DAY 6- How Should I Eat?

January 6, 2015January 11, 2015 | Robynn Coates

As you begin this journey, you may be asking yourself, “How should I eat?” One thing you will find in Peace with Food is that we don’t dictate to you how you should eat. Remember, Peace with Food is a step-by-step customized lifestyle, tailored specifically for you and that is going to involve you experimenting. That being said, you can relax because we won’t keep you hanging. We’ll share with you how we eat and help you find the perfect fit for you.

Initially your head may be spinning. Should I follow someone’s food plan? Should I go low-carb? Should I count calories and if so how many should I eat daily? Someone, please just tell me exactly what to eat!

Although we won’t tell you what to eat, we will give you some guidance and point you in the right direction. Are you ready?

The first step to Peace with Food (or peace in any area for that matter) is this: Know yourself to improve yourself. Answer the following questions to help you examine yourself in regards to food:

What eating approaches give me the most peace? (i.e. high protein – low carb, counting calories, eating only when I am hungry, etc.)
What eating approaches steal my peace?
Do I prefer an approach that is “tight”, “loose”, or somewhere in between?
Do I prefer coming up with my own eating approach via trial and error or would I like to “shop around” for other proven approaches that might work for me with some adjustments.
Do I or any of my family members have restrictions in food due to health conditions?
What does my landscape of eating look like? (i.e. regular family meals, eating out regularly for business, working around food, other temptations that are prevalent in my life, etc.)
What eating approach could I do for rest of my life?
If I could create any eating approach I wanted to it would look like:
What are my comfort foods?
What are my Love-It foods?
What are my Leave-It foods?
What eating occasions give me peace?
What eating occasions bring me sadness, discomfort, or guilt?

Once you answer these questions you can then begin experimenting with the data you have received. If there is any eating approach that does not give peace, put it aside. Find the approach that gives you the most peace and then begin “trying it on for size.” After you have tried it a time or two it’s time to evaluate. Did it give you peace? If not, what part of it didn’t give you peace? Can you tweak it or do you need to pitch it and try something new?

This will help you begin eating in a way that gives peace with food. Whatever you do, don’t get discouraged. Remember how we said that we failed, and failed, and failed? As long as you are experimenting, you are making progress, so hang in there. You will move forward to greater peace if you do not quit!

Posse Discussion:

Pick and answer a question from the above list and share your response with your posse.

Click Here for Day 7!

Day 5 – Eat What You Want

January 5, 2015January 16, 2015 | Robynn Coates

Now before you come unglued by the title of this post, please hear us out. We understand that eating whatever you want is a total paradigm shift – a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.* And let’s face it. We don’t let go of our assumptions without a fight. So let us explain what we mean when we say you can eat what you want.

For years we tried to eat what everyone told us to eat. We did our best to conform and comply to their rules, but it never brought us peace. When we began our Peace with Food journey however, we took a different approach – that of a scientist. With this mindset, we didn’t try to manipulate the results, but instead we were open-minded and unbiased about the outcome.

That was our approach. We just wanted to experiment to see what really worked.

So, in the spirit of experimentation, and using the resources we had, we set off, clueless as to what we would discover.

Feeling so deprived of being able to eat foods we loved, we gave ourselves permission to experiment with eating the foods we most loved. And when we did we were shocked (in a good way) to see the #peace go up. It was unbelievable because we were breaking all the diet rules, yet our peace was through the roof. And although we allowed ourselves to eat whatever we wanted, we learned early on that if we wanted our #peace to stay up we couldn’t eat as much as we wanted. There were limits. These limits were similar to the the lines on a highway. Going over one line can lead you in the ditch and going over the other line into oncoming traffic. Neither scenario is good, so the lesson we learned was this: keep it between the lines.

Yes, initially we were eating what might be considered a lot junk food, but this was the first time in our life we were doing it with permission and in moderation and the end result was peace. As we continued to pursue peace in this area over time, we saw that we desired to eat healthier foods, not because we had to or because someone was telling us to, but because for the first time in our lives we actually wanted to!

This was a major breakthrough for us.

Peace with Food gave us A Power we had never known to choose healthy eating in a way that dieting never could. It was unbelievable. Now before you think that we are giving you permission to eat anything regardless the results, remember, our whole mantra in Peace with Food is to Follow Peace. Poor health and excessive weight gain doesn’t give lasting peace, so eating in a way that is detrimental to your health would be a deal breaker. For us eating “junk food” for a period of time brought peace because it counteracted the effects of extreme deprivation. It allowed us to psychologically uncoil from years of strict dieting and rule following. It was as if we were making up for all those years of dieting, but doing so in moderation and in peace. Finally, after all the experimentation, this is what we found to be the most effective:

You can eat whatever you want, as long as it brings you peace.

So these days, before we decide to eat something, here are some questions that we will ask ourselves:
-Will eating ______ bring me peace?
-Will the way I will feel after eating ______ bring me peace?
-What quantity of ____will bring me the most peace?
-If I don’t eat _____will I regret it and then end up eating something else later to try and “make up” for it?
-Will eating_____bring me peace or make me feel deprived if I pass it up?

You may be thinking, “There are no foods that give me peace because eating anything causes me to gain weight”. We can understand why you would initially think that. But to further explain, read some of the ways we eat in peace.

Lara Says:
-Eating birthday cake with my kids brings me peace because I know if I pass up that special moment it will make me feel deprived (and, I LOVE cake!). Plus, if I don’t eat it I will have regrets later, resulting in raiding the pantry to make up for it.
-Currently what brings me peace, is allowing myself to eat one or two cookie dough balls and a glass of milk every night. I enjoy indulging in this treat in the evenings, after the kids are asleep in bed–the house is quiet and I can savor every bite. It is the most relaxing part of my day. Earlier in the day, if I am tempted to eat other random sweets, I remind myself that my evening snack (and relaxation time) is what I look forward to the most, which helps me avoid wasting my calories on other cookies I may be tempted with.
-Drinking pop with pizza is another food that brings me peace. I am not a huge pop drinker, but when it comes to pizza I really love having it! Typically pop would be a waste of my calories, but if I try drinking water with pizza I usually regret it…which means I head back to the kitchen later that evening trying to satisfy the desire, even thought moment has passed. Over time I’ve learned that letting myself enjoy pop with pizza is what brings me the most peace–and actually saves me more calories in the long-run because I’m not trying to “make up” for it later!

Robynn Says:
-Thanks to Peace with Food, Robynn actually gave up diet pop. Before PWF she had many unsuccessful attempts at kicking this habit. But with her new PWF mantra of “Follow Peace” she determined she wasn’t willing to give up one more day laying in bed with a splitting headache as her family enjoyed life without her. Does she miss pop? Sure. But does she have greater peace not drinking it to avoid the headaches it caused her? Yes!
-Drinks with calories are a waste of calories for Robynn. Every once in a great while she will enjoy a hot cocoa on a cold wintry day or an ice cold glass of lemonade on a summer day, but for the most part, caloric drinks are an easy way for her to eliminate unnecessary calories.

It is important to mention that what brings you peace today may not bring you peace later. If Lara finds that pop becomes something she “likes” with pizza, but doesn’t “LOVE” then she will switch back to water or make adjustments to find what brings her peace at that time. People change. Moods change. Try to avoid doing things because it is routine, and instead, be more conscious about asking if your actions are still bringing you peace.

This is what has worked for us. Now it’s time to find out what works for you. Remember, you have to know yourself. Know your health and physical condition. Eating junk food may wreak havoc for you with your current health condition which would result in no peace. If you suffer from celiac disease, you’re not going to find peace by disregarding your condition and diving into a plate of pasta. Maybe that would give temporary satisfaction, but it’s end result would not give peace.

Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all so find what works for you!

Are there foods you love, but have made off-limits? Is it time to reintroduce those foods and allow yourself to enjoy them in moderation? Do your own experiment and see how it works:

You can eat whatever you want, as long as it brings you peace.

Then report back to us and tell us what you have discovered!

Posse Discussion:
1-Do you agree with being able to “eat what you want, as long as it gives you peace”?
2-Do you have any questions after reading this post? If so, what are they?

Click Here for Day #6!

*This is Google’s definition for paradigm shift.

**For the majority of people, this principle applies. However, because there is no one-size-fits-all, you may have to adjust this according to your specific needs. This would include, but is not limited to, those who are diabetic, have celiac disease, or some other issue requiring strict monitoring of food intake.

DAY 4 – Week of Food

January 4, 2015January 11, 2015 | Robynn Coates

This week we are talking about FOOD. Yes, food! So to get started, I am going to share with you my #1 favorite and most helpful tool (a.k.a. skill) when it comes to food. I call it Don’t Waste Your Calories.

Initially you may be thinking that I’m meaning you need to count your calories and stay within a very specific calorie intake. Well, not so fast. Not wasting your calories, to me, is actually only eating foods that 1) Absolutely love OR 2)Benefit me nutritionally–that’s right, healthy foods!

You may be asking, “People only eat food they love, don’t they?” (Unless, of course, they are on a diet.) Well that’s what I used to think! But once I started asking myself the following questions after I put something in my mouth, my perspective changed a bit: Do I really LOVE how this tastes? Do I just like it? Or am I just eating it because it is available?

Let me give you some examples of ways I used to waste my calories:
-Eating leftover food from my kids’ plates as I cleaned off the table.
-Grabbing a few cold french fries as I get up from the table at a restaurant.
-Pizza crust (I never really realized how much I don’t LOVE pizza crust!)
-Random candy I found in the house or that kids left on the counter.
-An unopened bag of chips while I was cooking dinner.
-I am not hungry, but I head to the kitchen to try to “find” something that sounds good.
-Eating food that is easily available (food that is right there), not because I actually love it.

I have actually gone so far as to spit stuff out if I taste it and realize I didn’t love it. For example, I might take a bite of a cookie and notice it is stale as soon as it hits my tongue. There is no need to consume 50 calories of a stale cookie–that would be 50 calories I could use on something I actually enjoy!–so in that instance I would usually spit it out in a napkin and throw it away. 50 calories here and there could really add up. Over the course of a month, look how many calories you could avoid simply by cutting out the foods that don’t meet your love expectations!

Obviously there will be situations where you need to eat certain foods that you may not love, such as at a dinner party when it would be rude to spit it out. But majority of the time you have the ability to stop or throw away what you are eating if it isn’t meeting your qualifications 😉 And remember, only you can decide what your taste buds desire the most.

So there you have it! To utilize the Don’t Waste Your Calories tool, make every calorie count by either making sure you love how it tastes or it provides nutrition for your body (or adjust this tool by defining it in a way that gives you peace!).

Posse Discussion:

Part 1: Name one food item that you have been wasting your calories on because you mindlessly eat it.
Part 2: If you were to eliminate this food item, what #peace would it give you (Use Peace Chart below)? If completely eliminating this item brings no peace, what can you do that would give you peace?

Click Here for Day 5!

DAY 3- You Deserve This

January 3, 2015January 11, 2015 | Robynn Coates

A couple days ago we talked about rating your peace. To some it may seem like too simple of a concept, but let me warn you, don’t underestimate its power. When I began taking a deeper look at my life in regards to food, and honestly rating my level of peace before, during, and after I ate, I noticed a shift in my life. I would be like a kid on Christmas morning, rubbing my eyes because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing before me–something special, something magical–a change for the better.

For once, it wasn’t a diet or rule telling me how or what to eat. This time, it was my inner self that suddenly started making different choices. And surprisingly, the decision to continue trying various PWF Tools wasn’t very difficult either. I actually wanted to give them a try, because I knew the results may give me even greater levels of peace. To this day, some tools work better for me than others, but that is the beauty of trying them. You get to tweak and adjust them, based of the level of peace they give you, and you can alter them to work to your advantage. You deserve this

Now as great as all of this sounds, it is important to address that some of you may still be a little timid to keep trying Peace with Food…because you are scared. Scared…to see a change. I want you to know that those feelings are completely normal. I was there at one time too. You feel vulnerable because you don’t know what the outcome will be and you’ve tried so many things over the years that have let you down. Failure after failure with weight-loss attempts continue to haunt you, so why try this?

All I can say, dear friend, is I am taking the time to write you today because this has changed my life. And it’s not like I’ve only lived it out for a short couple of weeks. It’s actually coming upon 4 years that I’ve lived this way and I am still so “awed” by it that I have to share it with you. So for what it is worth, please, come join me, and invite others to come along too. Give it a chance. I want to do this with you because I know it can improve your life too…

Posse Discussion: What reservations do you have about trying the 30-Day Peace with Food challenge? Why? Share with your group.

Click here for Day 4!

DAY 2 – Know Yourself To Improve Yourself

January 2, 2015January 13, 2015 | Robynn Coates

There is a quote by Auguste Comte that says,

“Know yourself to improve yourself.”

Socrates said it this way,

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Great advice.

But something we don’t always do. Especially in our hectic life.

Besides, it can be a bit messy and inconvenient. After all, maybe we will find something we don’t like. Maybe we will be faced with a character trait that we would rather not acknowledge. Or maybe we just don’t have the time to really delve into the deepest part of us: our hopes, ours fears, our dreams.

Maybe we don’t want to take the time to know ourselves because then we will be forced to speak up and perhaps rock the boat. Maybe we will have to confront or challenge the status quo.

That may be the down-side, but there is an up-side to knowing yourself and it is this:

Knowing yourself gives you direction and clarity. It acts as a compass, pointing you in the direction that you should go. Knowing yourself also makes life easier in that it eliminates options and makes your choices clearer. And that is a good thing. know yourself

In living with peace, whether that be with food, finances, relationships, or whatever it may be. . . you need to know yourself. What are your preferences? Your likes? Dislikes? What gives you peace? What leaves you with that pit in your stomach? What do you value most?

How well do you know yourself?

In this blog we will be discussing peace in the many different aspects of your life such as food, exercise, the scale, habits, finance, parenting, and relationships. To have direction in each of these areas, self-knowledge will be not only helpful, but necessary.

Here’s a list of questions to help you “know yourself” in these areas. They may not all be appropriate for each scenario, but consider using them to learn more about yourself in an area you are wanting to improve. (Sample answers are in italics)

What is your greatest heart’s desire regarding _(ex. Your Career) ? A job that allows me to use my artistic talents.
What makes your heart sing regarding ___________?
What is your greatest fear regarding __(ex. Relationships)____? My lack of trust.
What discourages you or defeats you regarding ___________?
What one thing would you change about ___(ex. Your Attitude)_? Being able to “reset” after having a bad morning.
What do you value most in the area of ___(Relationship) __?
What are your gifts and talents regarding ________________?
What comes easy for you, but not necessarily for others in the area of ___________?
What is difficult for you, but not necessarily for others in the area of ____________?
What motivates you regarding __(ex. Eating Right)__? An accountability partner.
What do you like in regards to ________________?
What do you dislike in regards to ______________?
What would you do if you knew you were guaranteed success in regards to ________?
What would life look like if it were perfect in regards to _____________?

These questions got us started, but we didn’t stop there. We’re still asking ourselves questions and searching for ways we can be better and do better.

But there is one question we want to leave you with today. It is a question we think may be the most powerful question you can ask yourself when pursuing peace. And it is this:

What one habit, if you had it, would give you a quantum leap (giant boost) in achieving your goals?

Once you answer that question, begin focusing on developing that one habit. It may even mean letting go of all other goals and pursuing exclusively the development of that one habit.

Here’s an example of this from Robynn’s life: For years she would place on her list of New Year’s Resolutions things like drinking 8 glasses of water, eating a certain amount of fruits and vegetables, not eating sweets, etc. However, these were not the root of her eating and weight problem. Focusing on them only delayed her dealing with the heart of the matter: her all-or-nothing mindset which prevented her from resetting after a mess-up. Once she identified the problem (being able to “reset”), and put all her focus and energy on getting better at that one habit, it eventually resulted in huge gains.

Do you see how Robynn’s list went from being long (8 glasses of water, eating fruits/veggies, etc, etc.) to focusing on 1 thing, every day, and being committed to doing it well? Once she got the hang of it, she was seeing substantial results in her weight-loss and it never required her doing all the other little things that once filled her list. It is easy to write out a bunch of busy-work items, but they aren’t fixing the root of the problem. Consider utilizing the “edit” button and make some changes to your New Year’s Resolution by minimizing your goals and learning how to do them well.

Now it’s your turn…

Posse Discussion: What one habit it, if you had it, would give you a quantum (giant) leap in achieving your weight-loss goals?

*If you haven’t started a posse group yet, we encourage you to use the “Posse Discussion” green questions/topics at the bottom of our posts to help facilitate your group discussions. If you don’t have a posse group, please join our group! All you have to do is share your answer by commenting at the bottom of this post!

Click here for Day 3!

DAY 1- Rate Your Peace

January 1, 2015January 11, 2015 | Robynn Coates

Hey everyone–Happy 2015! Today begins our 30-day PWF challenge, so let’s get started!

If we were to sum up Peace with Food in a word or phrase it would be this:

But if you’re new to pursuing peace that may be too abstract. You may be wondering, “What exactly does Follow Peace mean? What does peace look like? What does it feel like?”

We’ve come up with a tool, a “peace gauge” if you will, to help you rate your level of peace. Our inspiration came from Lara taking her daughter to the ER where she was shown a chart consisting of different facial expressions, ranging from happy to sad, and numbers to rate her pain.

Below is a similar assessment to help identify your level of peace. Throughout the 30-Day PWF Challenge we will be asking you to rate your peace in different areas: food, exercise, your body, the scale, etc. At first it may be challenging to pin point where you fall on the chart, however, you will find that as you continue to practice, you will eventually master this skill.

We were thrilled to find the peace chart doesn’t just work in the area of food, exercise, and your body, but in other areas of life as well. For example, when Lara becomes overwhelmed with her schedule she stops and asks herself to rate her peace on each of her committments. By identifying what activities are lacking peace she may decide to decline them in the future, or make changes so her peace level goes up.

Believe it or not, learning to follow peace in the area of food will actually help you follow peace in other areas of your life too. That’s right, Peace with Food is transferable, which is why we continue to say that it has literally changed our lives in SO MANY ways!

So let’s begin by rating our peace today…

Posse Discussion: Using the chart above, what #peace would you rate your current relationship with food? (Write the date and your answer in a notebook b/c we will be referring back to this number later)

*If you haven’t started a posse group yet, we encourage you to use the “Posse Discussion” green questions/topics at the bottom of our posts to help facilitate your group discussions. If you don’t have a posse group, please join our group! All you have to do is share your answer by commenting at the bottom of this post or join our facebook page!

Click here for Day 2!

Time to Celebrate!

December 31, 2014January 11, 2015 | Robynn Coates

A new beginning! We can’t begin to tell you how excited we are for you as you set out on the Peace with Food journey because we remember WELL our new beginning.

It was April 24, 2012.

That is when we drew a line in the sand and said no more diets. And almost three years later it is a decision we will never regret. Life-changing. Sounds dramatic, but it’s true.

So, are you ready for this new beginning?! How are you going to celebrate?

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Do something that is significant to you. Have fun with a friend or posse. If you prefer it more low key, just stay home, veg and do something that you enjoy. Watch your favorite movie. Write out your goals for the upcoming year. Make a Live-It List (our version of a bucket list).

Do whatever speaks to you. Robynn actually wrote out a contract and signed it. You don’t need to do that unless you want. (We’re including a Fresh Start Pact at the end of this post in case you are one to like writing it down!)

Dream about where you want to be a year from today. See yourself living in peace and make a plan to take small steps daily to develop the habits and skills necessary. Remember the famous U.S. Army General George Patton’s quote:

The best plan today is better than the perfect plan tomorrow.

So don’t worry if the plan isn’t perfect. It will unfold for you as you go. For now, celebrate this new beginning – living a life full of peace. Are you ready?!

Let the party (and your new life) begin!!

Take-Home Message: Celebrate your new life!

Click here for Day 1!

My Fresh Start Pact
Living at Peace with Food

It’s a new beginning!

On this date, ________________________________________

I, ___________________________________, am committing to a fresh start!

Today I am drawing a line in the sand and kissing diets good-bye for life!

Today I take 100% responsibility for my life.

From this day forward I will focus on #PEACE.

I will Follow Peace rather than fads, diets, or what everyone else is doing. Instead, I will find what works for me and what gives me peace.

I commit to gaining the skills that will lead to Peace with Food – skills that are transferable to all other areas of my life. I will live my best life ever – a life full of peace!

It is with excitement to begin my Peace with Food journey that I sign this pact!

Date _____________________________________

Name ______________________________________

(You may also want to have your posse sign this pact for an extra measure of accountability.)

Click on the link below for the PDF Version of the Fresh Start Pact:

Peace with Food Fresh Start Pact

Pick Up Toto…AND RUN!!

December 30, 2014January 11, 2015 | Robynn Coates

If you’ve ever seen the Wizard of Oz, you know that Dorothy was on a mission to find the Wizard. Throughout the journey she was presented with road blocks and, many times, the best plan in those situations was for Dorothy to simply pick up Toto and run.

Isn’t that the way life is? We try to follow a straight path, but regardless of how much we plan and prepare, we’re always faced with some type of obstacle or challenge along the way? Either that or being aware of potential road blocks cause us to give up before we even try! If you can relate to either of these situations, consider this…

A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow.
~George Patton

Often times the best medicine is to take action NOW instead of waiting for that perfect “someday”. Because we all know what happens to those “somedays”…We’re still waiting for many of them, aren’t we? Pick up toto

When it comes to Peace with Food, we hope you’ll be encouraged to start taking those small steps toward peace at this very moment. Don’t over think it, just do it. You can start small by committing to read our stories and strategies (blog posts) on a daily bases. That is all you have to do. We used the same approach three years ago. We took a few minutes out of every day to experiment ways to have peace with food. Nowadays, it is something we do that takes very little thought. By taking one small step today, you are planting a seed that, over time, will evolve into a lifetime of peace. And who doesn’t want that?!

Don’t miss your window of opportunity because you are waiting for the perfect moment. Start now.

Find What Fits

December 29, 2014January 11, 2015 | Robynn Coates

Have you ever tried to put on someone else’s clothing and found they were too tight or too loose? Maybe the fit wasn’t the issue, instead it was the style. It just wasn’t you.

The same holds true in eating and exercise. As you begin experimenting with what works best for you, there will be some approaches that are too tight. They will prove to be way too restrictive. Some will be too loose. They don’t provide the appropriate boundaries to keep you in check. And lastly, there will be plenty that are just not your style.

Don’t worry if it takes a little time to find the perfect fit. The important thing is that you keep trying until you find what works best for you. With each failed attempt you can cross one more approach off your list. As the saying goes: No harm, no foul. One step closer to finding what does work.

This is one of the Peace with Food mantra’s: Find what works for you.

This approach is applicable not just in the areas of eating and physical activity, but in every other aspect of our lives. Just because “everyone” else is doing something (which is never really the case), that doesn’t mean that we need to be involved in what they’re doing.

Are you feeling pressure to do something that your friends, family, or colleagues are doing? If so, take the pressure off yourself and find what works for you.

How?

Just follow peace. When you do, you’ll begin to find those things that are the perfect fit for you.

Take-Home Message:

Find what works for you.