One word. Leverage.
*Side note.. I have been kind of fascinated with identifying how to use leverage in every area of life and it’s kind of blowing my mind. I think the most successful people in the world more often than not are just better at using leverage than others. Using leverage in investing and finance. Using leverage to increase productivity. Using leverage to maximize opportunities. Using leverage to learn more and learn quicker.. It goes on and on. But anyway just thought I would share.
But the funny thing is.. We are all pro’s when it comes to using leverage with how we eat.
I do this alllll the time, and be honest with yourself.. How often do you say or think,
“I wanted to eat well today, but I already had a piece of chocolate so I might as well have some cake.”
Or something along those lines..?
I thought so.
Hell I’m aware of it and I still do it all the time. My problem is I can eat so much it’s not a piece of chocolate or some cake.. For me it could easily be, “I already ate a chocolate bar.. Soooo I might as well go eat that entire cake.”
Whether we realize it or not we are using leverage.. Unfortunately we are often leveraging a bad decision to make even worse decisions on how to eat.
But I can guarantee you never once said,
“I really wanted dessert, but I had some asparagus for lunch so instead I’ll stick with some salmon and a kale salad for dinner.”
Why not!?
I know salmon, salad, and asparagus all combined still don’t quite compare to a piece of chocolate, but they should.
Instead of leveraging a bad decision, to make an even worse decision.. When you do eat that piece of chocolate or whatever it is, first be ok with it.. Not the end of the world if you’re not constantly flawless with your diet. But leverage the fact that you already had some chocolate, and remind yourself that since you already gave in to a treat, you have even more of a reason to get back to eating the healthy foods that actually make you feel good.
Practice leveraging your good decisions to make even better ones.
It’s easier said than done. But start small. Do this for a day. Or half a day, or for a meal. Practice being very mindful about choosing something healthy to eat, or fasting.. and remind yourself how it makes you feel. Then say, since I am already eating well I might as well keep it up, and eat a great lunch, or dinner.
You are going to slip up, we all still slip up and eat something not so great and that’s fine. Just pay attention. Catch yourself when you do. Do not allow yourself to leverage that bad decision to make an even worse one. Instead remember how easily leverage can work against you if you let it, and work to get leverage back on your side.
Maybe you start coordinating your food with your actions and you start leveraging a great breakfast, to make you energized so you go work out, then you leverage a good workout to drink more water, and eat well the rest of the day so you keep feeling good, get the nutrients you need to repair and strengthen your body, and leverage all that great food, and those smart actions to get to bed early and sleep well.
One bad choice doesn’t have to lead to more, realize your desire to give in and make worse decisions is the power of leverage. Understand how powerful that pull of leverage is, get it back on your side and start using leverage to make great decisions.
Then you build a little momentum, and keep rolling.