I’m a Starbuck’s nut. I admit it. I simply love a good, strong Americano or two each day. And every day I pass by the lovely tray of goodies they have sitting in waiting…

People ask me how I do it. How can I resist, day after day, one of those lovely displayed treats. You have your own version: chocolate. Or chips. Or whatever your weakness may be (and we all have one!).

I love people’s comments: “I could never do what you do (compete/stay lean), because I love food too much.” (Yeah, that’s the secret, I simply hate food. Done!). Or, “Everything in moderation,” (I love this one…usually said by people who really don’t know the first thing about discipline or moderation.

Really, I like to teach all my clients that when faced with your own version of temptation, walk on by….and do it again and again. THAT’S how you build resistance, control and resistance. Really! You build your outer muscles by applying resistance to them (weights), yes? They won’t get stronger without it. So, you do the same with your inner muscles – you walk on by that pastry tray and say silently that today you will resist. There…you just built up your inner muscles of choice and discernment a little bit more. Feel good?

Then, if you like, you build in one day a week in which you get to buy whatever you like as a treat, and you go for it. I do this with all my clients – build in a treat day. (Funny thing is, you’d think that they would go crazy. They do, the first time, but after eating clean, they feel awful. Good. Welcome to our way of  living).

It’s about you being in the driver’s seat. It’s about you being in control. Carving your own destiny. Building your own lifestyle. Having a strong, sexy, energized body. And yes, enjoying a treat, once in awhile. With discipline, respect and control. That’s how the clean eating athlete lives. See, we live a different way in our head. Like I always say, all success starts and ends within. How you think is how you live / train / eat / love / make money / succeed…..health and wellness is an inside job.

For me, a Starbuck’s chocolate chip cookie is a slice of heaven. Or Nutella, oh yeah, Nutella. In fact, I have a jar of it sitting in my cupboard right now, and when I need a fix, I grab a spoon and dig in, and I allow myself one teaspoonful….however high I want to mound it up. And I put it back. For next time, maybe in a week or two. I’ve had that same jar of Nutella for over 2 months now. My friend, my saviour, my once-in-awhile high.

Put limits around your cheat. Once a week, and one TBSP (or cookie, or whatever). Make it the same day of the week, if you want. And I promise you, you will get back in the drivers’ seat and start gaining control over what was once the uncontrollable. It’s how we’re supposed to live.

And you will feel free, really, really free.

And lean. Promise!

karen

PS Grab a spot in my next 10-Week Best Shape Challenge starting in January. Make 2014 your year!