You don’t have to give up on your goals this summer

I have the best news for you this summer - you absolutely DO NOT have to ditch your weight loss goals in order to enjoy all the delicious seasonal fare.

So many of my clients have all-or-nothing diet thinking before they start working with me - and who can blame them?? Diet culture has taught us that we're either ON plan, or we're OFF the rails.

Being on plan looks like:

• Being “good”

• Eating all the clean foods

• Staying away from anything tempting so that you don't go beyond your daily points/calorie limit

• Feeling deprived and missing all the foods you're actually craving

And we all know what being off the rails looks like:

• Telling yourself things like "F it", “It's the summer”, “I'm going to finally give myself permission to eat all the things, and I'll face the music in September” - any of that sound familiar??

• Eating as much as you can get because you know you won't allow yourself these delicious, decadent foods once you're back on the wagon

• Feeling stuffed and sick, followed by TONS of regret, shame, and self-loathing

Being “all on” or “all off” gives us two totally terrible options. And you don't have to settle for either one.

I want to see you enjoying your summer without having to choose between feeling either deprivation or regret.

Instead, I want you to feel the BEST possible feelings about how you approach food this season. Feelings like:

• Control - because you know how to eat what you love without overdoing it

• Safety - because you've traded scarcity mentality around the foods you love for full permission to enjoy what you really want (in the summer and beyond)

• Connection - because the food is important, but so are your friends and family

These feelings are totally available to you this summer.

Here are my top tips for enjoying summer events - eating all the foods you love and crave AND still keeping some focus on your weight loss goals:

1) Earlier in the day, take some time to decide which foods are SO worth it, and which are totally skippable.

We all basically know that's going to be served at summer events, right?

Personally, I am HERE for the delicious dips and burgers on the grill, but I wouldn't cross the street for mayo-based salads, so I won't even bother putting those things on my plate - they're easy to pass up.

I like the dessert, but I'm not dying for it - I don't mind skipping it.

I savor the foods I love and don't waste my time on the ones I don't.

2) Only eat food off a plate (and then leave some white space).

You bet I'm going to enjoy those delicious dips…but I stay in control when I make a pact with myself to only eat what I've put on a plate, rather than mindlessly dipping chip after chip.

Also, when I serve myself a meal at a summer BBQ, I try to leave a little white space on my plate. Instead of mindlessly serving myself huge portions, I ask myself what amount will allow me to fully enjoy each dish, but not end up totally stuffed.

Leaving a little white space between items helps me remember not to overdo it.

3) Practice “The Pause”

Before you finish that plate or help yourself to a second round….take a tiny break.

Give yourself just five minutes to pause and digest.

Use that time to focus on connecting with friends and family, or to check in with your body and how it feels physically. Your brain might be automatically asking for more - but what does your body need right now?

Will another helping of food enhance your enjoyment of the day, or will it leave you feeling overly full and bloated?

Sometimes a quick five-minute check-in is all it takes to hear what our bodies really want - sometimes that's more food, but sometimes it isn't.

Be open to either.

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I help women with a passion for food finally end the cycle of chronic dieting and lose weight with self-trust (not restriction and deprivation) so that they can fully enjoy their lives with food AND feel amazing.

If you've been trying to lose weight for as long as you can remember but never making any long-term progress, why not try a totally new and different approach?

I am here to help and support you, and the first step is clicking the yellow button below to get on a free Discovery Call with me to find out more about how coaching can help you FINALLY reach your goals.

You CAN enjoy your life with food AND feel amazing in your clothes. Together, we'll figure this out. Click below to start the process.