A Script can save you lots of regret!

I want to take a minute and talk about the importance of scripting when it comes to change.

Scripting is thinking about what you would like to happen in a difficult situation.

So why is it so important to your health?

The other day I was at a leadership meeting for a conference that I help plan in the Spring every year. Our meeting was at Izzy's and one of the leaders while eating his mound of pizza and fried foods said he was on the Mediterranean diet as prescribed by his doctor. He went on to tell us that he has done very well for the past two weeks and wanted us to know that he was just enjoying this one meal, but would be right back on it tomorrow. Now there are a few things that made me sad about this conversation, but let's focus on how scripting could of made all the difference in the world for this guy. I could tell by his conversation and conviction, that he had every intention of making good choices when he got there, but there was so many good (Bad) choices that he was overwhelmed and just grabbed what he knew.

So how could scripting help?

I like the things on his plate as much as he did, but I scripted out a head of time.

Here is my Script: Go strait to the salad bar and fill my plate with highly nutritious food and when I'm done and mostly full I return to get something from the not so nutritious area.

So what did I do at that meeting? You guessed it. I went by my script and had a spinach salad lots of fruits and veggies some cottage cheese and for extra protein I got a friend chicken breast and pulled off all the skin and ate the meat, then I went and got a bowl of soft serve ice cream concoction (I think), yes it is a red light food!

Do I have more self control? No I don't believe I do. I scripted out what I would do so I was not left with lots of options, yes I was tempted, and I usually am, that's why I have a script to follow when I know things will be tough!

The more choices we have the more likely we are to pick what we know, and what were familiar with. But when we script out a plan we are more likely to choose what we have already decided to eat.

Try using a script when your going into a tough situation and share with me how it works out for you.

To Carb or not to Carb?

To Carb or not to Carb?

when I was a child I remember the food trend "Fat Free", yes every food was going or seem to be going fat free, why? Because Fat was the cause of our over-weight problem. Or was it? Well of course not, but that didn't change a great number of adults from buying fat free everything in hopes to take-off or keep-off those unwanted pounds. The sad things about the whole Fat Free craze, was that most the fat free foods were more unhealthy than the original. Good thing we got over that lie (for the most part) and moved on. Or did we?

companies are still making fat free and some people still believe fat makes you fat, but it doesn't have the momentum it had in the 80's, but there is a another belief that has stirred up a new diet craze. In the last decade we have demonized a new macro-nutrient, the carbohydrate. Yes the new make me fat macro-nutrient is the carb! Everywhere we go, we hear low carb, no carb, and a few others things I won't mention. I remember one diet that started in the late 90's and when I cared very little about what I ate or dieting, but what I did notice is a lot of friends and family members losing weight and attributing it to this specific diet.

What I also noticed is that they didn't look very healthy, they just looked thin. What, isn't thin healthy? NO! They looked as if they got sick and lost a bunch of weight; their skin  just kinda hung off their body they looked tired and had little energy, but they were happy to be thin, so I was happy for them. The worse part of it, was that I can't remember one keeping the weight off, and most were heavier one to two years later, with a higher fat ratio than before. Well that was then, when I didn't know what a carb was, and this is now; when nutrition is a passion of mine and I not only know what a carb is I know that they are a crucial nutrient for our body, and Our bodies most preferred form of fuel. And since we were created by a God that makes no mistakes, I don't believe it's a coincidence that our bodies preferred fuel is carbohydrates. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that carbs are more important than fat, or protein, because they are all important. I believe in a right carb diet, I also believe in a right fat, right protein diet too. The biggest problem we have with carbs, is that we eat the wrong ones. We love the pre-packaged, highly processed junk food and sugary drinks. If were really looking to make a health a priority, this is where our carb cutting should be. One more thing about carbohydrates that we should take into consideration; Our brain also needs fuel and unlike our bodies that can use fat and protein for fuel if need be, our brain can only uses carbs.

  I suggest getting your carbs from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, think of this way: Good carbs come with friends. Their friends are fiber , and protein, and bad carbs the carbs you should cut out is carbs that travel alone, like soda pop. 

  If you are on a low carb diet and it works for you, that's great, but most of us don't do so well and should stick to fueling with our bodies most preferred and our brains only source for fuel. 

P.S. below is a couple links with great reads:  Always follow those that use science, here are two of my favorites! 

Dr. Sears Wellness Institute

https://www.drsearswellnessinstitute.org/blog/food-for-brain-health/

Precision Nutrition: 

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/low-carb-diets