Alma Bax 
People who understand the concept of setting up their environment to achieve certain results are more likely to succeed at their goals. They understand that there is a direct link between setting a good example to others and achieving a certain goal.
Are you having trouble losing weight? Relax. You’re not alone. Most people have trouble losing weight, even when they know how to lose weight.
Have you ever questioned why you aren’t successful despite the fact that you “know” what you should do? Perhaps you’ve read every nutrition book in the library but still aren’t thin. It’s possible that the issue isn’t how much you know, but rather what’s going on around you.
We hear a lot about the significance of “mindset” when it comes to making life changes. The way you see the world may influence how you approach issues and interpret your experiences. Both consciously and subconsciously, this occurs.
Take note of the last sentence: many of our preconceptions and worldviews are unconsciously held. Even while we think them, we aren’t conscious of them.
Have you ever been driving and “zoned out,” only to discover you’re 10 miles down the road and have no idea how you got there?
You had to be paying attention on some level, or the vehicle would have crashed. Despite this, the majority of your thoughts were elsewhere. While your conscious brain was focused on getting your errands done, what occurred at work that day, proving Fermat’s Last Theorem, or whatever else you were thinking about, your unconscious brain was driving.
We approach health and diet in a same manner. We have ideas and thoughts that we are conscious of, as well as ideas and thoughts that we are not aware of. We may go deep into our minds to find and bring our subconscious and unconscious ideas to the surface. This may involve unspoken ideas such as:
- I am not deserving of self-care.
- I don’t deserve to be attractive.
- People that are vain care about their appearance.
- It makes me feel wonderful to eat terrible stuff.
- I don’t want anybody to see me.
- I won’t have to be sociable if I remain overweight.
In there, it may be a minefield! It’ll take some time to clean this up!
Self-analysis is a valuable — and even necessary — endeavor, but it requires time and effort. Untangling all of our ideas and assumptions about health and diet may take weeks, months, or even years.
You, on the other hand, want to be in shape RIGHT NOW! What do you do in the interim while you rummage through your mind?
Change your surroundings.
How can you alter your surroundings?
You have the ability to instantly alter your surroundings. This contains items such as:
- Describe your everyday routine.
- What instruments do you have at your disposal?
- People you come into contact with
- What meals do you have on hand? (or far away from you)
Are you having difficulty getting to the gym? Get some equipment for your house.
Can’t seem to break your afternoon ice cream and cookie habit? Ice cream and sweets should not be kept in the home.
Are you having difficulty obtaining enough vegetables in your diet? Purchase vegetables from the grocery store and keep them in your home.
Is it keeping you up too late at night because you’re surfing the web? Remove the internet from your house.
Is it customary for your friends to take you out for pizza and beer? Discuss your objectives with them. Look for alternative ways to socialize. Also, keep an eye out for chances to make new acquaintances.
We often persuade ourselves that what we know (for example, PN) and what we prepare for (exercise and diet) will enable us to glide over any health and fitness challenges that arise.
Newsflash! Knowing what to do and preparing ahead of time aren’t always enough to alter one’s behavior.
Dominate your surroundings before they control you.
To read an outstanding essay by Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating, click here. He discusses how portion sizes have evolved through time and how this has influenced human behavior. There are two main concepts at work here:
- The majority of us will eat everything that is given to us, regardless of how large the amount is. We’ll consume a small bag of popcorn if it’s presented to us. We’ll eat a bucket of popcorn if it’s offered to us. If we were given a Volkswagen full of popcorn, we’d probably try our hardest to finish it as well.
- If we consume larger amounts on a regular basis, larger portions will become “normal.” The platters of ribs and Super Big Gulps that are customary in the United States would astonish our great-grandparents. (Other nations are gradually shifting, but for the time being, the United States holds the greatest share.) We’ve lost sight of how much we should be consuming in the first place.
Even “experts” may be duped, according to the report. You may still be influenced by what’s going on around you, no matter how much knowledge you have.
Conversely, even if you are unaware of anything, your surroundings may have an impact on you.
Have you ever been on a flight that was delayed and stranded on the tarmac? There’s no way you’re leaving. There are no beverages or snacks available. You can’t even get out of bed to use the restroom! It doesn’t matter how much you know about nutrition at that point; you’re not going to receive a meal.
Your basis is your surroundings.
If you see body composition change as a pyramid, this is how it should appear.
All of the “expert information” stuff is at the top, including changing macronutrients, advanced nutrition techniques, and so on. It’s the tiniest part and the last to appear in your development.
The base of the pyramid is your immediate surroundings: your social environment, your kitchen, your shopping habits, and your daily routine.
It is necessary to change your mindset at some point. But, in the meanwhile, changing your surroundings is far simpler than changing your mentality.
Put yourself in a position to succeed.
You need to set yourself up for success, as I stated in the prior instances. The “norm” is often created by our surroundings. Junk food, lack of exercise, sedentary lifestyle, hours upon hours of television viewing, and so on. When it comes to our levels of physical activity and how much we consume, we may be extremely impressionable.
Here are some suggestions:
- Smaller plates and glasses should be used. We’re used to just filling the plate and eating till it’s finished.
- If you don’t want to eat anything, get it away from you. Keep it out of the home. Make it difficult to get.
- On the other hand, if there is a meal you should be consuming, make it more accessible.
- Sign up for a CSA box to get fresh, nutritious fruit and/or organic meat delivered right to your door.
- Have a supply of fresh, nutritious whole foods on hand and ready to eat. Purchase pre-cut vegetables if required.
- Consider signing up for a healthy meal delivery service if you have more money than time.
- Place the television in an awkward location or make the sitting in front of it unpleasant. Reduce your cable bundle so you don’t have 200 channels of useless programming. Or, better still, get rid of it completely.
- You’ll have to walk if you park your vehicle farther away from your destination. Alternatively, you might sell your vehicle and get a bicycle. (See Large Fella on a Bike for an example of a man who went from a near-death 501 pounds to a lean, fit 170 pounds after purchasing a bike and committing to riding it every day.)
- Join a social group centered on an activity, such as a class, club, or meeting (e.g. hiking tours). Make a workout partner. Surround yourself with individuals who are equally committed to improving their health, exercise, and diet. Organize your social gatherings around activities – gather a group of pals in the park for a game of Ultimate Frisbee!
- Get a dog that needs to be walked – one that will chew up your sofa if you don’t walk it around the block every day.
You’ll note that these suggestions have two things in common:
- They make it inconvenient for harmful behaviors to occur.
- They make it easier to practice good habits.
When the fight between knowledge and the environment is fought, the environment usually prevails. If you believe it is time to change your surroundings, go ahead and do it. Indeed, it may be the only way for you to make new strides.
personal – it’s all about you.
Related Tags
This article broadly covered the following related topics:
- bad eating habits
- how to control eating habits
- bad eating habits to break
- breaking bad eating habits
- how to get out of unhealthy eating habits
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Ben Austin