Pearl One

I tend to get on the poor high school teachers. Why? Because I’m always thinking “instead of teaching blank-blank they should be teaching life skills like navigating finances and eating within our food-on-steroids culture.” Poor high school teachers: they don’t dictate the curriculum. They’re the real heroes, trying to teach kids amid a smart phone world. Today’s topic is about what I’ve long thought our world needs.

The Importance of Plan 2.0

Forever we’ve wondered how can we stop ourself from slipping (what we once called cheating)?

In other words, what’s our personal plan after a “big” slip?

Everybody slips off the Smart Eating Path because we’re human and our world is layered in food-porn.

A much better question to ask yourself is after I’ve slipped, how do I get back on the Smart Eating Path?

Nobody taught you and me how to plan for our next slip and what — specifically — do we plan to do.

That said, create a strong and reliable 2.0 plan for yourself and tape it inside a kitchen cupboard. And please, don’t just keep your individual Plan B in your mind. Actually write out your entire back-up plan.

Having a written Plan 2.0 where we can see it everyday is a key to forever weight loss and posting the plan somewhere we’ll see it is the secret tip.

One

Before I slip, I ask myself: Do I want the The Scarfer’s chocolate stash I found or do I want to be a size 8? That usually brings me back to the party.

Two

Let’s say I eat the junky food. My Plan 2.0 reminds “take two inspirational podcast episodes and call me in the morning.”

And this is exactly what I do. I have a list of music, Netflix shows, and podcasts that put me into a different frame of mind. Also, if I’m trying to curb overeating at night I grab a good book and head upstairs to brush my teeth, get into my pajamas and read a fabulous book in bed. I remind myself that I’ll feel much better in the morning.

And I always do.

Bottom line, I have a real Plan B that works wonders in helping me to contain the damage. I have a safety net of sorts. I stop the free fall of poor eating habits.

I don’t tend to slip in the daytime, but if I do slip it’s usually because I’m bored. My Plan 2.0 outlines what to do when life gets old. Don’t underestimate how being bored or tired can send you straight to the Oreo’s. Create a Plan 2.0. Keep it front-and-center where you’ll see it every single day.

Notice what I don’t do when I slip? I don’t beat myself up, call myself names and spin into the hopeless/helpless zone. Not only do I contain the caloric-damage, but I contain the emotional-damage too.

Three

The morning after overeating I get right back onto my my Smart Eating Path — keeping in mind that slips are just part of life — and am extra gentle with myself the entire day. After slipping, I’ve bought flowers for my desk, once had a pedi, and another time let myself get cozy on the couch with a book during “work hours.”

You’ve Got This

Now for the fun part.

Take creating your own Plan 2.0 seriously. Journal-write about it and admit to yourself how — and in what quantity — slips happen in your life. (Good place to say: If specific foods are a problem, ban them from the house for the next year or ten.)

Plan exactly how you’ll recover and only include plans that you can actually envision yourself doing.

We’ve had it backwards the whole time. We thought slipping meant we should yell at ourselves when really, it’s the most important moment that we have our own backs. ♥

Pearl Two

For your journal.

• Describe a challenge you faced recently. What lessons came out of it?
• What’s three of your proudest moments in life?
• Have you ever created a plan to address the “fed up feelings” that come after a lot of overeating?
• In the past we resorted to beating ourself up, can you devise a plan that helps, rather than hurts you?
• Take your time to write a detailed written plan – based on what you most love in life — that will help you jump out of the Doritos bag and back to eating with intention. In your plan include when you’ll immerse yourself in your favorite music, when you’ll take a great book to bed, or using the Drip, Drip, Drip method of getting back to smart eating (my favorite).

We’ve all slipped, but we can build a plan to get us out of the doldrums and back onto our Smart Eating Path. The plan is everything. ♥

Pearl Three

Sequencing is taken directly from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The purpose of sequences is to help us move from reacting to circumstances to responding. I encourage you to do a sequence a day in your journal. Powerful stuff. Apply to your own life.

Initial Sequence

• Situation (be super concrete): After decades of trying to lose weight, Colleen, 66, stands in the grocery aisle staring at the many types of cereal.
• Initial thought: “Here we go again. I question myself all the time: which food should I get? Am I using the Mediterranean, high protein or no-gluten?
• Feeling: She’s annoyed at the entire vibe of the weight loss culture. She’s been trying to lose weight for years. Mostly she’s mad at herself.
• Action: She bought her favorite chips and dip, and “will start over on Monday.”
• Result: She overeats all weekend and starts a new (to her) diet on Monday.

Chosen Sequence

• Situation (be super concrete): After decades of trying to lose weight, Colleen, 56, stands in the grocery aisle staring at many types of cereal.
• Chosen thought: “How I work with my brain leads directly to the food I choose and eat.”
• Feeling: Excited and proud that she’s taking care of herself.
• Action: Colleen now eats before shopping to eliminate impulse buys. If she’s hungry while shopping she keeps a Cliff Bar in her purse and isn’t shy to eat while shopping and, of course, only shops with a list with her favorite smart foods items on the list. She never buys food that could trigger her info an overeating episode.
• Result: Colleen gets into the groove that smart eating begins with smart grocery shopping. ♥

Pearl Four

I have an amazing book-dessert to share with you today! The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah is literary fiction gold. It now sits on my favorites list: Pachinko, the Daughters of Shandong and the Good Earth. Now we also have the Four Winds. I have more books on my “very favorites” list, but these spring immediately to mine.

The Four Winds is a deeply moving story about a woman trying to keep her family together during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression: a reminder of what people endure, and the strength it takes just to keep going. Yes, it sounds like Grapes of Wrath — another outstanding book-dessert. You have great reading in your future – have fun!! ♥

Pearl Five

“Miracles come in moments. Be ready and willing.” ♥

Wayne Dyer

We’ve living a roller coaster ride of weather here in Atlanta. It’s seriously cold, then surprisingly warm and then back to super cold.

Have a smart eating week!

♥, 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.

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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.