Today I want to talk about food boredom… Actually, all boredom is really what I want to talk about! I know firsthand that trying to lose weight can be really tough, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
There are things that can make the process more enjoyable! You want and NEED to find a way that makes losing weight fun, healthy, and ultimately sustainable!
That is one of the main reasons why I started this podcast was to provide you with real-life tricks and advice on how to live a healthier life without feeling like you always have to hustle, grind and struggle. Or look for the next latest and greatest diet. So today I am going to give you 7 ways to FIGHT BOREDOM! I hope these will inspire you to take more consistent action! You know me and my Fit Girl Formula! It’s all about creating these fitness habits that will lead to routines that will lead to consistency. And that consistency is what will ultimately give you results. And that is what we are looking for!
One – Stop doing stuff you hate!
I see it over and over again! You tell yourself that you saw this study or whatever on TV and that you have to DO THIS. And as with anything in life, if I am doing the same things over and over again and I am not excited about it, I am not going to want to do it or look forward to it!
How do I find things that I enjoy? Stop trying to do all of it. You don’t have to be a superwoman! This goes for eating stuff you hate too! There are so many healthy options out there! Don’t keep eating stuff you don’t like because you will want the things you don’t need more! How do I have a variety of foods I like? That includes having treat meals! You can have this! I like to do at least 2 treat meals a week, and this isn’t losing my stuff day… It’s about finding balance!
Two – Add seasoning to your food!
Seasoning is HUGE! And I am a big fan! If I come home with another seasoning, my husband is going to either commit me or divorce me! LOL! I need flavor in my food people! And you can do this with so many different herbs and seasonings! A simple piece of chicken can be transformed with pesto, curry, or jerk seasoning! Or heck, SALT! (You don’t need to fear salt!) In excess no it’s not good, but adding some salt can add some more flavor to your food. Start thinking about how I can add flavor to my food to make them less boring!
Three – Let’s stop thinking breakfast has to be a certain meal, dinner has to be a certain way, and lunch has to be a certain way!
I used to have steak for breakfast ladies! Stop thinking about breakfast as I must have eggs or cereal and be a robot.. Think about whether my meals feel satisfying. What fills you up in the morning will that last you to lunch? Please start eating when you are hungry, not by the clock, this was a HUGE change for me. For me, for lunch, I don’t need a big meal. Even though I eat the same basic cadence every day, I switch it up. I switch up the protein and vegetables in my salads. There is more to life than chicken breast and broccoli!! There is more to life than Greek yogurt and strawberries! How do you expand your flavor profile to create unique meals?
Four – Don’t fear being social!
I say this out of a personal experience for me. Stressing over what I can have, where is the restaurant, do I pre-eat before I go? Having those 2 treat meals a week allows you to go out to a restaurant and not feel guilty! Eat within reason but eat what you want and then go on about your day. This goes for on vacation too! Have what you can’t have a home and move on with it. You don’t have to lose your stuff on vacation. You can eat within reason on vacation. I want to come home and not have to do mental gymnastics over gaining weight. This can help you stay motivated, avoid boredom and stay social. I’m done with the no-fun Kim!
Five – Tracking calories, macros, etc.
From time to time, you have to do this whether you like it or not! It is a way to know where you are! It’s like GPS, it’s a way to see what is popping up in your path! If my goal is to lose weight and I am not losing weight doing the same old stuff. I have to ask myself what the heck am I doing? I am a numbers person and I look at my numbers and can say, “oh wow! I didn’t know this thing I was eating had that amount of calories in it!” Or, “I didn’t realize it had this much fat or carbs, or sugar!”
So, it’s more for me an educational tool, but also at the same time, it’s showing me that if I choose this there are consequences so I have to adjust down the line. I’m not sure about you but I’m at that age where we usually know what events that are coming up and don’t really have that spontaneous life. From here it helps us to be more consistent, be more aware, be more mindful of what we are eating so I am enjoying something vs mentally calculating how bad this is. This is life, some days we are higher, some days we are lower, so we take the average of a 7-day span and don’t beat yourself up over higher days, don’t spiral!
Six – Review your goals!
Keep the goal you want! If your goal is to lose 10 pounds, great, but keep the approach flexible. We are going to compare it to GPS again! If I am driving down the road and I punch in my location and it says traffic up ahead, if I want to get to my goal or destination, at that point I can decide to take the next exit and get there faster. But for some of you, there are 4 mindsets that pop up when taking this
1. The “Oh no I am staying on this road, this course, even if I am stuck in traffic. It’s the only way I can get there even if I have to sit here!”
2. The people who are resistant, “Well I could get off the next exit, I never have done that. Is it the right way, should I do it or not?”
3. The people are always looking for the roadblocks. “If I take this exit there could be another detour, more traffic lights, etc. I don’t know if I can navigate that!”
4. Then you have the people who say 5 minutes is 5 minutes, I am going to take that detour!!
We have to say to ourselves that even though the goal is to lose 10 pounds, there are so many approaches to get there! Especially if you have been dieting forever. Your body isn’t going to do what you want it to do. It’s worth reviewing your goals and the reasons why you are not losing weight. This shows you where your struggles are, where your gaps are. Enough to remind yourself, do I want this? What am I willing to change in order to get there? And ultimately, it’s your mindset!
Seven – Make a plan – 24 hours or 1 week plan.
What doesn’t get planned doesn’t get done! I hear it all the time… we all have those days. But if I had a plan, I would know how to navigate those tough days. Take a look at the week ahead. What is going on? Do we need to make shifts in our workout schedule to get them in? Can you plan for your week of meals too or what to be prepared for? It’s sitting down and having a better idea and having some structure and fluidity. Create a rhythm to your weekly schedule for both your workouts and your meals!
That is how I fight boredom! How to stop feeling like you are in a rut and how to break out of it. How is this landing with you? What are ways you stop from being boring, so that you know this is what you do and you aren’t always looking around the corner for the next new diet. Let’s bust out of that rut and pick one of those 7 things to help you do that!
LINKS
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/kimbarnesjeffersoncoach
Facebook Group:
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Website:
https://www.kimbarnesjefferson.com/
Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fit-girl-magic-healthy-living-for-women-over-40/id1476883661
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