7 Reasons to Stop Asking Permission to Add Foods to Your Transformation Program
Picture the scene with me. You have sat through a thorough explanation of nutrition for body transformation. You noted your need for more protein, learned that peanut butter is indeed a fat and not a protein, and discovered that all of those times you bailed on your nutrition plan were inevitable because the plan (not your lack of dedication) caused your hunger and cravings to skyrocket. Your coach explained why you didn’t have a fighting chance to last longer than a few days on that program. You are relieved, thrilled, and empowered because you finally know what kept going wrong and what YOU can do to fix it and have a true chance at success going forward but then it happens.
You notice that your coach didn’t say anything in her lecture about your favorite protein bar, the cream you enjoy in your morning coffee or the high sodium Chinese food meal that you enjoy with your friends every Friday. You feel panicked, let down, and confused and you NEED her to reassure you that your favorites, the ones you don’t really want to live without, can fit into your plan. Of course you want results but you want these favorite items to be a part of that formula for success. You cannot leave the room with this inner conflict. It must be resolved so you do it. You cozy up to your coach, look her in the eye, smile, and ask, “Coach is it OK if I still eat X”.
Now that you have asked the question, you wait as if waiting to hear whether or not you have a terminal disease. The only thing you want in this moment is for her to smile and say, “Yes. I simply forgot to mention that. Of course that fits.”.
Does that scene sound familiar? Don’t worry. I am not judging you. I have done it too. I am sure my competition coaches were tired of my emails asking whether or not I would still be stage ready if I ate ketchup, had more than one diet Coke each day, sprinkled a little cheese on my morning omelette- you get the point. Although my plan was outlined in detail down to the gram, I needed the guarantee that the seemingly gray areas were indeed OK.I needed their buy in on my intentions. I get it! But here are 7 reasons why you MUST stop asking permission to add foods to your transformation program.
Reason #1 Your coach does NOT know if you can eat that food and still get results so don’t tempt her to tell a lie.
This may seem like blasphemy since I am a coach but here’s the truth. You are the MOST familiar with what your body tolerates and how it reacts.
Even if your coach knows your eating and weight history, she doesn’t know what foods make you crave, which foods give you indigestion, and other very important details. Maybe you don’t either because you haven’t paid attention to those things but now is the time to pay attention and become the expert on you. In order to help you with this process, your coach can provide insight on what different macronutrients do in the body, hormonal responses to different types of exercise and food intakes, and signs and symptoms to watch out for that tell you when your plan is not working. However, your coach cannot give you any guarantees regarding which foods will produce a favorable response. Her job is to educate you and help you decode the feedback that your body provides.
Reason #2: There is always someone whose body defies logic and you just may be her.
No matter what the science has proven about what type of diet is best for your body type, goals, and activity level, there is always someone who is the outlier. We all know someone who eats a ton of starchy carbs, skimps on the protein, barely exercises and simply gives up ice cream and loses a ton of weight in a few months. You may or not be that person and only experimentation will help you know for sure.
Reason #3: Asking permission is most often about gaining the absolution of responsibility rather than gaining insight and the only way to be successful is to ACCEPT ALL OF THE RESPONSIBILITY.
Here’s a dose of tough love. Sometimes you ask your coach so that if it does not work out in your favor- it is not your fault.
Let’s be honest here. If it were ONLY about making sure that you understood the plan of action, you would simply eat different foods from the plethora of options that you were provided. Asking permission often times is soliciting a conspirator so that if it all goes wrong- you were not in it alone and therefore not really responsible for what happened. (OK maybe I am the only one who has ever done this but I don’t think so.) If you are going to be successful on this journey, the best thing you can do for yourself is accept all of the responsibility. Of course your coach should provide insight and others in your life may help you along the way but the decision regarding which advice to follow and responsibility for your body is ultimately your own.
That’s enough to consider for today. What do you think so far? Share your thoughts and comments on the Facebook Page.
Stay tuned for the next installment where I will share the last 4 reasons why you should stop asking permission to add foods to your transformation nutrition plan.
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