Ben’s Profile Journey: On Halloween and This Crazy Idea Called Planning

Hi, Ben here, and I’m embarking on a mission to not be fat when I turn 42. To do that I’ve partnered with Profile by Sanford and I want to take you with me on my journey.

For once I don't have a Halloween Hangover. Even though chocolate and peanut butter are among my nemesis. In the candy division. They join burritos, pizza and sandwiches in my legion of dietary doom. Not that any of that stuff is bad on their own, or once in awhile.  r even once a day. but, I historically have attached them like a bear preparing for hibernation. But, Halloween and it's celebration of teeth rotting confections was  a bit hard, but I made it OK.

That difficulty was greatly tempered by my Profile coach. As part of this journey, I've learned that all this is not just about changing my eating, but changing myself. Working on ridding myself of bad habits that create self sabotage. One of those that I've discovered in me is a resistance to planning.

After I realized this problem, with the help of my Profile coach, I could see the damage it has done in my life. It's not the type of planning that is about thinking about the consequences of my actions or barrelling into the day blindly. It's more about being resistant to thinking abut the future and preparing what is needed.

For example, I've learned how important it is to my dieting success if I plan what I am going to eat. It seems simple in hindsight, but I use to run into so many problems because I would not think about what I was going to eat. I'd end up eating whatever. Or, even worse, not eating for 12 hours ten bingeing on 10,000 calories an hour before bed. Now, just making a meal plan keeps me on track. I eat breakfast, a small snack, lunch and I know that when we get home in the evening that I'll be eating a taco salad. No stress.

Which is the core irony of this stupid self-sabotage. I'd not plan because I thought of myself as a laid-back dude. "Hey man let's see what happens, no need to to stress out and make plans." But what would really happen is that I would not plan and time would come to do something and I'd panic. Panic led to stress, which led to stress eating.

Now, on the Profile program my coach and I had been discussing Halloween and the candy issue. And it's wasn't a big tactical battle plan. It was talking about what I would do when the candy was around. Knowing that I couldn't banish candy from my sights. That would be horribly rude to my kids, and I can't control what people bring into work. So I needed to keep my Profile journey at the top of my mind. Think about what I'm doing and my goals every day. It's not like I'm silently repeating an anti-candy mantra as I make my way through the day. It's more like just actively reminding myself that candy exists, and I don't need it.

Sharing these ideas and conversations with my coach has been a gift. It's why I only snuck a couple of peanut butter cups from our trick-or-treater leftovers, and not the whole bowl. With Thanksgiving coming I know that planing, thinking and coaching will get me through the holidays on track.

Keep up with Ben's journey by bookmarking Ben's blog. Got a question or comment? Connect on Twitter or email at ben@hot1047.com.

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