How to Build a Smart Eating Plan for the Four-Day Weekend

Happy 4th of July to the U.S! Everyone else on our big, blue marble, have a beautiful weekend!

Hello Thrivers and New Thrivers!

And welcome to everyone who recently jumped onboard! This blog will make better sense if you first read Aunt Bea, but if you didn’t receive your copy feel free to email me: Wendy@theInspiredEater.com. Then your next best read is: “Begin Here” that also sits in the yellow ribbon above.

Pearl One

This pearl is from a former post that I updated.

I never met a holiday menu I didn’t embrace. Like so many of us I was “dieting” some of the year, but when a holiday rolled around, out the window the diet went.

Problem is — in our current culture — we celebrate something every single month (or every week if we have large families or lots of coworkers who need to be celebrated).

Take the 4th of July – in the U.S. – back in the day, you’d find me plowing into potato salad, burgers, ice cream, and you get the cherry pie gist.

By July 5th I’d wake up disappointed and angry with myself. Not only was the beautiful holiday over, but I’d also spent the weekend trashing my body. No, nobody needs a second margarita.

Finally, one year I hit my version of bottom (a serious “win” in the big picture). I was tired of the health problems that come with weight, and deeply wanted to enjoy my young kids vs. noticing that my jeans are cutting off my airway at any given time.

I’m 59 years old at the moment, (okay for 19 more days) and have kept the weight off for 18 years now and am happy to report (gobsmacked is more like it) that holidays no longer equal insane eating.

If, like me, you’re ready to emerge from this holiday weekend pleased with yourself on Monday morning, take a look at these game-changing hacks.

Hack #1: Buh-Bye Norman Rockwell!

For years, I attempted to create Norman Rockwell holidays for my family which of course causes major stress for me (that then lead to mindless overeating). It didn’t happen right away, but I worked to dispel the myth of the perfect holiday. And, as I did, a super helpful quote landed in my lap sealing the deal: “Don’t worry about being perfect. Make memories.”

Hack #2: 4th of July Eats

Over long weekends, I plan to have my very favorite foods on-hand. It’s far easier to stay on the Smart Eating Path when I have fun slash favorite food in the kitchen. I plan holiday-themed smart food that are both fun and supportive of Monday-me like watermelon, strawberries and cherries, corn-on-the cob, and grilled asparagus (almost any veggie splashed with olive oil and sprinkled with a tad salt and pepper are improved by grilling).

Hack #3: Make the Decision

I learned that trying to lose after age 50 cannot be “a wish our heart makes.” We need to make the decision to stay on The Smart Eating Path and later to maintain (adding: a wobbly decision is a perfectly fine start). A wish versus a decision are two completely different mindsets (for example, we don’t “wish” for coffee in the morning, we didn’t “wish” to get a college degree or the equivalent).

Hack #4: Setting Ourselves Up for Success

When facing a long weekend when I was losing, I’d plan in advance the menu of my entire 4th of July weekend. My plan was always to maintain my loss.

I ask myself in writing; which parts of Thursday will be challenging? What about Friday and Saturday will be tough? How about Sunday? And so on. I even recommend planning the people. Which friend or family member supplies the most drama and write about how you’ll take care of yourself.

I took a good, long look at how I was eating out of boredom during the holidays. Here’s how I handled it: along with creating a food plan, I created a step-by-step boredom plan for the weekend too. These days my portal out of boredom is a phenomenal book, an awesome show (Call the Midwife, Mad Men, Mrs. Maisel, The Crown) or I bug people to let me cuddle their fur-kid.

Hack #5: Total Transparency

I’ve never counted fruits when adding up calories or points. For me, fruits are always zero: zero calories, zero points, zero problem. (Except bananas and avocados of course.) My go-to “zeros” in July: cherries and watermelon (the little watermelons this year are excellent).

Hack #6: Monday-You Matters

When you first wake up on Monday morning: how does she want to feel? Journal about what Monday-morning you most needs from long-weekend you. What would really make Monday annoyed? What would tickle her no-end? What would make Monday-you smile and think, I can do this! (That is, maintain smart eating habits after age 50.)Wear a bracelet, ring or even perfume that reminds you to always keep Monday-you close to your heart.

Hack 7: Call Me Ms. Pig

For 18 months now I’ve been guinea pigging myself and am happy to report that one of the best habits I’ve ever embedded into my heart is amazing. It’s called the Royal Eating Plan.

The REP has nothing to do with Queen Elizabeth and her peeps. It’s actually about eating breakfast like a king, lunch like a princess and dinner like a pauper. Have I seen progress? Grand Canyon-size progress. Seriously

I eat a tiny dinner by 6:00 p.m. and don’t eat again until morning. Stunning results. (Brownies for Breakfast explains it all.)

You and I are short-changing ourselves when we dive into food as the “be-all, end all.” There’s more to the holidays – there’s more to life – than forever overeating.. ♥

Pearl Two

Truth be told, grocery store prices have jumped the shark.

So, here’s the best playbook I can come up with: Years ago, I was surprised to hear a friend say that she shopped at Whole Foods. (We both had little kids and were stretching every dollar.) She told me, “I buy whatever produce in on sale. And then I get out of there.”

I took her comment to mean that if she really wanted the gorgeous cherries that cost a million dollars a pound, she would still circumvent those cherries and head straight to the on sale watermelon.”

Such a simple idea. We’re well over 50 and know to shop sales. But here’s my point: for the sake of living well on the Smart Eating Lifestyle, you want to prioritize fruits and veggies for yourself.

The problem is that we tend to put ourself last. You don’t want to drive to 4,000 different stores to get your weekly groceries.

But you’d do it for your kids; a dear friend; a fur-kid. (To that end: send photos of your darlings!! I’d love to share them here.)

My point is that you’d go out of your way for someone you care about, but not put the same effort in for yourself.

This is a tough road we’re trekking. Small shifts in our attitude make the trek more doable. ♥

Pearl Three

Sequencing is taken directly from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). When we write a sequence about something happening in our lives, it helps us tap into our unconscious.

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.

Former Sequence

• Situation (something concrete): I don’t like exercise. I once had a Pilates place I liked, but the owner moved.
• Thought: I have never liked exercise; not as a teenager, not as a young adult, never.
• Feeling: Angry at myself, sad and frustrated.
• Action: Workout a little here and there, but mostly avoid it all together.
• Result: My muscles continue to atrophy.

New Sequence

• Situation (something concrete): I don’t like exercise. I once had a Pilates place I liked, but the owner moved.
• Chosen Thought: Okay, you hate exercise. I’m going to purchase a fun and attractive workout outfit and I’ll put it on in the mornings, so that I’ll put myself into the frame of mind to go upstairs and workout. (Yes, I still ride the bike scrolling Instagram which has been a massive help.)
• Feeling: Happy (that I’m continuing to think up new and creative ideas.)
• Action: I look around on Amazon for workout clothes that won’t cost a fortune.
• Result: Maintaining daily exercise. ♥

Pearl Four

I’m not giving book reviews, I’m only sharing books that I love and I think of as being a perfect book-dessert. If you haven’t tried this tool, give it a go. Have a small dinner at 6 p.m. and take off for bed at 8 so that you have time to read.

Fabulous book-dessert alert!!  The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens. Loved this book along with 37,799 Amazon readers who give the read 4.5 stars. Not just a super interesting story, but beautifully written too. (Thrilled to find a new author).

Enjoy. Total book-dessert. ♥

Pearl Five

You will burn and you will burn out; you will be healed and come back again.” ♥

Fyodor Dostoevsky

I hope you enjoyed the ride today. It’s of course new for me to post on Mondays, but it will help my schedule so much so thank you for migrating over here with me.

♥, 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, a doctor, a surgeon, a nurse or a 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. ♥