Ending Self Sabotage . . . More & Less

When your body feels heavy and that little voice in your head starts screaming “do something about it”, you are most vulnerable to falling prey to the latest restrictive diet fad.  Diet mentality will have you focusing on what you need less of (calories, fat, carbs, etc) which ultimately leaves you craving MORE. 

Our brains are genetically programed to gather & collect.  These are survival instincts.  At the same time, we feel most “full” when we are living with a healthy supply of pleasure in our lives.  When you impose restriction on the body (and your spirit), you cause an imbalance that ultimately needs to be corrected.  In most cases, a quick-fix diet will leave you feeling depleted of both nutrients and pleasure and rapidly turn to sabotage. 

Instead of thinking that sabotage is your enemy, what if you simply considered that “falling off of the plan” is simply your body asking to balance the more & less ratio?  When you’ve been really careful about what you put in your mouth for several weeks or even months, and then suddenly you find yourself hording brownies, what do you really need more of?  (Hint:  it’s not chocolate)

The best tip I can give you for long term success in losing weight is to pay attention to the More & Less in your life.  There is a cause and effect relationship in most everything you experience. Playing a proactive role in this relationship leads to feelings of freedom in not just your body but in your life. 

Here are some places to experiment with Less & More:

Less “winging it” – More purposeful goal setting
Less processed grains – More leafy greens
Less caffeine – More water
Less routine – More romance
Less take-out – More cooking
Less jealousy – More gratitude
Less frumpy – More beautiful
Less fear – More creativity
Less sitting – More dancing
Less shaming – More celebrating

You get the idea, right?  On either side of the Less & More list, whatever you give more to, will deplete the other side.  So, if you are eating lots of processed grains, you will naturally desire LESS green vegetables.  The more you sit during the day, the less you will feel like dancing.  The same is true on the flip-side. 

When you make time each day to practice gratitude, you will notice jealous feelings melt away.  The more you get creative in the kitchen, the less inclined you will be to grab take-out. 

Choose MORE of the good stuff in your life every day.  When you make a promise to yourself to change your habits, celebrate that.  And be sure to notice when you feel deprived.  It’s just your body asking for a little more of something.