Ep #7: Step 7: Bold Decisions

Hello listeners, don’t worry, you’re in the right place. I retitled my podcast. If you have loved Empowered Wellness for Leaders, I’m sure you will enjoy all the topics I share with you on Weight Loss for CEOs. The content truly will be the same, but I’ve decided to narrow my focus. I’m serving business owners, entrepreneurs, and CEOs around weight loss, and of course, everything that that entails.

Why? Because although I am a strong coach in many areas, I’m an expert around weight loss. After a lifetime of struggle, followed by an amazing transformation, that is an area that I can offer the most insight, the strongest tools, and the most liberating work for my favorite business owner or executive.

Now, if your job title isn’t CEO, I want to invite you to think on that a bit because first, you are a CEO of your health, and that will always be what this podcast is about. I just happen to love working with, serving, and giving insight to the CEO or entrepreneur, and decided to focus my work in this way.

Welcome to Weight Loss for CEOs. A podcast that teaches executives and leaders how to deal with the unique challenges of achieving sustainable weight loss while balancing the responsibility of a growing company, family, and their own health. Here’s your host, executive coach, Diana Murphy.

I need to make a confession. There are times I’ve been holding back. I’m realizing that transformative change for you and for me does not come in calm, safe spaces. It comes to us in bold and courageous moves, and not always in big ones, but in the small moments in our lives.

Change is uncomfortable, but changes that we’re longing to make to create results like a calmer life, weight loss, and to build more confidence are worth the discomfort. Today, we’re zeroing in on creating lasting weight loss because I’m just about wrapping up my series on weight loss, and this is an integral step.

Don’t worry. If your goal is to maintain weight loss, not lose it right now, this is still for you because it’s all about how to feel better, have more consistent energy, less brain fog. Where am I going with this? Just taking time to listen to the podcast, downloading worksheets, et cetera, is a bold move. There are so many other ways that you could be investing your time right now. You should be proud of yourself for taking the time to listen, and most of all, to apply what you’re learning here.

Well, today I’m in a go big or go home mentality, and I have a powerful episode for you. And I promise that if you apply the concepts I’m sharing with you today, you’re going to see results. Today I’m going to broaden my discussion of bold moves, which I talked about wine a few episodes ago, and now I’m going to give you an opportunity to discover what yours should be and help you to avoid overwhelm by reminding you to just choose one thing to work on at a time.

Don’t worry, you overachievers out there, I’m raising my hand here. You can add more steps later. But building a foundation of change is best built one step or one brick at a time, and that is why I did this series. One small step at a time. Some you may need to revisit and even this episode might be one that you can keep coming back to to do something new each time.

There are times that we must get bold with our decisions around our health. We’ve tried many things, we’re doing what everybody says, but for all our actions and all the things that we’re doing towards our health, to work, to pay off, we must stay committed and consistent.

Okay, what do I mean by bold moves? Bold moves, as it relates to wellness and weight loss could mean many things, but they are usually decisions that we know would really be great for us, but we’re resisting them. So it’s going to take some boldness to take them.

First, it’s normal human behavior to resist change or those full commitments, especially when we’re not sure if it’s going to be worth it, if it’s going to work. What I’m learning as I take bold moves myself and watch my clients bravely do the same is that they do pay off. They pay off in better energy, weight loss, and overall wellbeing. I’m going to share the most common and most impactful ones with you today and you get to choose which one that you just have a hunch you should embark on.

And because I never ask you to do anything I haven’t done before, I’m going to do the same here and share my results and challenges along the way. You can find me on my business page, Diana Murphy Coaching, Facebook page, as I share small videos, and the things that I’m experiencing day to day.

Alright, these challenges are around alcohol consumption, sugar and flour, and exercise. Alcohol consumption can be so tricky. It affects our appetite, it can disrupt so much, and it’s just one of those foods that is absolutely not fuel food. So I want to look at that topic today. Sugar and flour, absolutely very similar to alcohol, and when we get really honest about how they’re triggering and affecting us, we can make a small change and really make a difference in weight loss.

And exercise. When we exercise in a way that we love and it’s sustainable, we get much better and lasting results. So this exercise, this bold move episode that I’m giving you today might not be what you think. Do you know that one of the most bold moves that I made, and it was around exercise for me, I’ve shared the wine one. You’ll hear more about that.

But one of the bold moves that I made was not to workout harder, to workout more, or to stay more consistent. My bold move has been to see the high value in rest days and getting on my yoga mat more. For this highly active, busy brain person that I am, it has been a challenge, but the benefits have been awesome. I still workout pretty high intensity, but I am learning that my body needs rest days and it works really well to maintain my weight and to feel amazing.

My point is this; it isn’t about all or none behavior, and it’s not about self-critical, if you know me. Around these subjects, it’s very easy to get harsh with ourselves and try just a lot harder. But the bold move that might serve you the most might be just getting more insight and stepping back.

So when I brought these up, which area, alcohol consumption, your activity level, or the amount of sugar and flour in your diet makes you squirm the most when I talk about it? Even makes you say, “Oh no, she’s not going to ask me to give up my beer.” No, I’m not. But I am going to ask you to take an honest look at these areas and make some decisions.

Well, really just one decision. So pick your area, as I discussed them, just one, and make a bold decision around it and stay consistent for at least a couple of weeks and decide whether this is a new lifestyle for you or it needs to be tweaked. Why do I ask you to do this for two weeks? Because if you’re going to give up something, your brain and your body will fight to keep it for just about two weeks, and then your brain gives up and it goes with your new plan. It really does.

I’m going to start with alcohol. When you look at how often you enjoy an adult beverage, how is your eating affected during these occasions? That’s an area to start with. How is your energy level the next day? Look closely. You know, I’m not talking about hangovers, unless that’s what’s going on for you. I’m talking about your energy the day after. You know, how creative do you need to be in your work? Is it hard on those mornings after, after you’ve had red wine or white wine, or any other beverage? For each of us are so different and how we react.

How ready are you to go to work on Monday? And do you drink a lot of caffeine? Most of these times, a craving for caffeine is after a night of drinking. To be perfectly honest, I love red wine, and when I started wanting to get more done in my mornings, I started looking at what was going on and I realized that my groggy, need more coffee mornings were created from having more than a glass of wine at dinner.

And then I was even sipping it into the evening with a very nice piece of dark chocolate, and before I knew it, it wasn’t just a treat, it was the norm. Yes, it was a new habit and it felt so good. I also was battling the same three pounds and the puffiness that just didn’t seem normal. Oh, maybe it’s the wine. Yep, it was the wine. I’ve done this bold move and I’m now actually recommitting to it because it was the wine. I don’t feel great when I drink more than a glass of wine here and there.

I made a bold move to drink just once a week and I have felt amazing. But I notice that my brain entertains a few thoughts. “Oh, just have a little bit with dinner.” But you know what? I like it much better how I feel now without it most of the week, and I stopped playing around and I stayed in my bold decision. It serves me well. What about you? What would really be a challenge but possibly also be the best feeling ever to do around your alcohol consumption?

Again, it might be deciding to only have a glass of wine at dinner or a beer once a week, it might be just drinking only on weekends, or it might be the actual beverage. You know, I do much better physically sipping bourbon. I go really slow, I choose a really good one, and I don’t feel as groggy the next day at all versus red wine. So make a decision on a bold move, stay committed for two weeks, and see how you feel and decide what works for you. Look at your energy, how it affects your eating patterns, and whether you’re dropping pounds when you want to.

Okay, how about exercise? What’s going on for you there? Are you moving at all? Are you all in sometimes and then not at all? Or are you overly really active and you’re getting injured more lately? Or finding a lot of excuses around exercise. All of us are in a different framework. I want to help all of you, whether you’re super active or maybe working out too hard and your body’s asking for a little rest.

So let’s get real here. What would serve you the best? What plan can you make that works in your real life but will take a commitment on your part? This decision will require you to say no sometimes to evening plans, like choosing the workout instead of meeting friends for drinks after work. Or it might require you to pack your suitcase with workout gear. You might even have to check your bag. Or make reservations at hotels with great gyms.

Or is your bold move not being so dependent on using those sweaty high intensity workouts to burn off those bad choices? Are you afraid to take a rest day? Okay, take a breath here and think about it. What can you commit to that you know deep down that might be the best for you? Do it. Like Nike, make a commitment and stick with it.

Create a plan that includes what you are most resisting here, like early morning workouts so you get it in, or planning a rest day. Or it might be planning for it on a road trip and not letting any excuses win, ever. I promise you, once you get into week two, you’re going to be really glad you made this bold move around activity.

Okay, last but not least, what about sugar and flour? Now, big disclaimer here. I am not a nutritionist and I have no desire to be, but I know very clearly how my body responds to these substances and my ability to stick with clean eating is all centered around my attention to these beautiful and amazing substances that were created for our taste buds, but not our body’s fuel needs.

Sugar and flour create a huge pleasure response not only on our tongue, but in our bodies. And when we eat these treats, our body simply wants more of them. I hope this gives you some insight why your willpower might be lacking.

As your coach here, I want to tell you, I am no longer fooling around with these items because they mess me up. I will have willpower like the next guy and I’ve really been at peace around food for really, the last eight years. Eight to nine years. But when I have a bowl of cereal at night just because it would taste so good or I have white bread or white pasta, I crave carbs for all the meals afterward. It almost takes me 24 hours of turning that around with a lot of green food to feel better.

I do okay eating some of the white flour when I have a high activity week, but in general, these substances are making me a very weak will powered wellness coach, and that doesn’t do well for my reputation, right? Alright, so do you need to cut one or the other out? Sugar or flour? Or do you need to remember to have just one bite? Do you need to order differently? Lettuce wrap sandwiches and other ways that you can be creative about not always including bread.

Do you want to set yourself up for success and not experience those cravings? Then look at these foods. How do you react after you eat them? What would honestly serve you best? You might just find that you don?t need to operate on your willpower space anymore after giving up sugar, for say, two weeks. I’m really serious about that. For some of us, we’re really affected and sensitive to sugar, or white flour, or both.

Your body will not be happy for a couple weeks if you give it up if you’re really used to having it in your diet, and it’s a real big trigger for you. But hang in there. On the other side of getting rid of sugar and flour is peace. You know, I witnessed a client doing this around sugar. She and I were both shocked at the results. Mostly in her peace of mind and lack of cravings.

And now that she’s stuck to it, she’s experiencing more consistent weight loss than she ever has and by getting really serious about sugar for her. Oh, my friends, are you a little uncomfortable? Are you just a little annoyed that there might be something to change?

I know, I’m groaning around my own issues as well, but the payoff is so powerful. It’s so clearly what our body is aching for. Bold moves. They are worth it. But bold moves, remember, are not all or none. They are your gut-based hunch on what would work best for you. You may need to experiment with this but give it two weeks and then tweak it, and report back to me and shoot me your questions. info@dianamurphycoaching.com.

I’ll be with you as I’m all in now on wine only once a week, and I just opened a bottle yesterday and it gets tempting, right? But it’s so good. I feel so much better, and I know for me sometimes it feels like it’s boring sometimes, but my energy, my enthusiasm around life, my mental stability is better. My business is better when I honor these bold moves.

Alright, remember the steps. Where did you resist the most? Where did you not like what I was saying out of those three, alcohol consumption, flour or sugar – and I’m going to say flour and sugar for many of us that we have to give up both, or exercise? Choose just one and then what is your hunch on a very personalized bold move that would really make the difference in your health? Mark the calendar and stay committed to this for two weeks.

Then see the results. What worked and what didn’t? What differences in energy, willpower and overall wellbeing did you feel? I cannot wait to see what happens for you, and I might just celebrate if I get through two more weeks with wine just once a week. You’ll see it on Facebook, believe me.

Until next time. Thanks so much for listening to Weight Loss for CEOs.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Weight Loss for CEOs. If you enjoyed this episode and want more, visit dianamurphycoaching.com for Diana’s latest free coaching tools to get started losing weight without having to start a diet now.