Monday to me was simply a countdown to the day I could
eat anything I wanted. I was obsessed with it. Sure, I was
eating clean throughout the week, but I could barely focus
on anything else other than the idea that one day I would
be going crazy. When that day came, I would actually plot
out a course through the city so I could hit as many fast-food
and donut joints as possible. We went to buffets and then
hit the store and bought pounds of junk food to bring home
and consume before midnight.
I realized that this wasn't control. It wasn't even reward.
It was addiction. I thought back to when I quit cigarettes.
How did I do it? Did I stop smoking six days out of the
week, and then have a day where I smoked as much as I possibly
could?
My body was giving me a few clues as well. I would feel
bloated, disgusting, nauseous, and would often get sick
after a free day with a cold or sinus infection. I felt
like I spent the first half of the week recovering from
the last day and the next half barely holding on to make
it to the next splurge festival.
That's when I decided it was time for things to change.
I did not want to remain a slave to food. I could not imagine
going on like that for the rest of my life, but this was
supposed to be a permanent change, right? So I put my foot
down.
I started with only allowing myself one or two reward meals
per week. I called them reward meals because cheating is
not what I was doing ... I planned them, and deserved them.
After several weeks of this, I noticed a significant change:
I was no longer desperate for those meals, I was enjoying
my healthy meals more, and when it was time to have a reward
meal, I didn't "waste" it on junk food or fast
food ... I'd go to a nice restaurant, sit down, and truly
savor it.
Then I began to focus on my portion control. I was still
over-eating that one meal, and I would feel like I had a
hangover for the rest of the evening. So I made a pact with
myself that I would never eat so much that I couldn't have
my other meals that day ... in other words, even with a
reward meal, I'd control my portion sizes so that I was
still ready to eat again after a few hours.
This is when I suddenly found myself in the driver's seat.
The food was no longer in control, I was. I still enjoy
pizza, ice cream, and many other treats. But now I control
my rewards. I don't have to go overboard. I don't have to
use one meal as an excuse to jump into a pattern of binge
eating for the rest of the weekend. I can decide, ahead
of time, what and when I will enjoy my reward, and then
eat just enough to satisfy my psychological craving without
going overboard. I switched from a free day festival (like
smoking a carton of cigarettes) to controlled indulgence
(like enjoying a nice cigar).
Here's some final points to consider ...
People are 250% more likely to suffer a heart attack after
overeating
Most of the people I know who successfully lose weight and
keep it off control their rewards and do not have a splurge
meal
Your metabolism takes more than a day of splurging to kick
into high gear ... you are better off having a planned week
of eating more calories, but from healthy foods
Key #7: Consistently refocus goals
This last key is perhaps the most important.
When I was digging through some old documents, I came across
my original goals list. This was in 1999 when I began my
fitness journey.
My main goal was to reach 40" and I made a little
side note, "if possible?"
Imagine that. A 44" waist and I wasn't even confident
that I could lose four little inches!
After my first 12 weeks, I did not have a 40" waist.
I had a 38" waist. I blew past my goal. So my new goal
became a 36" waist, which I new was my limit because
I was "big-boned." 36" gave way to 32"
and at 6% body fat I was able to slip on a pair of 30"
jeans ... over a foot (30 centimeters) had been trimmed
from my waistline.
Goals can change, and that's okay. Constantly refocus your
goals. You may be capable of more than you imagine or currently
allow yourself to be. Some of my goals that I created after
learning the power to transform include running a half marathon
and starting my own business, both of which I have accomplished
and neither of which I would have thought possible in 1999.
To refocus your goals is to learn who you are. Maybe you
thought you could lose 40 pounds of fat in three months,
only to discover you lost 20. That's fine. Set a new goal
to lose 20 more over the next three months. Maybe you thought
you would never bench press more than 100 pounds, but just
did 110 last week. Great! Set a new goal to bench press
150 pounds. As you learn your limits (or rather, how to
move past them) don't be afraid to set your goals higher.
Don't make the mistake, however, of falling into the trap
of not having goals. This is what many people do ... "When
I reach 150 pounds, I'm going into maintenance." That
is an excuse to settle, and settling means going backwards
and ultimately falling back into your old patterns. By consistently
raising the bar, you are able to remain fit. Fitness is
about action and movement, not about complacency and "settling."
If you want to live a fit and healthy lifestyle, you must
realize you are not on a journey to trim fat or increase
your running speed. Ultimately, you are in pursuit of greatness.
Conclusion
These points that were created by people just like you
have illustrated that permanent weight loss success is a
process, not an event. It relates to the people you interact
with, the mindset you adopt, and your core beliefs —
even how willing you are to transform them. Studying these
points is not enough. You must internalize them and take
action. Only then can you become the journey to become your
best.
>>
Click here for Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle
program (a must have for anyone serious about
losing body fat and getting fit!)
>> Click here for Will Brink's Bodybuilding Revealed
About the Author
Jeremy Likness is an internationally-selling author, motivational
speaker, and health coach. His unique coaching services
have assisted people around the world with losing hundreds
of pounds of weight. Jeremy is the author of "Lose
Fat, Not Faith: A Transformation Guide" available at
www.LoseFatNotFaith.com or through major bookstores (ISBN:
0976907925).
|
