Why Do We Do This?
Stop putting things off + a glorious, crustless quiche.
I cleaned off my desk today. I've avoided doing it for probably a year.
It took 10 minutes.
I had a couple of boxes in my bedroom that were full of clothes I didn't have a place for when I first moved into my apartment. They sat (tidily) in the corner for almost two years.
I tackled them a month ago and they took me 20 minutes to unpack and break down.
One of my faves is when I was driving a new car, and the first daylight savings time change popped up, and I needed to change the clock in my car but didn't know how. After a couple of months, my then-boyfriend said, "Are you going to change the clock or just wait for daylight savings to end?" I laughed and said, "I've just been too busy (aka lazy) to look up how to do it."
I looked at the clock, pushed the hour button, and it was done. It took literally one second. We burst out laughing and noted, that was perhaps my greatest procrastination of all time.
Why do we do this?
For me, it's because I'm busy and I feel like I don't have extra brain-space for less-than-urgent tasks.
But also, and probably even more true, I do not like to change gears.
A feeling of dread comes over me when I need to end one task and focus on another. This is very common, which does offer comfort.
And some super smart people have come up with ways to trick yourself past that discomfort.
First, just noticing the discomfort and naming it helps. Oh, there's that dread again. Perhaps you can even laugh about it. When I think of that 1-second button-push, I definitely laugh. And that helps.
The motivational speaker Mel Robbins wrote a whole book about just starting called The Five-Second Rule. In it, she shares her viral TED Talk trick for pushing past the icky discomfort of changing gears.
It's fast and easy: count down backward from 5, out loud, saying 5-4-3-2-1. And then MOVE.
Whether it's getting out of bed, getting in the shower, banging out some scary emails, writing the first sentence of the book you've dreamed for years of writing, calling your mom, heading out the door for a walk, whatever it is. Say 5-4-3-2-1 and GO. It really is quite effective and the simplicity can not be beat.
How can you apply it to food and healthy eating? Try these steps:
1) When the urge to skip cooking and order takeout is mighty, count out 5-4-3-2-1 and head into your kitchen.
There are SO MANY times when I've been tempted to order takeout but instead I take 10 minutes to make something as simple as poached eggs and sautéed spinach over toast, drizzled with chili crisp or another delicious condiment, and I laugh that it tastes better than what I was going to order.
If you learn how to work ahead a bit, you can always have something on hand that is going to be a better decision than takeout. My e-book Kickass Condiments is designed for just this type of quick cooking. With 24 condiment recipes, and 3 simple meal suggestions for each condiment, it's a great rut-buster and can help keep you on track.
2) When you're craving chips or cookies but you want to make a better decision, take note of the craving, notice that it's uncomfortable, think about whether it's a stress reaction or a true hunger reaction, and then make a decision.
If you're not actually hungry and about to eat from stress, it can really help to move around. A quick walk, some dancing, even jumping jacks can reset your brain - yep 5-4-3-2-1 works here too.
If you are hungry, have some of the chips or a cookie, and pair it with some protein and plants (fruit or veggies) as well so you're not hungry again in an hour. Slow down and savor it all. Craving crushed.
3) If you've been trying to implement some healthy moves in the new year but you keep ending up back in the same damn place, it's time to get serious and sign up for coaching.
In four 1:1 sessions, together we map out a plan that is clear and actionable so you don't slide right back into your old, tired groove. I teach you the above (and lots of other strategies too) as well as how to put together meals so you're full for the right number of calories. Then when you employ 5-4-3-2-1, you'll know exactly what to eat and actually have the ingredients ready-to-go in your fridge.
People who succeed at eating healthfully all the time have knowledge and a plan that works for them. You can too!
I am lucky to work in a city absolutely brimming with creative food geniuses, from chefs to food stylists to bloggers to cookbook authors.
One of my dear friends, Zoe Francois, pastry chef and TV host extraordinaire, shared one of my recipes in her newsletter this week.
She herself shared a Blueberry Gingerbread Cake, which can easily be made gluten-free, and I shared a recipe for a high-protein Spinach Quiche that has serious spanikopita vibes. The two together would set you up for days of delicious breakfasts!
Click here to join Zoe's newsletter, it's an absolute gem, just like she is.
And if you want more protein-rich breakfast ideas, grab my FREE 30 Grams of Protein Breakfast recipes right here. One of the first things I teach my coaching clients is what a game-changer it is to eat a protein-rich breakfast. These recipes are fast, delicious, make-ahead, and many of them can be made with ingredients you already have on hand.
I'll leave you with this assignment for the week (I leave you with an assignment every week).
Actually, I realize I've given you several assignments throughout this week's newsletter, ha. Bossy much? YEP. But I'm committed to being your benevolent kick in the pants each week so here you go:
1) Employ 5-4-3-2-1 when you're feeling the dread of changing gears and procrastination. (Watch Mel's TED Talk here.)
2) If you're tired of your own bullshit (quoting Elizabeth Gilbert there) and ready to tackle your health in 2024, sign up for coaching. I'll bury you in recipes and bonuses to boot.
3) If you love to bake and want to read interviews with other chefs, cookbook authors, TV personalities, and incredible cooks, sign up for Zoe's newsletter.
And...
4) I talked last week on Zoom about Using Foods That Act Like Ozempic and uploaded my presentation to YouTube. Watch it here! Or even better, listen to it like a podcast. It's just me chatting at the camera and would be perfect to listen to while on a walk. Ozempic is all over the media and I talk about what it is, how it works to create appetite suppression, and what foods can stimulate a similar response. Enjoy!
xoxo Stephanie
Thank you for being here with me! If you enjoy my raves about appetite, motivation, midlife growth, badass health, and endless podcast and book recommendations (LOL), I’d love for to share and subscribe.