#146 - In The Moment Food Freedom Success & A Letter from Down Under
Episode #146 In this week’s blog/podcast we will discuss: In the moment success strategies during your “Food Freedom Forever” journey. I'm continuing the conversation from last week. Not only highlighting Melissa Hartwig’s book, but sharing my own journey. In the moment strategies will help you turn down temptations that would not be worth it. Being able to walk away from temptations will allow you to run a 5k at your best.
Hello, my name is Coach Tadris Parker, I have a passion for helping people become healthier one step at a time, with our EASY run/walk program. I have a local group training program in New Jersey. Serving Atlantic County, Galloway, Northfield, Linwood, Somers Point, Ocean City, Mays Landing, & Egg Harbor Township.
My podcast is designed to help share stories of everyday people that are doing amazing things with their health through running, walking, and following a whole food approach. Through our podcast, we have been able to reach people from around the world. We’ve been able to help online participants run their first 5k, 10k, half, and full marathons.
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This Week’s Topic:
There are times in the past in which I let food freedom get way out of control. When I let uncontrolled grains and sugar into my diet, it affects my race times. A month before a big event like a marathon, I enjoy a reset, so that I can run on clean energy.
As we talked about in last week's blog post, losing control is built into the Food Freedom protocol. However, if we can continue to bring mindfulness to our food choices, then 30-day resets may not always be needed. Now let me highlight some notes that I took away from the Food Freedom Forever chapter on In-The-Moment Statergies.
There are two points that we would want to takeaway from a round of Whole30 reset.
You don’t have to stay on a reset. No matter how good you may feel. adhering to the strict rules forever may make your life miserable. There are special moments in life in which you would like to enjoy some food freedom.
Accept your decisions to enjoy that special food choice, then return to clean eating.
Remember food freedom is based on what you have learned on your reset. So ask yourself these questions:
Is Worth it? You know that the food isn’t good for you have to ask yourself is it worth it?
Is this a Gateway food, that will cause me to go out of control? ie; alcohol causing you to eat more unhealthy foods.
Remember less bad isn’t always good. Sometimes eating the real thing is the best!
Here are a few In-the-moment success strategies
Wait - Evaluate and Decide
Take A Deep breath
Tell yourself, I can have it later
Use distraction (Talk to someone else in the room to take mind off of the food.)
Use your imagination (Picture yourself down the road, after eating the treat)
The first bite/savor
the one bite rule (If you don’t enjoy it after the first bite, don’t eat the rest.)
Tiny servings so you don’t have to clear your plate/ask waiter to put half of your meal in a to go box
conscious/deliberate/worth it
What’s worth it now could change based on your goals and current situation.
Take a pause, put the fork down every once in a while. They make smart forks for $79 lol.
Watch your mouth:
Your language around food;
No more guilt or shame…
No more saying you were good or bad as if you were a child.
What happens when a child is bad there is punishment
Food should never be associated with punishment
Your Food choices does it make you who you really are as a person!
Remember it is a challenge to overwrite decades of habits
So you are not a failure if it takes you months or years to fine-tune your food freedom strategy!
A few things to remember as we close out this chapter…
There are no cheat days! Everything is a conscious, mindful decision!
Your goal is not to avoid eating the treat your goal is to mindfully make a decision if it’s worth it or not. If it is enjoy the trees if it’s not pass it on.
Either way it’s a deliberate decision not a snap judgment based on old habits
Coach enjoying food freedom with a taco cone @ disney Springs fl
Proven Habit Techniques
In conclusion, remember these strategies
Deep breathing breathing
Creating distance
I can have it later
Using distraction
Using your imagination
Enacting the one bite rule
Pausing between sips or bites
When it comes to running your best, remember how important your food and drink choices are. It’s ok to have your favorite foods as long as you deem them worth it. Your running goals are more important than mindlessly eating the breakroom donuts.
Email From Down Under
Don:
“G'day from Jimboomba, Australia. I have just stumbled onto your YouTube channel as my 8 year daughter has a Cross Country race at her school tomorrow and is suffering severe anxieties about running. She comments that it is "boring", "too hard". We watched your videos with the kids and she enjoyed it. She has told me she will try the 20-20 method. I know it is short notice, but would it be possible to give her some words of encouragement to ease her anxieties before her race tomorrow.
Anyway, you have inspired her and I promised I would go for a run with her after her race.
Thanks for your time and keep up the great work. We look forward to watching and supporting your videos into the future.”
Don Hellwig
My Video Response
Don:
“Mate, you are a legend. One man to another, I cannot thank you enough for your kind gesture. Reya watched your video several times this morning but still left the house with my wife this morning anxious and upset about her race. I phoned my wife after I knew she had been dropped off to school to the news that she was feeling good about her race. I spent the day worrying and wondering if and how Reya had gone in her race.
I called my wife this afternoon to hear Reya yell over the phone, "Dad, I did it. I ran my race and came 12th". To hear her proud voice and enthusiasm in her tone brought a tear to my eye.
She told me tonight that she did try the 20 and 20 but it was a bit tough so she did 10 and 10.
Needless to say, I held up my end of the bargain and did my run this afternoon.
Once again, thank you so much for your video. I will be sure to share, like and support your cause.
Please feel free to share our story in any promotion material.”
Don Hellwig
Coach:
“Thank you for your email & allowing me to be a influence in Reya’s world. May you both continue to run together.” - Coach Tadris
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