99% Is A Bitch! 100% Is A Breeze!

Ok… I fell prey last week to the trap I caution so many people that I coach to be careful of… I got off track and sabotaged myself by NOT honoring my cheat meals.

This may sound crazy I know. Hear me out.

The mistake many people make when trying to lose weight is that they over commit and get into the ambitious failure realm. This means they bit off more than they can chew and they end up choking and not getting and results.

In regards to a nutrition ritual (*Notice I didn’t say “diet” because DIET’S DON’T WORK in fact they are counter productive. Feel free to email me if you what some insight here.), I advocate the usage of what is know as a cheat meal. The cheat meal serves as a life jacket that we throw ourselves 1,2,3+ times a week that allows us to indulge the cravings that we have for less than healthy food. For myself, I usually honor 2 cheat meals per week, Wednesday evening and Saturday Evening. I prescribe more cheat meals for someone just starting out eating clean. It is during these meals that I give my self permission to eat what ever I want. I am mindful of the calories I don’t want to cram in 3,000 calories in one meal.

By honoring this practice I am able to stay on track 90-95% of the time eating high energy high quality foods that support my highest metabolic and bodily function. Note, it is what we do more often than not that gives us our results. Aristotle said it this way, “We are what we repeatedly do.” By allowing myself to go off my nutrition plan 2 meals out of 35 meals I am being consistent 95% of the time. This yields incredible results.

I like what Joshua Rosenthal, Author of "Integrative Nutrition" says about his 90/10 rule. Eat health 90% of the time, eat like crap 10% of the time. We need the variety. 

However, last week, I didn’t honor my nutrition practice.

I did very well perhaps 80% of the time. However, by not taking in a real cheat meal on Wednesday I kinda of picked at stuff Wednesday night that was very unsatisfying. Then on Thursday I gave my self permission to eat a pizza that a friend made me that was not on my plan. I justified it saying to myself,” Well, I didn’t have my cheat meal yesterday. This is fine.”  Then I began to feel off target not knowing if I should allow myself cheats or not to make up for the Wednesday cheat meal I missed. So I couldn’t even really even enjoy the pizza and the other little cheats I justified. As result I created unnecessary anxiety. 99% commitment is a BITCH… even 1% ambiguity can create havoc.

I recommitted to my plan Sunday. No cheats till Wednesday… which is today! Hooray for Red Robin Blue Ribbon Burgers! I noticed Monday that I had more definition in my body by just honoring my nutrition plan for the two days 100%.  

Again, 99% Is A Bitch! 100% Is A Breeze! When we commit 100% we take out the ambiguity and questions.