A Formula For Making Better Decisions
Article Round-Up: 9.24.23
Enjoy this week’s curated round-up of articles, podcasts, and more from the web to help you live a healthier, happier life.
We’re going through some changes with this newsletter. While Meaningfully Mundane will forever be connected to my coaching business, A-Team Fitness, I wanted it to have its own identity.
As a member of the community, I’m curious to hear your thoughts:
Coaching Conversations: The Motivation to Get Started
Takeaway: In less than a minute we discuss the fundamentals of how to get motivated to begin a task when you aren’t feeling moved to act.
The answer is a little paradoxical, but sheds light on not only how to generate motivation for yourself, but also how to keep consistent with your health behaviors.
Published This Week:
“Lost In Translation: An Unlikely Lesson In Compassion”
Takeaway: I share a personal account of my experience at a Spanish grocery store in Pamplona. Confronted with language barriers and a growing sense of embarrassment, this encounter taught me firsthand the vital role of empathy and understanding in our daily interactions, particularly in unfamiliar environments.
“A Simple Formula For Responding Not Reacting”
Takeaway: Reacting is driven by your emotional brain. When you react, the author argues, you are panicking and then proceeding to your next course of action. This formula means you are making decisions and (attempting) to solve problems from an emotional, panicked state.
Instead, the author argues that you 1) pause, 2) process what’s happening, 3) make a plan, and 4) then proceed toward making decisions. These extra steps in the formula add additional time, which allows you to create distance from your emotions to think more clearly.
Reader Question:
“Do I have to track my food in order to lose weight?”
Food logs are a great tool to uncover areas that need to be improved in your diet. It's like turning on a light in a dark room; you can now see exactly what needs to be changed to achieve your desired results.
At the core of it all, it's about removing the guesswork. By tracking your food intake, you gain clarity. You know that the changes you're making are purposeful and going to result in the goals you want to achieve.
In the end, however, it's just a tool—not a requirement. There are other methods to control your calories effectively. The key is finding what works best for you, your lifestyle, and your preferences.
For some individuals, particularly those with a history of disordered eating patterns, tracking may not be the most suitable option. It could potentially worsen their relationship with food. In such cases, it's wise to steer clear of tracking and explore alternative approaches.
The bottom line is that weight loss fundamentally boils down to managing your calorie intake. Whether you choose to track your food meticulously or opt for other methods, the ultimate goal remains the same: achieving a calorie deficit.
P.S. If you want to learn more about achieving Food Freedom, click here to get the free nutrition training guide.