Habit: Eating crap
Feeling
– lonely
– bored
– disillusioned
– self-destructive
– hopeless – usually worse when I know there’s something coming up where I won’t have any control over my food choices, e.g. meal out, etc.
– occasionally hungry
Craving/Wanting
– something to cheer me up
– something to do
– occasionally something to fill me up
Action
I raid the cupboards or the supermarket, and eat ridiculous amounts of crap. I then do what I can to deny what’s happened – don’t log the calories on MyFitnessPal and hide all the wrappers from Rich.
Outside Influences
Rich likes to keep treats in the house and has a tendency to eat them on an evening.
Problems
I feel low, disappointed in myself, stressed about the impending pole showcase, unmotivated to pick myself back up, worthless, weak. The loneliness doesn’t go away, and as soon as I’ve finished eating, I lose any satisfaction it gives me.
Entire Routine
1) I’m on my own, feeling lonely and likely stressed at being left. There’s nice food in the house and I begin to crave something to make myself feel better. My head then won’t stop thinking about it until I give it what it wants, and then a downwards spiral begins!
2) I’m spending some time with Rich and he decides he wants something exciting to eat. I inevitably don’t want to miss out on whatever he ends up with so I compromise my healthy eating. Because I’ve then taken a detour, I then end up going completely off the rails.
3) I’ve had a bad day/bad few days previously, and then keep delaying starting over so I don’t have to stop eating stuff that I know is undoing any progress I may have made before.
Replacement Method Completely replace action
New Action
Whenever the binge train is in the station, notice it, do a breathing exercise and look at the positivity board. To make myself feel better about myself, do something for someone else – random act of kindness?
1) Use time alone as “Spinning Vixen” time – work on flexibility/strength/fitness/ability to speak French to surprise Rich. Look at my positivity board to remind myself who I want to become and why. Have something to look forward to – plan France trip?
2) Have 3 x completely sweet-free weeks before the pole showcase. Make a note of everything I say no to so I can make it up to myself post-showcase (if I want to). “This Shit Isn’t Important to Me!”
3) Have a rule – no 2 bad days in a row. If I do have a bad day, the VERY NEXT day I should do at least 45 mins. of exercise and eat proper meals – no skipping!
Test Replacement Routines
– take steps to get more sleep so I can get up earlier each morning and go to the gym/stretch, aim for min. 5 x sessions per week
– up calorie budget on MyFitnessPal so it’s at a more sustainable level to last me 5 weeks, 1400?
– have 3 x completely sweet-free weeks before the pole showcase
– have a positivity board to look at each morning after a breathing exercise to reset for the day