BY MICHELLE BORTHWICK
Losing weight, and especially Keto and low carb can be lonely, confusing, and frustrating. There is a lot of misinformation online about this way of eating and it can keep you spinning in circles. More importantly, it can prevent you from having a positive Keto experience and reaching the goals you have set for yourself. Women tend to struggle more with lifestyle changes and decide to self-sabotage. How can this be prevented?
One of the key pieces to a successful Keto diet that you don’t often find online is the emotional connection to food and how powerful it is. Search Keto on Google and you’ll find food lists, macros, meal plans and products….so many unnecessary products!
As a Keto expert and coach, the most important focus even before you start the Keto diet is getting your mindset right. Especially around the foods we feel we must eliminate and perceive as “comfort.” We eat certain foods when we feel lonely, bored, or stressed. We eat other foods when we are happy and want to celebrate. And, sometimes we just don’t want to cook so we eat foods out of convenience. Whatever the reason, when you start changing your diet your body goes through a detox period and craves that sugar rush and carb binge. The body doesn’t understand why you aren’t complying like you used to and giving in to the cravings. This can be overwhelming. Emotional. Sad. Frustrating. So many feelings start coming to the surface. Maybe even tears. What do you do to manage this emotional roller coaster so you can get healthy and lose weight? Here are some of my tried-and-true hacks for overcoming emotional challenges with food so you can reach your diet goals and keep it Keto/Low carb.
- Gratitude.
Find something to be grateful for each day and write them down first thing in the morning. Start to notice the things you are grateful for especially the small everyday details of your life and things you take for granted. These are moments when you say to yourself, “Oh, wow, this is amazing!” or ” “I’m doing this Keto thing and it’s working!”. Start showing your heartfelt appreciation not only to yourself but others as well. By “paying it forward” our world becomes a better place and somewhere along the way we stay grateful for our food, our healthy lifestyle and newfound confidence because of our Keto diet.
- Not Having Food in the House.
Don’t have food in the house that doesn’t support your diet. Period. You will just set yourself up for failure when you have a moment of weakness…and it will happen! Have plenty of Keto foods that you enjoy in your refrigerator, freezer, or pantry at all times. You will avoid temptation and it will keep you satisfied. Empty your cabinets full of sugary snacks and salty, over-processed junk food and get rid of it. Not only does this keep any “cheating” at bay but it also demonstrates a strong emotional commitment to your desire to get healthy!
- Some Form of Gentle Exercise Daily
Keep exercise simple and be kind to yourself. Take a walk for 20 minutes a day. Ride a bike. Do a gentle form of yoga. It’s not about sweating at the gym or pounding a treadmill. Just keep moving every single day and find an activity you enjoy. This will affect your mindset, balance your emotions/mental health, and keep you happy and confident.
- Your Keto Why
Honestly, this IS the foundation upon which you build your Keto…it’s your WHY. Be clear about what motivates you. Take time to reflect on this and write down your WHY. Find a WHY that will last and connects with who you are as a person. Go deeper than just health or weight loss as I’ve seen it prove to not be enough. It’s ok for a starting point but it’s important you quickly identify the true reason. Get out your journal and ask yourself these questions about your WHY.
The difference between those who hit a tough spot and come out of it is because their Keto WHY kept them on track.
WHY will you stay on this diet plan and convert it to a lifestyle?
What is motivating you right now?
Why is Keto important to you?
What will Keto do to improve your life?
What are you missing out on right now that Keto could change for you?
What emotions and/or people are involved?
Make this a living document that changes as you grow. Keep a Keto journal. Keto is often an emotional mindset shift and anchor yourself to your WHY to keep you on solid footing when things feel shaky, or hard or frustrating. It will get you past many temptations and you will feel stronger, more confident and committed every day.
These are just a few of my expert tips to get you started but I have many others. If you feel you cannot gain control and need support with your emotional eating, please reach out to me at any time via email ketoiseasy@gmail.com
There are lots of healthy ways to deal with food and our emotions… one bite at a time you can keep it Keto.
Keto On!
About Michelle Borthwick McLaughlin: Michelle’s coaching practice is evolving with an innovative approach to Keto that goes beyond fast, sustainable weight loss. Enter: KETOish. Transformational private coaching sessions that include proven Keto principles for weight loss but now include how to increase your energy, longevity, confidence, mindset, passion, and overall wellness.
Michelle has been the go-to coach for Keto for women since 2018. Her 1:1 coaching program has helped hundreds of women from 25 states and 4 countries lose over 8,000 pounds while eating foods they love.
Set up a free 30-minute coaching session with Michelle at ketoiseasycoach.com and let’s make an action plan.
