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BFL for Cheaters and Binge Eaters
People starting a Body for Life challenge often struggle with the
restrictiveness of the program, especially if they've spent years using food for entertainment and emotional comfort. Does
the thought of sticking to a list of authorized foods just kill you? Even though you want to lose weight and be
healthy, does dwelling on the deprivation cause you to binge out of control and suffer major setbacks? Should
you try to go cold turkey on the chocolate? Or should you ease into this new lifestyle?
Well, there is A LOT to be said for discipline. People act like they'd
rather die than be "disciplined" with their eating and exercise, but think about the good points. Being true to yourself and
your goals gives you a feeling pride and strength. When your world is spiraling out of control, successfully controlling your
food and your exercise can give you your mojo back. As in, if you can avoid that glazed donut for the next 42 minutes, you
can do ANYTHING DAMMIT! :-) Knowing that you're taking care of yourself and looking and feeling good can give you a very strong
sense of self-worth. Don't think of discipline as depressing and restrictive; think of it as setting you free. If you need
a visual for power and discipline, try Demi Moore in GI Jane, Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby, Uma Thurman
in Kill Bill, Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2, or Monica Brant on the Fitness Olympia stage.
Now,
if any of that rings true to you, you'll know it and you'll have your answer. Suck it up and go for it. The payoff will be
huge. However, if you just read that, got even more discouraged, started crying, and got up to find some ice cream, then you
need Plan B.
Plan B involves staying on track by cheating all over the place. It's a good way for people to ease into
Body for Life. If the thought of doing a 12-week challenge
makes you sick with dread, don't do a challenge. Don't go berserko with the planning and the pressure and the forced will-power.
You're just setting yourself up for another failure.
If trying to get your eating under control causes a massive rebound
binge, then you need to re-think your approach. I've got it fairly together, but even entertaining the idea of "I'll never
eat sugar again" would cause me to binge like a crazy woman. My advice is baby steps. If you want to start working out and
eating better, the meal plan I would give you would go something like...
meal 1) protein shake, peanut butter toast
with banana and honey
meal 2) cottage cheese and berries, 2 chocolate chip cookies (good ones warmed up in the microwave
so the chips melt :-)
meal 3) spinach salad with grilled chicken, small baked potato, 4 Hershey's Kisses
meal
4) cheese, apple, mini Snicker's bar
meal 5) grilled salmon, wild rice, steamed vegetables, the richest piece of cheesecake
you can get your hands on.
meal 6) turkey slices, ice cream sandwich, as many grapes as you want (preferably eaten
in front of the television)
Here's my reasoning:
- It's probably MUCH better than the way
you're eating now, more protein, more veggies, etc.
- It won't be some horrible, dreadful, gut-wrenching thing that
you can't wait to get off of, because technically you could eat cookies every 2-3 hours. You just have to eat your cookies
with protein and vegetables.
- The sugar cravings are going to taper way off because you'll be full, your blood sugar
will be stable from the protein, and you won't be depriving yourself.
- If you're exercising and eating a little better, you're going to feel better and think more clearly. You won't be as
panicked or feel so hopeless. You may even lose a pound or two. That's when the magic happens! Now, you're feeling really
good, maybe even a little cocky. You may say to yourself, I believe I'll have one cookie with my cottage cheese today. Or
maybe I'll be fine with just the apple and I don't need the Snickers. Pretty soon you're on your way.
If you liked
this article, you may also want to check out 10 Rules for Misfit Body for Lifers.
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