Pizza. Chocolate. Gummy bears. Sugar. Salt. Bolivian food. These were some of the answers I received when I asked around on social media about the obstacles people struggle with most when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. And it’s not just what you eat, but how much you eat that can be an obstacle.
As We Age
I am no stranger to food cravings or addictions. Pizza and wine, burgers and beer, cookies, brownies, ice cream… don’t get me started or I literally will not stop. While I may have been able to get away with eating like this on a regular basis in my teens and twenties, with every added decade I require a little more discipline. Add in surgical menopause, and my eating requires even stricter and consistent nutritional guidelines.
A matter of life and death
A healthy lifestyle is all about feeling your best. But in some cases, it is also a matter of life and death. If you have (or someone in your family history has) a cardiologist or an oncologist, if you have diabetes, or if you suffer from illness or disease, food makes all the difference in the quantity and quality of your life.
Tips and Rules From Jimmie D King
My husband Jim King has a proven set of goals that have led him to success as a certified sports nutritionist and personal trainer, a West Point Grad, AND, an IsaBody Finalist. He is one of the top 15 out of 33,000 applicants to win an all-inclusive trip to Costa Rica, $3000, a week in Las Vegas and a shot at winning $25,000 as an overall winner! Amazing what a before and after photo will get you!
Here are a few of the habits and rules he has incorporated into his healthy lifestyle to deal with food cravings and addictions:
Choose Between What You Want NOW and What You Want Most
The best-laid plans can falter based on your emotions but NO PLAN at all leaves your decisions based mostly on feelings and we all know this can be disastrous!
Is this DECISION Helping or Hurting the Future Me?
Before every decision you make regarding food, ask yourself: Is what I am doing, are my ACTIONS building HABITS that are moving me toward my GOALs to a Better Place or away from my GOALS to a WORSE place?
Eating CRAPPY Food isn’t a REWARD!
Let the desires and cravings for these food items that take you away from your goals die within you and replace them with those that move you toward your goals. YOU ARE NOT A DOG AND EARN A REWARD/TREAT FOR BEING GOOD!
Building the HABIT of I Don’t Eat That!
When confronted with food items that do not serve you … state out loud … I DON’T EAT THAT!
When you think about food items that do not serve you … state out loud … I DON’T EAT THAT!
If you are offered food items that do not serve you and you feel yourself hesitate … RIGHT AWAY BEFORE YOU FALTER state out loud … I DON’T EAT THAT!
This is a mental muscle and the more you flex it the more powerful it will get! You will strengthen the HABIT of Staying the course!
Want More Healthy Lifestyle Tips in Regard to Beating Food Cravings and Addictions?
Here are some of my past tips:
Define Healthy and Start with Why
It’s important to know what healthy means to you What do YOU want as part of a healthy lifestyle and WHY do you want it? Read more…
Keep Your Promise
Each and every time you do something that is out of alignment with the goal you set for the promise you made, you make it easier to do again and again. When you keep your word, you build the muscle and the mindset that you always keep your promises. Read more…
Did you miss obstacle #2? Read about how stress can derail your health efforts in Stress: Obstacle #2 to a Healthy Lifestyle.
Did you miss obstacle #1? Read about how the people in our life can support us or sabotage us in People Pleaser: Obstacle #1 to a Healthy Lifestyle
Want your own Before and After Photo?
Want to learn more about our nutrition or coaching programs? Visit LivingLifeMoreAbundantly.com
