If you are like most people, then the holidays led to a
few extra pounds or kilograms as you enjoyed feasting and
snacking with family and friends. The message is
everywhere in the media: it's time to lose weight. They
must know that the start of a New Year is a good time to
strike.
Whether you gained weight last year or not, maintaining a
healthy weight is everyone's concern. And to do that, we
need more than behavioral modification. We need
environmental modification, to support our efforts with
the things we do and don't want to eat. Two examples:
- I love salsa (the hotter the better), but chips and
salsa can be a high-calorie snack thanks to the oil and
grain in the chips. An alternative is celery and salsa,
providing all the crunch and virtually no calories.
Unfortunately, celery takes time to clean and prepare,
whereas chips are always ready and waiting. The answer?
Clean an entire bunch of celery at one time, keeping it
fresh in the refrigerator in water. When it's time to
snack, celery and salsa are conveniently ready and
waiting. The environment supports our best intentions.
- We love Pad Thai, which includes ground peanuts as a topping. We used to buy roasted,
organic, unsalted peanuts and grind them whenever we made
Pad Thai. The problem? The peanuts in the cupboard were a
high-calorie, snacking temptation. The answer? Grind all
the peanuts at once, storing them in an airtight jar.
Without having to rely on will power, snacking on peanuts
is eliminated because the ground bits are too small to be
enjoyable. Once again, environment modifications support
our best intentions.
As coaches, we often work with clients who want to modify
their behavior. But to be successful over the long term,
and to turn behavioral modifications into effortless
habits, we often have to coach to the environment as well
Coaching Inquiries: Do you want to change your behavior in
the New Year? How could you modify your environment to support
those changes? Consider home, office, and car (in addition to
your web of relationships) as you ponder your different
environments?
To reply to this Pathway, use our
Feedback Form. To learn more about our
Wellness Coaching programs and to arrange for a complimentary wellness coaching
session, use our Contact Form or
Email Bob.
May you be filled with goodness, peace, and joy.
Bob Tschannen-Moran
President, LifeTrek Coaching International,
www.LifeTrekCoaching.com
CEO & Co-Founder, Center for School Transformation,
www.SchoolTransformation.com
2010-2011 President, International Association of Coaching,
www.CertifiedCoach.org
Address: 121 Will Scarlet Lane, Williamsburg, VA 23185-5043
Phone: (757) 345-3452
Fax: (772) 382-3258
Skype: LifeTrek
Twitter: @LifeTrekBob
Mobile: www.LifeTrekMobile.com
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