Ok. You had a terrible eating day (or days)…Now what??
Here’s how I help people to get past a bad junk food day
If you are trying to eat healthily, there are a few things you either will realize, or already have. First, it is no longer about low fat and low carbs – this simplistic equation just won’t cut it. Nutrition is every bit a science, and a spiritual journey. It is important that you understand this reality first. It is crucial that you let go of false beliefs, stop trusting the myths, and quit counting calories.
The second thing is that it is not about eating certain things and avoiding eating others; it is about a lifestyle change. When you decide to eat clean and remove things that do not help get you where you want to be, you make a pledge to yourself that you will do things that will help in the long-term and make you feel good inside, instead of giving you short-term highs and lows.
To effect change that is long-lasting, you do not need to turn your whole life around. It is the small things that matter. The Annals of Behavioral Medicine published a research study that found that participants who made one small but permanent change in their dietary routine or physical activity lost double the amount of belly fat, four times the weight, and two and a half inches off their waistline compared to those who followed outdated guidelines of calorie control and increased physical activity during a four-month period. This is in part the reason why I made a shift to include more long term programs like my Clean eating cooking club and 30-Day Coaching Group (that includes a free extra month to the club so its really 60 days!). If I loved you, which I do, that means I want you to succeed. And long term strategies are key to success,
However, as with any change in limitations, hiccups in a new clean eating routine are inevitable. If you feel like you are suffering from a bad food day, here is how you can get right back on track.
Reset your system back to feeling good
My favorite thing to do to reset my body is to drink lots of green superfood shakes, eat simple fresh salads and veggie broth. The idea is to give the gut and detoxing organs as little of a load as possible so they can bounce back. To make it a powerful reset, avoid animal foods too and add half an hour of physical activity; nothing crazy, just move your body.
A few other tips for your reset day can be:
- Remember that plant-based protein is your friend and the best way to lose weight is to eat a high-protein diet that is low in refined carbohydrates.
- If you ate lots of sweets and refined grains on your bad day you’ll likely crave them again (your blood glucose will be off balance). To stay satiated for the day, remember that low-glycemic foods and high fiber foods. This ensures you have enough energy for the day without having to binge on snacks because you are crashing.
Remember portion sizes too.
What you eat and how much you eat of it can make all the difference. Chances are you overeat because of stress or emotional eating. This means that you probably were mindlessly eating. On your re-set day you want to eat slowly and mindfully. Fill half to three quarters of your plate with colorful non-starchy veggies and eat without any devices. Make color the base of your plate and mind your proportions with the other brown/ white stuff that is likely low in nutrients and heavy to digest.
Forgive your self.
If you had a junk food day, stop talking about it. There is no point on punishing yourself or obsessing about the past. This will only increase your guilt which is a strategy of the ego to lure you into self sabotage. I’m not saying forget it, I’m saying forgive yourself and look for the lesson. What could you do differently next time if you are in a similar situation? What did you learn about yourself?What did you learn about others (maybe a few of your friends are not that supporting or some of your regular places need to change). Mistakes happen. The difference between overcoming them or not is whether you choose to look at your thinking and try to build new strategies
Remember that it is okay to fall off the clean eating wagon once in a while; it is only human. For days like those, you must prepare in advance. Go all out on Mondays, for example, with the healthy eating. Stick strictly to your clean eating rules and regulations so that IF later in the week, you have a weak moment and give into it, you have already taken compensatory measures to remedy the situation.
When the bad food days are more than the good food days, a deeper approach is needed. The same is true for those stuck on a plateau. If you are not experiencing changes, something is not working. Because of this, a food-mind-environment reset can be so beneficial, I’ve been guiding people for years on these journeys and they always deliver great results. Yesterday, for example, we just started to do yesterday on my NEW
SPRING INTO ENERGY! 30- Day Group Coaching and the Aha moments already started.
This is just the orientation and preparation phase, so you are still able to join. But don’t wait to long! On Monday we start moving into the food action and you want to be all in for that part.
XO
Coach Maria Marcano
PS: The Stress Free Clean Cooking Club is a never ending opportunity if you find yourself self-sabotaging and in a no-progress cycle. We are on this for the long run, and knowing everyone will have their ups and downs I’m prepared to pick you back up! . Click HERE to get the scoop to this mentorship.
Wan to get your mood, energy and focus privately? Book your FREE exploration session with me to see how we can do it.
