Weight Loss Plan Phase 1: Examining Your Situational Experiences with Food
“Knowing is half the battle (I think that’s what someone said once....).”
YOUR GOAL TODAY
Complete the "Situational Experiences with Food" questionnaire below. It’s that simple, right? Unfortunately, not. It actually requires quite a bit of reflection. Even armed with the perfect optimal or weight loss diet, your ingrained social or cultural habits will influence you more than you realize. Today’s step may be the most important.
Who’s really in control when eat in different environments? / Photo: Cottonbro
SITUATIONAL EXPERIENCES WITH FOOD
Your intent isn't to eliminate the eating experience from your life. It's to heighten it daily (not just on exceptional experiences)! To do this, you must examine your relationship with food in various situations over the 1-2 weeks. While you may need to dig into the memory bank to answer a few of these questions, try to use present examples as often as possible (we are examining your current trends and patterns, after all). By the way, you'll notice reoccurring questions in each category (important for comparison).
Restaurant Eating
-What defines an enjoyable social dining experience IN A RESTAURANT with friends and family? Are there any particular elements? Do you typically order meals that you never make at home? Type of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.? Be specific when describing different scenarios. My example: I love sharing a dining experience in a new (neighborhood-size) restaurant with 3-4 others (6 or more gets too cliquish to me). We order 5-10 dishes and share them while tasting exquisite big red wines. No dessert is necessary to complete my experience.
-Do you have a typical eating routine in these experiences? If so, what? For example, Mama needs her Old Fashioned before the steak and compound butter hit the table :) (There goes Mama and her Old Fashioneds again!) Sidenote: My great-grandmother (Nani) always drank a Manhatten before dinner with my great-grandfather.
At-Home Dinner Party Eating
-What defines an enjoyable social dining experience with friends and family at home? Do you serve appetizers or other dishes you typically don't do day-to-day? Are there any particular elements? Types of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
-Do you have a typical eating routine in these experiences? If so, what?
Vacation Eating
-What defines an enjoyable social dining experience with friends and family ON VACATION? Are there any particular elements? Types of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
-Do you have a typical eating routine in these experiences? If so, what? For example, if I'm near water, I'll order fish or seafood for many of my meals.
Day-to-Day Eating
-What defines an enjoyable eating experience DAY-TO-DAY? Are there any particular elements? Type of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
-Do you have a typical eating routine in these experiences? If so, what? What determines the type of experience you create? My example: If my work schedule bleeds into the evening, the prep time for a meal will diminish exponentially.
In-the-Office/At-the-Laptop Eating
-What defines an enjoyable eating experience while working IN THE OFFICE or AT THE LAPTOP? And, yes, I said enjoyable. What would an enjoyable eating experience look like while professionally multi-tasking? Are there any particular elements? Type of setting, food, drink, people, environment, etc.?
-Do you have a typical eating routine in these experiences? If so, what? What determines the type of experience you create? For example, my meals are in a Pyrex dish beside my laptop so I can mindlessly pour my veggie mix into my mouth. Insert a trough joke here.
When-I'm-Stressed/Tired Eating
-What do you tend to grab when you're stressed or tired?
-How do your portions vary when you're stressed or tired?
Eating with Particular People
-Do you tend to eat differently with different people? If so, describe the differences. For example, I’ll eat more plant-based options with my friend Craig than with my buddy Jeff. I may consume more alcohol with Stu than I would with Erik.
Michael Moody, author and personal trainer in Denver
If you’re looking for a personal trainer who can curate a sustainable (and adaptable) routine based on your needs and wants, Michael is the experienced practitioner you’ve been looking for. Try personal training for a month…your body will thank you!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
EPISODE #10 - EAT FOR LIFE, WEIGHT LOSS, AND AN OPTIMAL IMMUNE SYSTEM WITH BEST SELLING AUTHOR DR. FUHRMAN
On “The Elements of Being” podcast, Michael dissects and explores the minds and habits of psychologists, filmmakers, writers, and industry icons. Essentially, you learn what makes them flip the switch to achieve incredible feats, goals, and milestones…and a chance to geek out over the psychology behind human behavior. In this episode, Michael interviews Dr. Joel Fuhrman, an internationally recognized nutrition and natural healing expert and author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including his most recent book, Eat for Life. His other bestsellers include Eat to Live and The End of Dieting (which I give to all my clients).
Read more and listen here… You can also listen to all episodes on Apple, Spotify, Overcast, Castbox, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast platform!
