How to Order a Salad When Everyone Else is Getting Burgers
In our society, it’s become socially acceptable to eat large greasy meals.
We don’t blink an eye when someone orders a king size burger with extra fries; yet if that same person orders a salad, we think “What’s up with that?“.
In fact, if you decide to change your ways, and start eating healthy salads and vegetables, it can feel as if you’re doing something wrong.
I understand this mindset.
It was one of my biggest challenges when I started losing weight.
Here are some suggestions…
How to get comfortable with healthy eating
1. Stick to your guns.
“In life the spoils of victory go to those who make a 100% commitment to the outcome”. -Jack Canfield, Motivational Speaker
When you fully commit to eating clean, your body has no choice but to lose weight.
Once the weight is off, your friends will be asking you how they can do the same.
If you get questions about your new eating habits, tell the truth. You can say…
“I just can’t keep eating junk all the time.”
2. Focus on how your belly feels.
I’ve had people tell me they used to eat antacids like they were candy. Now that they improved their diet they don’t even notice their digestive system.
If you get questions about your new healthy lifestyle, you can say…
“It’s not fun inside my body when I eat that much grease.”
3. Don’t escalate the problem.
Joking about how much junk food I could eat used to be my way of feeling accepted by the crowd.
But, my joking made it harder for me to change my habits and lead to years of yo-yo dieting.
What to say to friends when the conversation turns to junk food? Nothing.
Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all.
4. Find Your Weight Loss Magic Touch
You probably know Lou Holtz as the skinny, former head coach of Notre Dame.
And, you’re probably wondering what he could possibly have to teach you about losing weight.
The answer?
Nothing directly…
But, he sure knows a thing or two about reaching goals.
After he retired from Notre Dame, Lou Holtz went on to coach at the University of South Carolina.
His first year as their coach they won 0 games and lost 11.
The next year that same team won 8 games, including a bowl game making the season the second greatest turnaround in NCAA history.
When he was asked about the turnaround, here’s the paraphrased version of what he said:
Reporter: What’s the magic touch?
Lou Holtz: The main thing I did was give the athletes at South Carolina something to look forward to. With that, they had everything they needed to win.
What do you look forward to when all your extra pounds are gone?
- Is it the freedom to move with ease?
- Is it the satisfaction of beating diabetes?
- Is it the fun of walking on the beach in a fit body?
Write it and read it…
Whatever it is, write it down and read it often.
Create a clear picture of it in your mind, and never forget it.
This was the simple strategy I used to complete a marathon in 2007.
I wrote down that I would complete the marathon in 4 hours and 44 minutes.
I posted this goal on my bathroom mirror and visualized myself joyfully crossing the finish line.
Can you guess what the time clock read when I actually did cross the finish line?
4 hours and 44 minutes. Not a minute sooner or later!
It still blows my mind, and if you want to read the full story, you’ll find in on page 64 of my book, Lose Weight without Losing Your Love Affair with Food.
Weight Loss Success Comes Down to Mindset
Your mindset (a.k.a. the way you think) plays an important role in your ability – or inability – to lose weight.
The good news is that you can create a way of thinking that supports your weight loss efforts.
The reason so many people find it difficult to lose weight is that when they set out to make the change they eat differently, they move differently…
but they never think differently.
It’s their habitual pattern of thought that keeps driving them back to their old habits and behaviors.
Need to change your pattern of thought?
To get permanent weight loss results, you need to get your mind and body working together, that only happens when you develop a new, healthy weight loss mindset.
About the Author
Dr. Becky Gillaspy, DC graduated Summa Cum Laude with research honors from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1991.