Identifying your "trigger points" is crucial to long-term success

Today's Weight: 162 Body Fat%: 13

We all have them. It's that certain time of the day or perhaps it's an event that occurs. Whatever it is for you, you need to figure out why you turn to certain foods for comfort. No matter what eating plan you are on, there comes a time when your body craves something. We are all conditioned this way in our early years and many of us continue this pattern as we get older. Many people fail to recognize why they eat the way they do and until they determine that, it will be an uphill battle for long-term success.

I see many clients exhibit the following pattern:
They usually do well with their eating until dinner comes. After putting the kids to bed the sit in front of the TV and reflect on their day. This is where the conditioning sets in. It is almost as if they are rewarding themselves with food for getting through a stressful day either at work or with their kids. It's easier to suppress our feeling when we are at work because we have so many other distractions but when we get home and sit down in front of the TV it comes back again. Unfortunately some of those distractions are not there and food is readily at hand and willing and able to provide relief.

I am not immune to having my own triggers and have been fortunate because of all the running I do, that I'm able to compensate for some inconsistent eating. However, that doesn't mean that I can't make improvements. What has helped me most is setting a time for bed and not deviating from that. Another important thing that has helped me is to use a training log where I can input my running and also asks me my weight. This has forced me to use the scale on a daily basis. While I'm not a big fan of the scale, it does allow me to take a critical look at my eating.

One of the most common questions I get from clients is when to stop eating. I tell them that it's more important what you eat late at night as opposed to what time you are eating. I will have protein right up until bed and lately have been using hard-boiled egg whites with a small bowl of oatmeal. This is providing my body with just enough fuel for my early morning runs the next day.

Eating frequently is so important for weight loss/maintenance and it has been a struggle at times for me because I see as many as 12 clients in a row without a break. I've become more disciplined by taking more food with me and making sure that when I'm done work, all my food is consumed.

When you become more disciplined with your eating, you automatically become more disciplined in other areas of your life. I've been more rested this week than in a long time and my running speed has never been better. When you can make the connection between healthier eating and better performance, you will want to keep that momentum going. I know that this has been a very good momentum week for me and I want to keep pushing it further and further.