You can be confident and not have to lose 10lb. You can lose 10lb and still not be confident. However, you can be confident while intentionally working towards building a body you love. Side note: **muscle on a woman is an acquired taste- that I just happen to personally love** I know from experience, being lean does not give you confidence. That shit starts with loving yourself now...not later.
You can't hate yourself into a lean, healthy, fit body in my opinion. A healthy, fit body is a result of loving yourself and who you are. You deserve it.
So how do you do this? How do you eat when you love food, but also want to have a body that is lean, fit and healthy?
Well, it takes practice, mindfulness and a lot of fuck ups. I had to stop dieting and following a meal plan that was written out for me by someone else, and I became my own diet detective. I learned to incorporate all foods in moderation and allowed myself to eat until I was satisfied, but NOT stuffed. What do I mean?
Eating until satisfied NOT stuffed:
Putting my best fork forward means eating when I’m hungry, choosing the foods that work best for my body in terms of likes, dislikes, and energy needs. ( leg and back days..I eat a little more starchy carbs, rest days, I eat a little more fat and less carbs)
It also means using my fingers to eat my favorite salty fatty olives, nuts, or berries, and my fav buffer food/drink- a small glass of wine to sip in between... It is also knowing when to put my fork down because I’m nearly full. This takes mindfulness. You know like, hmmmmm is this next bite is going to put me over that satisfied mark? Will one more bite make me feel uncomfortable? Introspection.
This is exactly how I ate when I went to New York City last weekend to celebrate my 40th birthday. I tasted the foods that I wanted to, ate only until I was satisfied, and saved my calories for my beloved wine. I ate some protein bars in between to make sure to hit my protein numbers and didn't stress over the rest. I enjoyed my time and food wasn't controlling me. It felt so liberating!!
Notice I am not counting a single calorie here?
( note: yes some clients need to count calories if they have performance goals, but I’m talking about sane eating habits here!)
This takes practice. When you are used to eating everything in front of you, you will need to stop, and think...how hungry am I? Could I wait a few minutes before eating again?
This is how I coach my clients to get off the diet roller coaster.
But Deanna...what about CHEAT MEALS?
AHHH the old cheat meal, which was in my opinion was made super popular to the general population by a diet called Body For Life back in the 90's. This is where you had to eat super clean and calculated for 6 days a week, which then you were told to eat as much crap as possible on the 7th day. UGH. I also had cheat days when I was dieting for figure competitions..BUT only when my coach told me I had earned one. So, again, I was controlled by someone else. ** Bodybuilding is a sport that requires refeeds ect. This is NOT my audience.
So "cheat meals" may work for some but, there are many reasons I don't suggest them to clients:
1) They create an idea that you are doing something bad (cheating) 2) Cheat meals often snowball into full on cheat days..ugh- not a fan 3) They can lead to a binge/restrict cycle. You are now back to being on or off a diet. That starting over every Monday mentality is exactly what I am coaching women/men off of.
What I do stand for? Moderation of all foods 365 days a year Satisfaction bites of foods Teaching to eat to 80% fullness ( this shit takes time) And as I wrote above, you can eat anything, but not EVERYTHING.
I coach clients to practice eating only when hungry...not just because food is in front of us.
They way we eat to lose fat has to be a way we can eat to sustain the fat loss...otherwise, your diet did NOT work.
It seems that everyone wants "rules" around food to follow, when we humans are sort of rebellious by nature. Those sexy diet rules sell. They sell again and again to those looking for easy solutions. These diets do not take into account that you have a full time job, a family, a sick parent, a travelling schedule, allergies, sleep deprivation, binge eating disorder, going through a separation or a career change, a move, wicked bad stress or depression!!!
By the way, my eating disorder counselling has taught me that if you’re struggling with binge eating, fat loss should be the last thing on your mind.
Another diet is NOT what you need.
What diets have you tried and failed?
Are you ready to get off the diet roller coaster?
Hit reply and let me know. I am here to help.
XFitbabe
