What do I think of the all or nothing approach??
The all or nothing approach doesn’t bloody work, like most people I tried it myself once upon a time! The thing is, you can actually eat food and lose weight. This surprises many people as people really think you have to starve yourself to lose weight. Moreover, you can eat carbs, bread and chocolate and lose weight, shocker, who knew! So, once you know this, there is nothing to break. It’s all about moderation, portion sizes, plate size, being clever about your food choices, allowing yourself small treats and making your food and diet varied and interesting!
Does this sound like you??
- When I’m good I’m really good but when I’m bad I’m really bad!!!
- In for a penny in for a pound. (I’m in the background here screaming no!!! A penny is not the same as a pound, one is small one is big, we are more logical when it comes to money for sure!!).
- I’ve had something I shouldn’t have … what was that a horse??!!
- I’ll start again Monday … you don’t need to start anything again, you didn’t actually stop anything .. you just had a treat, keep moving people nothing to look at here! If you allow yourself small treats, then you haven’t done anything “wrong” when you have one!
- I’ve ruined it now so I may as well keep going – nope, you really didn’t. No matter what you ate I bet it is less than what you are going to eat over the next few days while you are feeling bad about what you just ate.
Am I beginning to sound crazy!!! I am! We are a bit crazy when it comes to weight loss. All reason and logic goes out the window.
Hard rules don't really help!
Guidelines are good, tips are great, knowing what’s appropriate in terms of snacks and treat and portion size is super helpful. However, there has to be room for flexibility and intuitive eating, a little less here, a little more there, it balances out. Nothing broken! People or diets set unrealistic rules which simply make it harder. The thing is weight loss is already hard enough, so we need to stop making it even harder with the rules!!
"But I am addicted to sugar" so I have to do the All or Nothing approach
We hear that sugar is addictive, however, I have yet to come across someone snorting it out of the cupboard after putting the kids to bed or eating it directly out of the bag behind a closed door. I think we give sugar too much power. If you believe you are addicted to sugar, then you are giving into the idea of not having any control or power or willpower. Sugar is nice, chocolate is nice but they aren’t addictive, it’s a habit. Bad habits can be broken and conversely, good habits can be made.
Surprisingly, both good and bad habits can be formed quickly. So, when the bad habits sneak back that doesn’t mean they are there to stay! Don’t look at breaking a bad habit as a one-off thing, it may be something you have to keep in check forever. For example, if I have chocolate tonight, I am more likely to want it again tomorrow night, so if I don’t have it tonight, I am less likely to crave it tomorrow night.
Management and strategy
It’s mostly about management & strategy. Don’t keep junk in the house because we eat it if it’s there. We eat it if we are bored, tired, lazy, stressed, happy, sad or celebrating. I definitely recommend allowing yourself small mindful treats. So, you say no most of the time, this helps break the habit and build willpower. However, you allow yourself small mindful treats when you want it. Go to the shop, buy 1 little bar (e.g. Freddo bar) and enjoy it later with a cup of tea. Even if you want more you can’t because it’s not there. You get used to having this small amount, savoring it, eating it slowly, enjoying every nibble and moving on guilt free.
There are bad diets not bad foods
People ask me all the time, is this ok, is that ok, is this bad, is this wrong? My answer normally is, everything is ok. Sure, it depends on portion size, frequency, the context of your day, the context of the meal and the context of your week. Everything can be eaten in moderation. In other words there is an appropriate portion size for everything including chocolate. So, as opposed to thinking something is bad, think of it in terms of “there are bad diets not bad foods”!
Rules are there to be broken!
You could have a rule in your head about not any treats or bread or whatever and then self-sabotage because you ate 100 calories worth of chocolate which is the same as a big banana. Therefore, we need perspective. Conclusion, we are our own worst enemy!!
Every time you say no, you are helping get into calorie deficit, so just because you had 1 thing doesn’t mean you now may as well have something else. “In for a penny in for a pound”, how often do I hear this … every day!!!!. I hate the phrase, because it comes from a place where people feel they did something wrong so they may as well just keep going now. Nooooo!!!!! The thing is 1 treat may have been 100, 200, 300 or 500 calories extra, so what get over it!!! Over a week it may not even effect you, but multiply that by 10 because you now think it doesn’t matter anymore and you may now counteract the whole week.
Forget the rules, rules are there to be broken!!! I know most people aren’t logical when it comes to weight loss, but you have to be just accept that 300 calories is not the same as 3000 calories!!!
A balanced approach to weight loss
My approach is balanced, I will give you lots of advice, support, tips, guidelines and help. Then you can set yourself free and ditch the all or nothing approach for good! Find out more about my approach right here!