Many people have trouble finding balance in clean eating— either in everyday life habits, or after losing those unwanted pounds. The minute after consuming a normal meal after weight loss, one might feel like they are “fat, bloated and disgusting.” They mentally beat themselves up over allowing themselves to indulge, when in fact it is not as bad as they think it is.
I admit, I’ve been guilty of this. In the past, I’ve been afraid to allow myself a nice treat, or have avoided even a bite of pumpkin pie at Christmas because I was afraid of getting “fat” or not having control. For example, after my first show when my coach told me to go have a burger, I had sushi instead (I know… big treat meal). When I returned home, I started right back into my regimen— counting calories, and even adding the ones from my sushi meal.
And it’s true that I preach eating clean and exercising! However, this goes with finding balance. We need to be able to have a nice “treat meal” with our friends, family and loved ones every now and then. After a year and a half, I am starting to see the bigger picture.
Here are some ways to help you find your balance that have helped me to succeed:
Face your fears. It’s not the food you fear, it’s the aftermath of the indulgence you fear. Write down what scares you. It can be as simple as, “I’m afraid after I eat this, I will not be able to stop. I’m afraid I will have to do hours of cardio to get it off. I’m afraid I will be judged on if I gain a few pounds.” Whatever your fear is, write it down. This will help you decide how ridiculous you sound. I have called myself out a few times!
Be aware of your food. When you sit down to eat… EAT! I am guilty of this, too. Turn the TV off; shut down your computer; it’s not THAT important to respond to a text right away. Be connected with your food. Chew slowly and enjoy it. You will just need a few bites to realize that’s all you needed and you will not beat yourself up in eating a whole meal/day of bad foods.
Choose the benefits of foods. Instead of saying, “NO I can’t” have something, say, “I’d rather have this because it is better for me.” For example, instead of, “I don’t want to have a piece of cake because it’s going to curdle in my belly fat and I’ll have cottage cheese thighs,” just say, “I’d rather have fruit— which satisfies my sweet tooth. Also, it’s more nutritious for me and aids in protecting us from disease and is great for the skin.” Deprivation only leads to failure. Turn it around and make a positive out of it for a better chance of success.
Learn to TRUST yourself. Trust that you will allow yourself just a bite. Allow yourself to enjoy the little things in life again. You will come to find out that you weren’t really missing it all and a bite was just enough. You have to train yourself to keep yourself on the right path. Just like working out— we train for our muscles to grow, now we need to train ourselves to just have self-control.
Have fun with your foods. I personally make protein pancakes, protein bars, egg white muffins, and the list goes on. I am huge on making ALLMAX Isoflex and Muscle Egg creations. For recipes, you can visit my Facebook page — I have tons of clean recipes you can try under my notes section!
Being afraid to eat is very common, and these are the things that have helped me get over these issues. I hope that you all do the same!
