Embrace Family Occasions – My 11 Step Method - P.L.A.N. G.Y.M. F.O.O.D.
Every Indian will at some point face the cold hard stares of a food or alcohol bully whilst dieting! Your next move will determine more than just your success on the plan but also your status within the family!
Maybe that’s a little extreme… Nonetheless when you say no to food and drink, you are the Black Sheep that is going against the grain of centuries of tradition!
You don’t need me to tell you that in our culture, food and drink is our way of life! To turn this down because you are looking to lose a little weight or improve your health will in most circumstances turn you into the centre of attention and leave you feeling a little embarrassed.
I believe that we should embrace our culture, the foods we consume and enjoy our social occasions without guilt or anxiety around ‘off plan’ meals. I am also acutely aware of the types of food available at Indian gatherings and the peer pressure to have a few drinks, therefore a plan of action is always helpful!
So, what can you do to avoid judgement, embarrassment and still achieve your fat loss goals?
11 ways to stay on track without offending the family!
Mentality Remember my PLAN Methodology:
1.Prepare. Prepare mentally for the occasion. There will be lots of hyper palatable foods available, so you may wish to have a strategy in place to avoid overconsumption of food or drink. Ask yourself are your actions in line with your goals?
2.Learn. You will learn more about how important your body composition goals are to you and your mental strength by attending occasions that you know will be riddled with temptation. Never avoid a chance to grow!
3.Avoidance. Be aware of this tactic, avoidance is a coping mechanism you will try to use if your will power is weak. Sure up your reason WHY! Remember why you decided to lose fat in the first place, if it is important you will find a way to attend events and stay on track!
4.Needs. Your needs are important. Do not be ashamed or embarrassed by your actions and ensure others are aware of your needs and support your actions!
Physical tactics Use my GYM plan:
1.Gym. Give yourself room to play with in terms of overall calorie intake by going to the gym first! Perform resistance training to ensure you are at a greater calorie deficit before you go!
2.Yoyo. Get up and down like a yoyo! Avoid staying at the dinner table and find alternative activities to just eating and drinking!
3.Move. Make movement a priority. Sedentary time will allow you to become focused on temptation and will cause boredom eating to set in!
Nutritional Strategies Incorporate the FOOD Strategy:
1.Food. The amount of food you will eat at a social occasion needs to be determined by you! Ensure you keep portion control at the forefront of your mind throughout the day and even try and serve your own food!
2.Order. Ensure you stack your plate with foods in the order of their importance to your goal! If you have just trained then by all means incorporate a lot of carbs and protein based food! If you have been sedentary then be more mindful of the carbohydrate intake and try and stick to your protein and vegetables in your main dish so you have room for a little carbs in your dessert!
3.Outline. You will need to outline exactly which foods you digest well beforehand. Its all well and good filling up on mixed grill meats at the time, but if this leaves you bloated and suffering (often caused by high FODMAP spices such as garlic and onion powder), this will affect your recovery and performance for the rest of the week!
4.Diet. Try a dieting strategy to limit overall calorie intake for the day! Before attending the occasion, try fasting! This will only work if you do not then over consume calories due to excessive hunger! If you know that fasting isn’t going to be a successful strategy, focus on filling up with protein and vegetable based foods before you attend an event!
Now you have my PLAN GYM FOOD strategy, you will no longer have to avoid the social awkwardness or embarrassment of turning down food at a relatives house or at a family occasion! For the portion control guide make sure you download my free guide (enter your email address below).
