I offer wellness coaching along with my regular life coaching. And a lot of work in Wellness Coaching is related to keeping myself and my clients healthy. Hence in case you are looking for a better well being, this is the place to keep a tab on.
How many times have you taken new year resolutions and broken within a month? How many times you decided to skip greasy and unhealthy food only to find that the temptation returns with vengeance after few days (or sometimes the same day)?
If this has happened, don’t worry…. you are not alone…. it is a common complaint and I also get there time to time….
So how do we keep ourselves on track and on focus to achieve that ideal weight and beauty?
The answer is keeping :
- Eating Log
- Eating Planner
Here is how this works, whenever you eat anything, note down the time and what did you eat in Eating log. Eating Log would contain entry like below:
| Date | Program | Location | Trainer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 5, 2018 | NLP Practitioner (Online) | Bangalore | Naresh Kumar, Author, Mind Coach and Hypnotherapist | Register |
| April 21,22,28,29 2018 | NLP Training - NLP Master Practitioner | Bangalore | Naresh Kumar, Author, Mind Coach and Hypnotherapist | Register |
In above example, I had normal breakfast in the morning and then at 10:00AM I need a break from work. So I stumbled into the canteen to have second breakfast. Given that I have a sitting job this is not a good way to take a break and I categorized this into over eating and noted down the emotions in the log.
Eating Planner:
Eating Planner would generally take input from the Eating Log and Plan would be entered into the diary as below:
[table “2” not found /]You may notice that I have taken input from the Eating Log and modified my Lunch Plan. Your plan has to be flexible and keep the option open to make modifications to it without any guilt depending upon your intake of food as the day goes by.
Keep KISS Principle in mind: KISS stands for: Keep It Stupid Simple. It applies to both the Eating Log and Eating Planner. Do not try to add columns unnecessarily to any table to get more data. Do not over plan. Do things without guilt. Enter the food intake in Eating Log without any guilt and Make modifications to the Eating Plan without any guilt. If you want to eat healthy, start planning ahead. A little foresight will help you to learn new habits when it comes to choosing nutritious foods and assembling balanced meals. Take a look at these 5 benefits of keeping Eating Log and Eating Planner , and deciding what to eat ahead of time, along with strategies you can use when you’re dining at home or visiting your favorite restaurant.
Benefits of Eating Log and Eating Planner
Keeping an Eating Log and Eating Planner would help you in following 5 ways:
1. Discover healthier choices. You have a wide variety of ingredients to choose from when you’re mulling over your eating plan in advance. Try out exotic vegetables or fruits. Experiment with a recipe for slimming down a cream sauce.
2. Resist temptation. It’s easier to turn down corn chips when you have wasabi hummus and baby carrots on hand. Find lower calorie substitutes for junk food.
3. Enjoy food more. Anticipation heightens any pleasure. Look forward to the special brunch you’ve arranged for Sunday morning instead of settling for the same old dry cereal you eat every day.
4. Track your progress. It’s easier to evaluate your diet when you can remember what you ate for lunch yesterday. Planning ahead gives you more accurate data to enter into your Eating Log or your mobile fitness app.
5. Manage your busy schedule. Maybe your days are jam packed with soccer games and sales reports. Advance preparations may be the only way to stay on top of caring for your health.
Strategies to Use at Home
Here are some eating hacks you can use to ensure optimum calorie intake:
1. Shop smart. Bring home groceries that are good for your heart and waistline. Fill your cart with fresh produce, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Cut down on processed foods.
2. Rearrange your kitchen. If you still want to keep some brownies around, put them out of reach. On the other hand, park a bowl of apples in the middle of your kitchen counter so they’ll be the first thing that you reach for.
3. Design menus. Exercise your creativity. Turn weekday dinners into 3-course feasts. Round off your main course with a simple soup and a fruit parfait for dessert.
4. Cook in batches. I am not a big fan of this, but in case you have a busy schedule forcing you to use eating shortcuts (like junk food) regularly then you can focus on make-ahead meals. That way you can cook once while feeding your family two or three times.
5. Measure portions. Spending more time on food preparation gives you time to become familiar with eyeballing portion sizes. Practice identifying one ounce of cheese. It’s about as big as a pair of dice.
Strategies to Use for Eating Out
1. Carry snacks. Dine out without sabotaging your good intentions. Bring along whole wheat crackers or a handful of nuts to munch on before you walk into the restaurant. You’re more likely to order a light dish like grilled fish if you feel slightly full.
2. Call ahead. Place a call or go online to check out your options before you reserve a table. Many restaurants post their full menus. Look for calorie counts for each dish or any special sections for dieters. Phone ahead to see if the kitchen will take custom orders.
3. Enlist support. Studies show that our table companions have a big influence on how many calories we consume. If your friends are hearty eaters, you may want to invite them out for a ball game instead of a steak dinner. When dining in a group, try ordering first. You may find that your friends will join you in asking for broccoli instead of French fries.
Maintain a healthy weight by adopting healthy practices of keeping Eating Log, Eating Planner, making necessary adjustments without any guilt and using the hacks list above.
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