No Last Suppers Before Your New Years Resolutions! [Ep. 22]

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Hi, welcome back to the eat. Well, think. Well live well podcast. I'm Lisa Salisbury and my mission. Is to help women stop obsessing about everything they eat and feel confident about their ability to lose weight without a diet app. This week, we are going to be talking about why the next week and a half does not need to be a last supper situation. If you feel like this is the last time you're going to get to eat anything fun before your new year's resolution starts. This episode is for you.

Lisa: 0:32

Welcome to Eat Well, Think Well, Live Well; the podcast for women who want to lose weight, but are tired of counting and calculating all the food. I'm your host, Lisa Salsbury. I'm a certified health and weight loss coach and life coach, and most importantly a recovered chronic dieter. I'll teach you to figure out why you are eating when you aren't hungry, instead of worrying so much about what you are eating.

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All right. Merry Christmas. This week leading up to Christmas can be as stressful time, especially if you are a mom and making sure everything is just right. You gotta get all the gifts bought wrapped and the stocking stuffers ready. I always wait to stuff, the talkings till Christmas Eve. So I just have each kid's items in like a random gift bag in my closet till it's time to do that. And I always, I always plan way too much. So then I'm putting stuff like up on the mantle or the whole stocking has sometimes ended up on the floor with little gifts around it. Just in case you're looking for an extra little idea around Christmas. I'll give you one that we do around here, that my kids actually love. So mind you, they range in age from 15 to 23. Well, she's almost 15, like in a week, so we're not talking about tiny kids here, but I did start doing this when my youngest was maybe seven. So, um, and they, they liked it then as well, but here's what we do. I don't put proper tags on the gifts. So. No one knows whose is whose. So the first year I labeled them with Elfin names. So like the tag said to candy cane, rainbow dust or whatever, the elf name generator on Google gave me. And they were like, what is this? They were so mad that they couldn't tell whose was his, the next year though. They were real bad because there were no tags at all. I just used specific wrapping paper for each kid, which I think that idea has been around for a long time. But, um, I've also done complicated number codes where the tag just has a number on it. And the number has a meaning. So one year the numbers indicated their birth month, their birthday, like the day number. The birth year and their current age. So if I did it this year, Pipers gifts would be number 12 for December 29 for her birthday seven for her birthday year, year, and 15 for her current age, because her birthday is December 29th, 2007. So. That code really stumped them because every gift had a different number on it. That was fun. I've done their name as a Scrabble score. So they're all their gifts had the same number on them. I've done playing cards. And it was just by suit when that works well. Cause I had four kids, but I always do family gifts too, like a game or a puzzle. And those also are included in the code, which really gets them mixed up. So the year I did playing cards, the joker was the family gift and the number code I used the year of our anniversary as the year, the family got established. Anyway this year, they're addressed to a particular food. So it says like two ice cream from mom and dad. And, um, the code there and I'm going to tell you, cause I really don't think my kids listen to this. But I took the Buzzfeed quiz on what food am I? And I guess their answers. And so they'll have to take the quiz and see if they get the same answer to see what food they are. I am a hundred percent certain. They won't. We'll see if we can figure out whose is whose. But I usually reveal the code in their stockings in some way. Or if I haven't done that, then I've wrapped it up. Like the key to the code, I wrap it up and whoever finds the pickle ornament on the tree gets to open it. So this year there's going to be a QR code in their stocking. That'll link them to the quiz. Anyway, I was just a little glimpse into one of our traditions that my kids like really enjoy. Whenever the first presents come out, they're always like, what's the code? So anyway, Christmas it's this week, which means. New years is looming on the horizon and there's no new year's resolution. Like a weight loss one. A quick Google search showed me a survey where 23% of respondents. Said they wanted to live healthier. That was their goal. And that was the top answer. Second was personal improvement or happiness at 21%. And third was lose weight and that was 20% of respondents. So if you combine the live healthier people, since that's also what I coach on with the weight loss people, 43% of respondents could be helped by health coaching, which is actually like a crazy number. Plus I've had clients tell me repeatedly that they are also emotionally stronger with the tools I give them and multiple areas of life. One woman said her husband noticed how much calmer she was with her kids and how much happier she seemed in general. So. I guess I help with that second response too. But all of this is to say that these goals are looming out there in a couple of weeks. The majority of people have improving their health in some way, whether that includes weight loss or mental health. And so you might be thinking along these lines as well, right? This is the year. Right? That is all fine and good. And I have no issue with new year's resolutions like this. Although I am always saying there's no better time. Then your very next bite to start eating the way you want. I know for some, there is something about that new year. That just gives them the push. They need to start. So specifically now, if your goal is weight loss, Here is what I see the problem for these new year's resolutions at this time of year. When we feel like losing weight. Is on the horizon. Our brain goes into some scarcity thinking and we start to have some thoughts, like, well, I better eat this now while I can. Or this will probably be the last time I get to have carbs for a while. Or maybe you hear your brain saying I better enjoy food while I can. This kind of piggybacks on last week's episode on diet mentality, thoughts. So last week I talked about some of the diet mentality, thoughts that still come up for me and what I do about them. And I gave you some strategies to reframe those and talk back to your brain. And we need to do that here with these thoughts as well. And this also. Incidentally, if you're listening to this at a different time of year. This comes up also on Sunday night because we always restart on Monday. Right. So Sunday night is the biggest time that we have these kind of last suppers. Um, it also comes up at the end of the month, like, okay, it's the first of the month or, uh, the start of a school year. I see. As, as one time also that people are like, I got to get back on track, but listen, You do not need a last supper. You do not need to feel like everything is going to change and you'll no longer be able to enjoy food. That is your past diet trauma talking there. Of course, you think that you better eat this now while you can, because you've never been on a diet before where stuff wasn't off limits. Of course you think this is the last time you're going to eat carbs. 'cause that's the thing you maybe always cut out to lose weight in the past. Of course, you think you better enjoy food while you can? Because everyone knows diet food. Doesn't taste good, right? You know, you're going to feel terrible and have some sort of sugar withdrawal symptoms. And all this is just again, not past. Diet mentality, past diet trauma, even it's that talking? And it makes sense though. Because if misery is coming, we need to live it up now. This is a learned behavior and it comes up time and time again for chronic dieters or even just those that are constantly thinking that you should do something about this weight. Right. Because I've talked to some listeners who tell me that they haven't so much as tried tons of different diets. Like I have. Or used all the crazy diet apps that calculate their food like I have, but they just are constantly thinking I should lose weight. My clothes don't fit. I should do something about this. And that kind of thinking also sounds to your brain, like misery is coming. And so we tend to eat all the things. When your brain is like, it's going to be bad soon. We tend to think, well, then I better eat all the stuff this week and then especially next week. And that's when I found it to be troublesome for me in the past was that week. Between Christmas and new years. Because the fun of Christmas was over the gifts were opened. I was just left with the drudgery of returning and exchanging all the clothes that didn't fit. The kids put away the decorations, and then the diet was coming. And my former dieting self would overeat and overeat that week. And I don't want this to happen to you. So first thing to hear me say again, there is no need for this last supper. Right. Because the good news is that you do not need to completely give up your favorite foods. I still eat pizza, pasta desserts. I incorporate all the fruit that I want. I eat sandwiches and cereal. What I don't do the majority of the time and what I teach you. Is to not over eat that food. I heard Peter Attia. When we are in the over nourished camp. We have to reduce the intake. And I thought that was such a good way to put it. I generally use the phrase over eating. But a lot of folks feel like they aren't overeating per se because they assume I mean bingeing, like excessive binge-eating or taking full platefuls and then having seconds. But just thinking about being over nourished could also mean you are getting too much of a good thing. You can overeat a nutritious dinner. Because if you are feeling full. Instead of just satisfied. You're likely over nourished or overeating. And that's what we are tackling with my program and what I teach you don't have to have a last supper because you aren't going to stop eating the foods that you love. You are just going to stop eating them. In the amounts that your body doesn't love. If you think about how your body actually feels when you overeat, it's not great. You feel like your clothes are tight around the waist and maybe some cramping or just plain pain in your stomach, you feel full and a heaviness in your body. And like, you don't want to even move around. Or go for a walk. Incidentally. That is actually a good measure of full versus satisfied. If you eat just too satisfied or what I call a positive three on the hunger scale, you would be able to go for a short walk afterwards. If you are too full to walk your dog in the neighborhood for 15 to 20 minutes, you are over. Nourished. That's not to say that you have to go for a walk after each meal, but it's a good assessment. Like, could I, if I wanted to. I've got a whole episode on the hunger scale. It's actually way back episode one. but briefly this is the tool we use to make sure we are hungry before we eat. And that we're getting justice satisfied at our meals and then stopping. So when you come from that over nourished camp, And then go to eating this way, where we wait for hunger to tell us it's time to eat and then eat just to satisfied. You will lose weight. It's honestly, as simple as that. We really can rely. On our bodies to help us to know how much food to eat. Now when Peter Attia. When I heard him say this, he was talking about restrictions. Then what would happen is either a calorie restriction a time. Restriction or a food group restriction, and those are all diets and ways to eat. You can count your calories. You can cut out carbs completely. You can intermittent fast, but. He didn't mention this fourth way. Which is truly just to pay attention to your hunger scale. To start to eat exactly the amount that your body asks for. Wait, wait until you actually feel hungry. We don't need to be snacking all day. We don't need to be eating six times a day. We need to wait for hunger until you're hungry enough to eat a meal, and then you eat a meal until you're satisfied and not fall. So, I'm not telling you, you need to learn about the hunger scale and implement it. Starting on Christmas day. What I am telling you is that there's no need to entertain thoughts of scarcity on Christmas day, about this being the last time you will be eating good food. I want you to eat good food, food that you like year round. So when you're all diet, brain is telling you to enjoy it while you can, you can just remind her, you'll enjoy it now. And you'll enjoy it whenever you decide to plan it again for yourself. New years is a great time to set some intentions for the year. And if losing weight or achieving a healthier lifestyle is top of your list as well. I'm all for it. And I know I can help you with that. But please just don't use that as an excuse for this week or next to overindulge. Eat the foods that you want to eat, but just pay attention to your body and what she wants as well. And tell your brain, there is no need for the panic. I'm currently filling my January calendar and I do have space for a few more one-on-one clients. So schedule a free coaching session with me today and We can discuss your goals where you currently are, and if coaching is a perfect fit for you. The link to that calendar is in the show notes. I've got lots of space available next week to make sure that you are ready for your new year's resolutions. All right. Have a very Merry Christmas.

Lisa: 14:43

hey, thanks for listening today. If you're ready to get some personalized coaching from me, I'd encourage you to schedule a free strategy session. Visit www.wellwithlisa.as.me or it's easier just to find that link in the show notes. We'll talk about where you currently are with your weight loss goals. And I'll give you some actionable tools. You can start implementing right away. Thanks again for joining me, Lisa Salisbury in this episode of Eat Well, Think Well, Live Well.