Today is a short day in the office and there is a good chance I won’t make it in tomorrow because it’s St. Paddy’s day.
Why?
As usual I’ll be making my annual trek to see the Dropkick Murphy’s at the House of Blues as all true scally cap wearing, Masshole Boston Irish do.
Which brings me to a typical question I get when people have planned events and worry about training, diet and other stuff. So typical I got it this morning in a new client consultation.
This person just started our TPS Method program and is all fired up to do things right, but was worried about something. I’ll get to that.
In our discussion I told him that changing his nutrition was going to be a huge factor in his success. He wants to lose a fair amount of body fat and get healthier for his kids.
We discussed the importance of making SMALL changes every few weeks and not making a 180 degree change. Small changes stacked on top of small changes every few weeks works wonders.
I suggested the usual:
- Increase protein intake
- Slowly reduce/cut out sugar
- Slowly eliminate processed food and snacks
- Slowly reduce alcohol intake
He wanted more, he wanted to make a 180 degree change, and I explained why that doesn’t work.
Making a 180 degree change in anything will work..........
But only for a short time, then most people slip back to their old habits. This goes for training, nutrition, anything…..
Small changes stacked on top of small changes over the course of a few months lead to new HABITS.
See my Coaching Log on habits here.
Back to the topic of It’s St. Paddy’s Day and Everyone’s Irish on Paddy’s Day
If we slowly make changes and add to them, they become habits. Habits stick. That is good right?
By making small changes, let’s use nutrition as an example, it allows us to achieve success in consistent, small increments.
This is much more preferable to huge jumps.
Smalls changes stick.
Let’s get to an example.
Looking at my guy from this morning he regularly consumes coffee with a lot of sugar, eats either gummy bears or chips every day and drinks a lot of whiskey daily.
If I told him to just cut it all out he would do it for about a week or two. And then slip right back in to the old ways.
Here is what I told him to do:
- Increase protein intake a little every week. A little. Maybe an extra ounce or two of meat at each meal and a scoop of whey with his morning coffee.
- Cut out the gummy bears and chips one or two days for the next two weeks
- Have one less alcoholic drink three or four nights this week.
- And, check back in two weeks where we will add to these.
I gave him and easily executable plan to modify his behavior and food intake. It works when people do it!
In two weeks I’ll simply increase the amount of days he reduces the poor choices and increase his protein intake, just a little. We’ll follow this for about two weeks and adjust again.
In two to three months of doing this, he has built new habits that will stick.
Now, on to what he what was worried about.
This gentleman was concerned that he has a big family get together next month and here will be a lot of feasting on unhealthy foods and maybe some booze. He felt that if he went and ate whatever he wanted it would undo all his progress.
I told him:
It’s St. Paddy’s Day and Everyone’s Irish on Paddy’s Day
Meaning, I am going out tonight for an annual thing and I am not worried one bit about what I eat or drink.
Why?
Because it’s like a reward and it’s not an everyday thing. We have to live our lives and enjoy it.
One day off the horse will not ruin all of your progress, and may actually increase it.
The relief from worrying about things, the fun of doing something you enjoy and the caloric SURPLUS created by one day every few months or so is just fine.
So, because It’s St. Paddy’s Day and Everyone’s Irish on Paddy’s Day, I’m going out tonight to have fun.
I suggest you do too.
And get right back on the horse tomorrow.
See you at the House of Blues.
Did you miss last week’s log?
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Vincere vel mori
C.J. Murphy
March 17, 2022
