Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: We Need to Talk. My Old October Trap & How I Handle the Month Today

Hello! We have new thrivers – and  welcome!! – I’m sharing five super important posts for you to read in pink below. I send a regular Monday post and it will make a lot more sense after you read the pink. And if you haven’t received your Aunt Bea copy just write to me at: Wendy@theInspiredEater.com and I’ll shoot it right to you.

• Begin Here
• This Metaphor Is My Constant Companion as I Preserve My Weight Loss After Age Fifty
• Brownies for Breakfast
• 6 Pillars of Losing Weight After Age 50
• How to Conquer Your Evening Sugar Cravings

I urge everyone to read or reread The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and Atomic Habits by James Clear. I use these two books to uplevel everything we now know about weight loss.

Let’s begin!

Pearl One

October can be a trigger-month for many of us because our brain shouts, “OMG! The candiest season is here!”

So if you realize that your candy-gene is lobbying hard for the cause, that’s your signal to plan how your smart eating will roll in October. Yes, actually sit down and write an October Master plan.

Look at your calendar for the thirty-one day’s in October and jot down where your obstacles will meet you head-on. On my list you’d find: the weeks before Halloween itself and the day of are both tricky for me. There’s also a Halloween get-together that will involve a lot of calories that will likely cause trouble for me too. And then to the October plan I add: what I’ll do exactly to take the obstacles down.

This is what I do to get through the month happy and in control:

• Hunger + feeling tired + grocery shopping equals nothing that benefits you and me. I definitely plan to eat a smart snack in my car before hitting the grocery store (in my cold-tote I put in apple slices, hard boiled egg with salt, containers of yogurt, a banana, tiny whole wheat pumpkin muffins etc.). I walk into the store relatively full and not interested in eating.
• When I shop I purposely stay out of the candy/seasonal aisles (this goes triple for Costco!). Don’t tempt yourself by even looking in the direction of the candy aisles (that’s how the store gets us).
• If you love handing candy out on the day of Halloween, buy it as late in the month as possible and only the kind that you don’t like.
• But you say that you like all the candy? In that case, pick your least favorite or consider handing out Play-Dough or stickers instead. (I’m serious; this is for those of us who are easily triggered by candy and holidays).
• Keep in mind that you can bail on the holiday altogether by darkening the front porch (a favorite author of mine does exactly this) and hide in the bedroom (with a great book).
• If you love the holiday, rather than eating candy, invest in other ways that are fun like decorating your front porch, creating a beautiful Halloween centerpiece for your dining table, or even dressing in a costume to hand out candy. (One of my sons wears his Dad’s old Darth Vader costume to hand out candy. It’s hilarious!)

The main thing to repeat to yourself throughout the month is that Halloween falls on one day of the year only, so join me in zig-zagging around the candy-obstacles one hurdle at a time.🎃

Pearl Two

Our journal-writing prompt pearl.

• When October rolls around: how do you celebrate the new season?
• Are you triggered by chocolate or other candy?
• How do you return to smart eating if you do fall off the path?
• What do you think about handing out play-dough?
• What’s the hardest thing about vigilantly living on the Smart Eating Path?
• How can you make it a smidge easier for yourself?
• What are your most favorite smart foods you can have on-hand for yourself to make October more fun?🎃

Pearl Three

Initial Sequence

• Situation (a hard-core fact): Monica is in a book club that meets one Thursday every month.
• Initial thought: Darn it, I always eat at book club. There’s food and wine, and it’s fun to eat and talk.
• Feeling: Monica is annoyed with herself.
• Action: She tries to power through the book club meeting and stay away from the food which sometimes works, but often doesn’t.
• Result: She’s at a loss for how to handle the situation.

Chosen Sequence

• Situation (a hard fact): Monica is in a book club that meets one Thursday every month.
• Chosen thought: I’m committed to rooting out the obstacles in my month (like food at the book club) and plan how I’ll eat for my success.
• Feeling: Very pleased.
• Action: Monica plans to fill her cold-tote with little bites that she loves and, while still in her car, eats so that she arrives at book club relatively full. She fills her plate with veggies and fruit and a mini quiche. She’s not that hungry so making smart food decisions is much breezier.
• Result: Eating in her car before the meeting begins has made book club less stressful in navigating food and more fun to hang with friends talking about books.🎃

Pearl Four

I once knew a couple who had kids and had been together for many years when – their last kid was in college — the handsome husband said, “I’m out” and left his wife for the secretary at work. Nobody saw it coming. The woman, always battling weight, stopped eating due to severe depression. It was so sad and hard to watch. (This couple actually reconnected and are still together.)

Well, the book I’m suggesting today is a look at the lighter side of having your husband bail on you.  Lillie – a nurse-midwife by profession — isn’t hurt that her husband wants to leave their marriage just as their son goes to college, she’s furious. Out of the Clear Blue Sky is Kristan Higgins’ latest novel showing us how humor and resilience can help us navigate emotionally rough times. If you want a book-dessert that combines wit, warmth, and emotional heart-tugs this is your read! 🎃

Pearl Five

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” —Arthur Ashe 🎃

Here’s where I would love your help. I’m starting to post on Instagram every day: the posts will include smart food suggestions, a fantastic quote and how to get out of tough eating spots. I’d love for you to come aboard!

Last week on Instagram I shared my thought on a story in the news. Two AZ lawmakers were being being rude to each other.

Enjoy this-mid October weather! And as always if you liked the post, your friend might too. I’d appreciate it so much if you’d share!

♥, Wendy

You know the scoop: I’m an Amazon affiliate. If you buy from a link in my post, I’ll receive money, but the arrangement won’t cost you a dime.

Are you new to the Inspired Eater? Welcome!! This blog won’t make much sense until you first read the Aunt Bea post (and you’ll find Aunt Bea on this page to the right under my short bio). On your cell you’ll see it immediately following the first post. After you enter your email address, the Aunt Bea article will be sent to your email’s inbox. If it’s not there, you might check the spam folder. And always feel free to email me at Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com and I’ll get Aunt Bea right to you!!

I am not an expert, doctor, surgeon, nurse, dietician, or nutritionist: the information within TheInspiredEater.com is based solely on my personal experience and is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

0