Welcome back! It’s a new month and we are starting a new series – time to fire up your weight loss plan! I’m glad you’re here, staying committed to your goal and getting the support you need to be successful. If you were here for last month’s Fresh Start series, how is it going with taking out the mind trash, focusing, making your plan, and getting accountable? Are you seeing yourself grow in each area, little by little? If so, great – you’re getting closer to your permanent weight loss goal! If you aren’t seeing growth or if you just got here, take a little time and go back over the posts or YouTube videos from the past few weeks. They’ll help you get on track!
This month we are focusing on hunger. Yep, I heard all the groans! I know – everyone wants the weight to fall off, but we don’t want to be hungry as it happens. We think weight loss without hunger is attainable because even the big weight loss plans advertise it – buy our plan and you can lose weight without being hungry! Three meals and snacks throughout the day and you never have to feel hungry as you watch the weight fall off!
How’s that worked for you in the past?
Right – it doesn’t. At least, it only works while you follow their packaged food plan or the exact calorie-restricted regimen, which you promptly toss out the window as soon as you finish the program, at which point you watch with dismay as all the weight you lost comes back (usually with some extra!).
You need a plan you can live with forever. You need a reliable signal for when it’s time to eat, and when that signal is not there, it’s not time for food.
Yup, that’s hunger!
Who knows better than the designer how their design is made to function? I’ve studied the body for decades through medical school, residency, lifestyle medicine training, holistic nutrition training, and the one thing I know: The body is more complex than any human (doctor, scientist, nutritionist, or trainer) understands. The signal we have for when to eat is hunger. Our problem is that we don’t follow it. We don’t like it. We learn to eat in response to other signals (fatigue, stress, boredom) and we get out of touch with the one that matters.
Let’s address the biggest reason why you don’t want to get hungry. It’s uncomfortable! The sensation of hunger from the stomach is supposed to get your attention, so it doesn’t feel great. Actually, it’s not that bad, but once we decide we don’t like the feeling and we want to avoid it, the fear of hunger makes it bigger than the physical sensation actually is.
Besides, I’m not asking you to fast or bypass your hunger.
Hunger is THE signal to eat. You just want to be sure it’s actual physical hunger. If you eat because you’re physically hungry, you will lose weight. We’re going to spend the next few weeks working on how to do it and trouble shooting challenges that come with learning to wait for hunger, but for this next week, all I want you to focus on is using hunger as your only signal to eat. Nothing else. Not mealtimes or because the kids are eating, or to help you feel better after a stressful day at work – only because you are physically hungry.
It might seem like that’s not enough to be successful at weight loss and you want to get this show on the road! Here’s the thing – the more you give yourself to work on at once, the more you dilute your focus. When you focus on one thing, you can get really good at it! So even though it seems easy, just spend this week working on eating only when you’re hungry. It can be more challenging than you think, especially if you’re like most of us who eat for lots of reasons other than hunger! Besides, it’s just 7 days to the next challenge – see you in a week!
You can do this! Keep taking one step toward your goal and you’ll make it. I’m here if you need support – make comments or ask questions below and I’ll help. If you really want more individual support and are ready for the accountability and attention of a coach, email me at drandreachristianparks@gmail.com, and let’s set up your one-hour free consultation. We can get you to your goal!
Here’s your video help for the week!