Sept 4 - How to handle endless temptations... FIVE TRICKS That work!

Endless samples of Port wine
Porto, Portugal Aug 2022

Are you tempted by food, drinks and feel you make poor choices daily?

The struggle is SO real and I always told my clients to get the temptation out of the house or don’t put yourself in the path of temptation.

Well, sometimes that is easier said than done.

I find myself travelling and putting myself in the path of some MAJOR challenges lately and this last week was in Portugal, Switzerland and Germany and these destinations had ALL my favourites, wine, cheese and chocolate!

What had I gotten myself into and how do I manage all these temptations?

JUST DON"T BRING THE TEMPTATION INTO YOUR HOME, DON'T BUY THINGS THAT WILL TEMPT YOU!
BUT what if you can't control everything?

At the Lindt Chocolate Workshop Aug 2022
I made a milk chocolate bar that I knew I wouldn't eat!

So my Ultimate Trick to Temptation is to NOT BRING THE TEMPTATION NEAR YOU but what if that is out of your control and there is temptation in your home, in your workplace and when you are out with your family or friends? What do you do then?? 

Here are the suggestions I use and I gave my clients to use and they really work!
Give them a try!

Temptation Trick #1 - Fill up on High Satiety Foods
Quinoa Avocado Shrimp Salad
Naxos, Greece Oct 2021

Temptation Trick #1 
Fill up on HIGH Satiety Foods

Fill up on high satiety foods, foods that keep you feeling fuller longer. If you are full and SATISFIED you are less likely to give in. Eat foods that satisfy you and you won't have room for anything else.

Here’s a list of my favourites broken down into ones I like for my keto days and ones I like for my carb cycling days. If you would like to know more about carb cycling visit my other blog from Aug 21 How to Master Keto…Dirty/Clean/Carb Cycling

Keto Day Foods
Eggs, nuts, broth based homemade soups, fish, lean meats like chicken and beef, hearty vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower which I use in stir fries.
Basically my keto days are A LOT of stir fries which I think is the best way to get in vegetables and protein. I love using cauliflower rice as well so its just an amazing blend of vegetables.  Diet Doctor.com has a Keto Asian Cabbage Stir Fry that will keep you full ALL day long!

Carb Cycling days
In addition to the above I may have oatmeal, quinoa, lentils, high fiber fruits such as apples and raspberries and full fat Greek yogurt .

Temptation Trick #2
Move the moment you wake up!

It's just something that you know you should do, so do it! If you want to live a long and healthy life you absolutely MUST incorporate movement. If you don't like the word EXERCISE then use the word MOVEMENT.

The first 1/2hr after you wake up is the best time to move because if you just get up and get outside and WALK or RUN/WALK you aren’t awake enough to try and talk yourself into not moving (or exercising) and 30min goes by before you know it.

What I love about this ritual is its a great way to start your day, a great time to set an intention for the day and what I like to call "Movement Meditation". It's so much more than for your body but your soul as well!

Temptation Trick #3 - Get naked or close to it!
Me in Costa Rica Jan 2022

Temptation Trick #3
Get naked, or close to it!

This is one that can happen even if you live with other people. Lock yourself in your bathroom and get naked and stare at yourself for 5 min.

This is not so you can start having the thoughts of  “Agh, I need to lose weight” but to appreciate the body you have and say to yourself  “my body is a temple and I will nourish it properly”.  

Try to be naked as much as possible, if you can walk around naked that’s the best, if you feel more comfortable wearing a bikini or speedo for men, just wear the smallest possible clothing. This is an amazing, empowering activity to do. 

Affirmations such as “I am beautiful”, “I am strong”, “I love myself”, “I love my body” are very powerful words that will have your mind gaining strength so when the time comes and when you are faced with temptations it will be easier to say NO because you have spent time talking to yourself in a positive way and in turn you will want to do positive things for your body like eat properly and not fill it with sugar.

I know this one sounds crazy but it WORKS!!

Temptation Trick #4 Do everything EARLIER
I love sunrises and getting up with the sun and heading outside!

Temptation Trick #4
Do everything EARLIER 

GET UP EARLY to move as in trick #2, EAT EARLIER and start winding the day down EARLIER. 

Eating earlier and having your biggest meal in the mid-day or 4-5hrs before you go to bed is so amazing for your body! Add just a small snack or protein shake 3hrs before bed if you need to but this will really help ward off those afternoon energy crashes. I like to eat my biggest meal around 2-3pm and maybe have a shake around 5ish.

The shake for “dinner” is a much easier way to get your nutrition in and also frees up your evening.
Imagine not having to cook a big meal every night?

Getting ready for bed earlier really helps. Even if you have kids, you can all get ready for bed at the same time. Close that kitchen up, clean it to sparkle RIGHT after dinner then do the bedtime ritual of bath, stories and bed for kids and if not do not have kids do the same ritual for yourself. You will be less likely to sneak into the kitchen for a 9pm snack if you have already brushed your teeth and are in bed reading.

Temptation Trick #5 - Portion Control
There was Macaroon Temptation too!!
Zurich-Aug 2022

Temptation Trick #5
Control your portions

This is probably my most used trick especially when travelling and as I find myself in destinations like Porto where I WANT to try the Port wine there or I’m in Switzerland and I want to try the cheese fondue WITH the bread.. So what did I do?

I just had a SIP of the port and I only visited ONE port house where I enjoyed ONE tasting, not 6 port houses which I wanted to and I did go into more but didn't do a tasting.

As for cheese in Switzerland, I am here for 2 weeks and allowed myself one amazing night in a restaurant to have their infamous cheese fondue which I shared but stopped when I was 80% full and satisfied.

When it came to my greatest weakness, the Lindt Home of Chocolate where I booked a chocolate workshop and museum tour I allowed myself some samples and that's it!

Germany is close to Switzerland
So bratwurst on a bun it was!
BUT I shared this!!

When it comes to discipline we are adults and we don’t have anyone telling us to stop, we have to tell ourselves to control our cravings and the above 5 tricks really do help.

All the tricks are good but the movement is SO important to start the day off right. Even if you just do one trick then start MOVING…your mind and your body will benefit!

I urge you to try my tricks, they REALLY work so see for yourself and leave me a comment below and let me know which one really helped you the most

Thank you for following my journey to writing a book series!
Stay balanced,
LeeAnna B - Nutritionist & Health Coach