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As I plan this show I’ve just raided the fridge in a post lunch attempted demolish session.

It wasn’t especially detrimental and as such is a timely reminder of how grateful I am to no longer live at the mercy of my food cravings.

Today I want to share why:

Eating Right Was So Hard Until It Wasn’t!

Before we get rolling let’s make sure we’re on the same page so far as, ‘Right’…

Right used to mean the lowest caloric density. Generally fat free. Obscurely and contradicting-ly either: the most I felt I could “get away with”

OR the least I felt I could “get away with.”

You see back in my early 20’s my right was All Wrong!

It was also incredibly hard. I spent way too much time thinking – obsessing – about food.

For reasonable yet far from rockin’ results.

If you can relate at all, today I have 3 strategies that will help you to make the switch from hard and dare I say hateful eating right to easy and enjoyable eating right.

Hard and Hateful Strategy #One: Calories v. Nutrients.

=> switches to easy and enjoyable, when you focus first on nutrients. It directs your attention to everything you’re giving your body.

You’re coming from a mindset of generosity and abundance. Of what to fuel your body with to give it every chance of achieving the best possible results… so far as health, energy and body composition.

In contrast, the super tough thing about focusing on calories is that processed empty calories are not satisfying. They feed the craving cycle. I used to scrutinize the back of bags of sour cream and chives corn thins to see just how many calories were in the whole 2.4 serve bag.

Could I “get away with” devouring the whole lot? In fact, could I have a tub of NO fat yogurt too? Certainly I could wash it all down with a 600 ml bottle of diet coke!

Looking back, there’s close to ZERO VALUE for my body in that meal. Perhaps a little protein manufactured into those chips and a fraction more not quite sucked out of that yoghurt with the fat (to be replaced by carbs) yet scarcely a micronutrient in sight!

To get specific so far as, focusing first on nutrients:

Consider including a high value fibrous veg as the base of your meal. Next add a quality protein and finish with a delicious good fat.

I think to think: Fibrous first. Pimp with Protein. Finish with Fat!

Hard and Hateful Strategy #Two: Restrictive Measuring Devices v. Huge Generous Meals.

=> switches to easy and enjoyable, when you design each meal to be delicious to your taste buds and also to your minds eye.

If you have any hint of the emotional eater in you – as I absolutely do – that stingy, joyless, measured to within an inch of it’s life meal that in the moment you may feel proud to “get away with” will come back to bite you!

You’ll feel deprived. Perhaps that you now deserve… Certainly in a position of weakened discipline later that night as you think of that fresh tub of ice-cream loitering in the freezer.

To get specific so far as, designing each meal to be delicious to your minds eye:

In strategy one we covered Fibrous first. Pimp with Protein. Finish with Fat! …now let’s add some colour, some texture, some size.

My minds eye is a greedy little thing! It likes to stare down (and demolish!) a huge bowl of food, ideally with 6-12+ different veg, cooked in a variety of ways and dressed in a delicious dip or two. It doesn’t mean each meal needs to take ages. It’s more a matter of a little weekend meal prepping, some crafty short cuts… and a willingness to consider all that measuring time you’re now saving!

Hard and Hateful Strategy #Three: Survive v. Thrive. 

=> switches to easy and enjoyable, when you see you and your body as a team.

You’re coming from a mindset of working with your body not against it. The fact is anyone who maintains a body they love – long term – treats that body with love. It’s about a commitment to constant improvement and a lack of tolerance for survival mode.

This is the strategy that accounts for more than merely food. To thrive you need to recognize the importance of sleep and stress management. To sometimes make the tough decision now – like stopping work for the day when you’re no longer effective. Or getting to bed early rather than going out because you’ve got the medium and long term game in mind. You want your body to be fresh to power into tomorrow with a full tank of energy and a replenished daily discipline quota.

Recognize that each decision you make builds on the last for better or worse. Too little sleep tonight or flooding your mind with crappy T.V. or stressful news will be reflected in your ability (or lack there of) to make the best eating (and exercising) choices in the days to come.

To get specific so far as, seeing you and your body as a team:

Build the habit of getting to bed 7-8 hours before your ideal time to get up. I choose build with volition because I do recognize it’s not an easy ask! Find and then schedule and prioritize the habit that help you distress and stay more calm. For me it’s meditation however for you it might be something else.

To survive is reactive. Struggling to push through with inadequate sleep or muscling on by blocking rather than managing that building stress.

To thrive is proactive. It means experimenting with what works best for YOU. And scheduling the non-negotiables that do work.

To get actionable today, Is Your Eating Right All Wrong?!

If so I’d love you to implement at least one of todays 3 strategies to make the switch from hard and hateful eating to easy and enjoyable eating.

To recap,

#One: Calories v. Nutrients. Focus first on nutrients.

#Two: Restrictive Measuring Devices v. Huge Generous Meals. Design each meal to be delicious to your minds eye.

#Three: Survive v. Thrive. See you and your body as a team.

If you liked Eating Right Was So Hard Until It Wasn’t! you’ll also like: How To Maximise Your Daily Eating and Exercise Discipline.

If you’re yet to share the Healthification love – just click here to zip over to iTunes and leave an honest rating and review. It’d help me out big time. With gratitude, Kate.