile was exhilarating. I could hear the crowd as I made my last turn and sprinted with everything I had left in the tank.

Then my moment came of crossing the finish line and seeing my family SO excited for me.

We need these moments. But they never come unless we accept the challenge and feel the motivation.

Do you need that feeling of a personal reward of something you’ve accomplished that pushed you past what you thought you could do? (but knew you should do)

Some Ideas

There are many possible Fitness Goals you could do this year. I hope your mind was working through some ideas as you read this post.

Some of you knew right away because you’ve been putting off the challenge like I did in past years.

But no longer. This is your year. Are you going to run your first race? Or do it again since it’s been so many years and prove to yourself you can still do it?!

Or are you going to improve on previous accomplishments (ie: 10K this year instead of the 5K last year)

Do you need the challenge of a Triathlon or a Spartan Team Obstacle Race?

Chances are something came to mind. Follow that inkling of an idea. Do some research.

In the End….

I HAD to consciously choose to do the following 5 action items:

• choose the challenge
• put the date on the calendar
• train like mad
• show up and put up
• celebrate

I’m calling you out. If you’re a motivated, busy professional, you like the challenge to be better for your sake not compared to everyone else.

So, it’s YOUR time. Are you willing to leave your comfort to push yourself this year with a fitness goal? Did this challenge, motivate, and inspire you to do something out of your comfort zone?

I would love to hear about the following three things:

• your fitness goal
• when is it
• when you accomplish it (pictures encouraged)

Let’s make something of this year. Of course I have to repeat and improve on my Sprint Triathlon. Then I’m on to a 10K then half marathon this year. Bring it on, baby!

I want you to have this moment below…

 

Closing Question:

What is going to be your Fitness Goal this year?