Hello Dear One!
How is your summer going?
Have you been enjoying more time with friends and loved ones?
Is this also including more time with food and drink- and potentially starting to put a dent in your waistline maintenance (or reduction) efforts??
If so, have you simply thrown up your hands assuming that’s what it’ll simply be until the season shifts again?
Perhaps so, and perhaps not depending on what you actually want.
If increased indulgent food and alcohol consumption is A-OK in your world – great.
But if you’d actually rather NOT be consuming items that don’t help you look and feel your best – here are some alternative strategies.
1. MAKE OTHER PLANS
“If you don’t want to drink don’t go to a bar.”
– My Therapist
Let’s start with the fact that their ARE actually other things to do that don’t PRIMARILY involve eating and drinking.
And if you’d like to do them go ELSEWHERE besides a restaurant or lounge to find them.
For instance:
– go for a walk
– go on a hike
– go to the beach
– stroll through a new part of the city/town
– play a game (croquet anyone?)
– play a sport
– WATCH THE OLYMPICS
– listen to live music
– GO DANCING
– go horseback riding
– sing with others
– check out a film festival
– go to an outdoor movie
– catch a current art exhibit
– make it to the museum
– go tour a lovely garden
– visit the beach at night
– GO SWIMMING AT NIGHT
And if you’re local to RI (like ME) and wish to look for more inspiration and events these are some great sites to check out AND MAKE NOTE OF when you see something fun:
2. PLAN TO MAKE IT DIFFERENT
What does that mean?
Even if you DO do something different than go to a restaurant or a bar/etc – often plans STILL involve FOOD AND BOOZE.
So what to do if you really DON’T wish to indulge?
Stay focused on your desire and act accordingly.
No one NEEDS to drink at the beach, or eat while watching an al fresco movie, or sporting event, or after horseback riding…
But we often do because it’s EASY, pleasurable, and tends to make us more RELAXED socially.
So how can we get these things WITHOUT going against our waistline goals?
For me what helps is:
– staying focused on what I WILL be doing, vs what I WON’T be doing
– drinking seltzer
– not eating due to feeling full from already having eaten, OR waiting until I get home
– OR eating MOSTLY protein/vegetables/fat and keeping the carbs LOW
– aiming to HAVE FUN precisely where I am, to get MORE from the conversations and experience
– CALMING MYSELF DOWN if anxious (this breathing technique helps), and reminding myself that I don’t want to eat/drink for that purpose
– celebrate how proud I am of myself for sticking with my commitment to ME
– reminding myself that I’m just doing this today and that another day can hold other things
I made a podcast on this matter as well that might be useful and desirable to hear.
UNBOUND podcast – How to Drink Less
And LASTLY to feel more lit up, alive, and connected – compulsively eating or getting chemically altered from alcohol will NOT enable such things.
You will feel like a total ROCK STAR if your desire is to create change and have a regret free experience when you stand for your desires.
It’s really NOT a big deal to eat indulgent foods or to imbibe socially.
But when it’s simply CUSTOMARY, VS CONSCIOUS, and keeps us from how we really wish to look, function, and feel – making a different choice would serve us BETTER!
You’re worth it!
And if you’re ready to understand more about why it’s NATURAL for your body to be in a Fat Burning mode, please check out why we’re Born to Burn or about to get the body in a Fat Burning mode with Fat Burning PRO (self study) or Fat Burning Mastery (one on one coaching).
To getting you clearer on how the body works, and how to make it work for you.
xox, M