My Body Tutor : No More Excuses

I have a bunch of clients that work at Google, and they need my help. And I figure we can help them, AND ourselves at the same time.

What do they need help with? Shhh. They want me to help them build a Facebook killer!

KIDDING.

They need help because Google has Free Freakin’ Food Everywhere! Google is known for spoiling their employees with all sorts of amazing food, all day long. ANY food you can search for, they have!

I know how hard it is when there is Free Freakin’ Food Everywhere – here in after referred to as “FFFE”.

Want to know the hardest word in the world to resist?

Wait for it…FREE!

We love free. We can’t get enough of it. Give someone a free piece of junk, and they’ll take it. Actually, they’ll wait in line for it!

Give someone free food, and not only will they wait in line for it but they’ll get their friends, and they’ll all wait in line TOGETHER!

First, let’s explore why we have such a hard time resisting free food.

We’re hard-wired to like sweets. Give a baby something sweet, and they’ll like it more than something unsweetened.

Now give anyone a combo of sugar, fat and salt and that becomes irresistible. And I mean that in every sense of the word.

Our brain loses its ability to regulate itself when we eat a combo of sugar, fat and salt. As humans we’re programmed to focus on the most ‘rewarding’ stimuli – because back in the day – - we actually had to worry about surviving.

BUT the combo of sugar, fat and salt (pick anyone of your favorite unhealthy tasting foods and snacks) has a pull on us. It overrides our brain’s natural ability to regulate itself.

There in lies the true problem.

Give me a bowl of broccoli and I’ll feel satisfied.

Give me a bowl of cookies and I can keep eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them and eating them (you think I’m kidding?) – no matter how much I already ate!

We lose our ability to feel full when we eat irresistible foods.

If you put a plate of cookies in front of me, it’s going to be very hard for me to focus on anything else.

Why?

Well our dopamine (chemicals that make us feel good) levels are rising in anticipation of the reward. We can’t stop thinking about it…or can we?

Our brain works like that, unfortunately.

Now, without having to pay for it – which is an act that makes us STOP and think, “Wait, do I really want this?” we lose that precious time to pause.

There is nothing in our way. The floodgates are open!

So, besides me telling you the obvious to avoid situations where there is free food, we CAN fight back, and have a game plan.

In fact, having a game plan is the most important strategy.

Many times, we’re either going to a party, or a work event or some sort of planned function – that we can prepare for. The key is to mentally prepare for it.

1. For example, if we’re going to our friends house who makes the best xyz – let’s decide before we go how many we will have – if we decide it’s really worth it. Mentally rehearsing what we’re going to do before we go is a great strategy. Because when we mentally rehearse, we’re thinking with our long term, rational mind.

When we’re tempted we’re thinking with our short term, irrational mind.

Whether it’s picturing the ball going in the hoop before we shoot a basketball, or envisioning what we’ll order and eat, it helps a lot.

But what happens if out of nowhere there’s just FFFE?!?!

In this case, do not teeter. Do not waver. If someone put a plate of xyz in front of us right now choose immediately.

“No! I don’t want this. It’s not going to make me feel good. It won’t make me look better or feel better.”

“If I eat this now, I won’t feel good about myself later and tomorrow!”

But the second we start to entertain the idea, we’re going to lose. Never negotiate with yourself.

It can’t be a negotiation. It has to be a quick decision.

“Nope! Not for me!” “It’s not a part of my plan!” Next thought…

If we’re watching TV and a commercial comes on that’s really disturbing and uncomfortable – what would we do?

Change the channel!

We can do the same. Think about something else. Talk about something else. Snap a rubber band on your wrist.

Remember: change that channel.

But here’s my favorite question I ask myself (yes, I ask myself lots of questions because questions are the best way to see things in a different light) when there’s FFFE, “If this weren’t free, would I pay for it?”

And 99 times out of 100, I wouldn’t. And by asking myself that question, I’m able to pause looooong enough to quiet my short term, irrational mind.

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What good is ANY diet or exercise plan if you can’t stick with it?

I’m also very proud of the fact that as a small company, we’ve managed to break through the deafening noise, and attract national media attention (Good Morning America, AOL.com, CNBC.com, The Huffington Post, Conde Nast, Shape and many others) because of our unique program – and MOST importantly, the results we’re getting for our clients. Want to learn more?

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