12. CHAPTER 5 - BARRIERS YOU’RE ABOUT TO FACE
This book is all about making positive changes. The plan I am going to lay out is simple, and if you follow it I am confident you will be successful. There is a “BUT” however…
Change is never easy. Change requires work, it often comes with a little pain, and there are certainly going to be some roadblocks along the way that can stifle your plans if you’re not prepared.
I want to take a look at just a few of the most common barriers to success that my clients face. You may relate to these or you may be able to identify others that you know will be challenging during your change process. The key is to recognize your own set of barriers and prepare to deal with them.
Change is always hard, and that’s what makes it so satisfying once it’s been achieved.
Amber was a recent client of mine who had been dieting on and off for about 6 months but had never been able to get into a groove that worked.
She was about to be the maid of honour in her best friend’s wedding and had 6 weeks to lose about 15lbs. She was motivated and had a defined goal (a.k.a. the “perfect client” to work with!)
Amber joined one of my “10 in 4” Challenge groups and began applying the principles you’re going to learn about in this book. Her first week went really well and she lost 3lbs right away. She was ecstatic and I was so happy for her.
The second week wasn’t so hot. She lost a pound but reported to the group that she had been “cheating” on her eating plan. I was surprised:
“What’s going on Amber? Was it just a tough week or did something else happen?”
She began to explain that her husband wasn’t really on board with her weight-loss plan. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her to lose weight, but he wasn’t ready to support the changes that she needed to make in order to be successful.
Amber described how he would munch on junky snacks in front of her, and would nag her to join him on the couch, watching TV and eating away (something they used to do together). Eventually she began to cave.
“What a jerk!” (you might be thinking)
But her husband’s behavior is actually quite typical. I often hear about spouses, co-workers, friends, parents, or children who aren’t supportive, and are often downright destructive when a client is trying hard to make positive change.
In most cases these people aren’t intentionally acting out a plan of sabotage – They just don’t know how to accept change, even if the change isn’t directly their own.
You might not think that anyone in your life would drag you down like this, but you may be surprised. Even if it’s not blatant, you will likely encounter others who offer you food or ask you to do things that are part of your old lifestyle, not the new one you’re creating.
How are you going to react? What will you say or do when this peer pressure arises?
Peer Pressure is often associated with childhood – Kids try to influence others to do what they’re doing, even if they know it’s not good. Guess what? Adults peer pressure each other all the time too!
The social pressure you’ll face when you begin to develop your new lifestyle is one of the major barriers that can set you back or even cause you to quite altogether. That’s why it’s important to start thinking about how you’ll handle those situations and how you’ll deal with the people who aren’t helping you change.
Another barrier you’ll face is your own lifestyle the habits you may have been building up for many years. These habits can be broken but it will take some work and will take time.
Do you eat something salty before bed each night?
Does a meal not seem complete without something sweet at the end?
Do you have favourite TV shows that you watch every evening?
Does time surfing the Internet not seem complete without something to munch on?
Our brains are pretty amazing. They learn to do things without thinking so that we can multitask and so that we can function without having to think about each little decision.
This is a great thing at times - Just imagine having to consciously decide to put one foot in front of the other when going for a walk…you’d never get anywhere. Other times it becomes a real hindrance. Have you ever eaten a bag of chips without realizing what just happened?
As you begin to establish your new lifestyle, you are going to bump up against your brain and the old habits it has programmed over the years.
Re-programming your brain takes conscious decisions and this seems like a lot of effort at first. Know that it will get easier and that your new ways of living will eventually become the habits your brain carries out without any thought at all. Just be prepared for the initial fight that comes with the re-programming process.
Years ago I suffered a pretty horrific knee injury while playing basketball and I had to undergo reconstructive surgery. During recovery the doctor prescribed painkillers that I was supposed to take daily for a number of weeks.
One day shortly after the surgery, my knee seemed to be feeling better and I decided to skip my morning round of painkillers. Within a few hours I developed the most dreadful headache I had ever experienced. My head pounded, my eyeballs hurt, and all I could do was lie on the bed with a pillow over my head.
I had developed an addiction and was suffering from withdrawal.
There’s a good chance your body is addicted to some foods that are preventing you from losing weight. Sugar is the most-likely culprit. Refined grains are another.
When you begin to clean up your diet your body may not like what’s happening. You might go through withdrawal symptoms that aren’t fun – Irritability, fatigue, headaches, and muscle pains are a few of the symptoms my clients have experienced in the past.
Want some good news? The withdrawal process is a quick one. It usually takes less than a week before your body learns that those harmful foods are no longer part of your life, and your body will begin to thrive off the healthier foods you are feeding it.
Want some more good news? Eventually your body will forget about those foods you once loved so much. Your cravings will lessen or disappear altogether and you will feel better than you ever remember.
Be prepared though – the initial cravings will be strong and the withdrawal symptoms can be nasty. I promise it’s all short-term pain that you’re exchanging for a lifetime of feeling great!
13. What people or social situations will tempt you to revert back to old habits that you’re trying to break? How will you deal with those situations?
14. What is one habit that you are most excited to break free from?
15. What food do you find yourself craving most often? How would your life improve if that craving were gone?