SPEAKER_01 0:01

Hey team, welcome back. It's week eight. And this week we're taking a deep dive into something that most health programs probably never prepare you for, and that is socializing. We're talking about birthdays, work dinners, family dinners, weekends away, those moments where food and drink are not just fuel but they're connections, celebration, tradition. And for a lot of women, these are also the moments where the progress that you've built during the week suddenly feels like it's on shaky ground. So if that's ever been you, know that you're not alone and you're not doing anything wrong. Around this point in the program, social situations are one of the most common places where we see women lose a bit of traction. Not because they lack willpower, but because nobody ever gave them the framework for how to actually navigate it. So this week we're going to change that. So for your health track this week, we're looking at how to socialize without sabotaging your progress. How to eat out, drink consciously, and enjoy your life without undoing eight weeks of great work in one weekend. So the thing that a lot of programs and coaching gets wrong is that they treat social situations as the enemy. They tell us to avoid the breadbasket, to say no to wine, to eat before you go so you're not tempted. And while some of those strategies really do have merit, and we will get into that, it's the framing that's all wrong. Because food and connection is deeply human, and sharing a meal with people you love is one of life's genuine pleasures. Our goal is never to take that away from you. Our goal is to give you the tools and the context so you can be present and enjoy it without derailing everything that you've built. So let's talk about it practically, because practical is what actually works. And let's start with eating out. The first thing to know is that when you're eating out, you're not starting from zero. You've spent eight weeks building up to this point to understanding protein, to understanding food volume, understanding calorie awareness and what your body actually needs. And that knowledge comes with you when you go to the restaurant. As soon as you leave the door, you bring that with you. So my big biggest tip here is to look at the menu before you go. When you decide in advance what you're going to eat, you take the decision out of the high pressure, out of the hungry, socially charged environment at the dinner table. And you're making a calm, considered decision, a conscious choice from the couch rather than from the reactive space where you might be feeling ravenous and the bread basket's just arrived and you might be feeling a little socially nervous as well. So we're making our decisions in a more calm and focused centered place. So when you're deciding what you're going to eat ahead of time, make sure you're anchoring your meal in protein first. So whatever you choose, make protein the centerpiece of your plate. It might be a piece of fish, a chicken dish, a steak, a legume-based meal. Just as long as protein is in there, it's going to help keep you satisfied and of course support your muscle recovery. And the protein in the dish is also going to stop your blood sugar from spiking, which can typically happen if we were to eat some high carbohydrate meal like risotto or pasta. And just remember as well, another top little tip is that you don't have to eat everything on the plate. So just gauge because often, if you think about when we get those giant palmas with chips, they are enormous. They're two or three times more than what we actually need to eat. And they're often got two or three more times the oil than we would have if we were to cook this same dish at home. So when you're tracking that food, be conscious to add an extra couple of teaspoons of oil as well, because chefs love to cook with butter. And remember that you don't need to eat everything on your plate just before because it's there. Give yourself permission to eat till about a six or seven on the hunger scale. Just notice if you're feeling satisfied and nourished instead of eating until you're stuffed. And then leave the rest. It's not waste. It really isn't. It's just wisdom. It's you taking what you need from the food. I also try to be mindful of removing the deep fried potatoes. So if you can opt for potato mash over deep fried chips or potatoes, you're going to save yourself a lot of calories there as well. And when it comes to the bread basket, you get to decide. I want you to think about if that serving of bread is genuinely going to add to the enjoyment of the meal. And if so, choose it consciously and choose it with love and enjoy every bite. If it's just there because it's there and you really wouldn't miss it, then let it go. The difference between those two choices is just awareness. It's not rules and doing what feels right for your body. And when it comes to the bread basket, you get to decide. I want you to think about if that serving of bread is genuinely going to add to the enjoyment of the meal. And if so, choose it consciously and choose it with love and enjoy every bite. If it's just there because it's there and you really wouldn't miss it, then let it go. The difference between those two choices is just awareness. It's not rules and doing what feels right for your body. And before we move on to the drinks conversation, there are a few more things that are worth weaving in here. One, before you arrive at any social event, you might want to consider telling a close friend or a family member about your goals. And it doesn't have to be a big deal or a big conversation, simply a heads up. That can be enough. Sometimes that alone will just take the pressure off the moment, and the people who care about you will often quietly have your back without you even having to ask. So sometimes it's good to have someone in your corner who gets it. And if you have the option to bring a dish to share, I would highly encourage you to take it. I always take cucumber and carrot and capsicum sticks to any cheese platter I go to. I'll often bring a light dip like a Daziki or a Homice dip as well. That way I know that there's plenty of plenty I can munch on and crunch on and dip into without feeling like I'm overdoing the crackers and cheese. So by bringing something that you know is right for you, it guarantees that there's something on the table that works. And generally, most guests absolutely appreciate the gesture. And once you're there, this is a huge tip and something I always try to focus on. Try to remember that you're there to connect with the people. So instead of focusing on the event being all about the food and the drinks, instead we place our focus on the connection. The meal is the backdrop. The conversation, the laughter, the connection, that is what we're actually there for. And when our attention goes there, the food naturally becomes less central and the choices become easier. And finally, there is something that I'd love to share with you here, and it's backed by neuroscience, that genuinely surprised me when I first learned it. Did you know that our brains contain mirror neurons? So these mirror neurons are what makes us naturally inclined to mimic the behavior of the people around us, including what they eat and drink. So when everyone at the table reaches for another round of drinks or a round of desserts, and your brain quietly is nudging you to do the same, just know that that's not weakness, that's just your wiring. That's your mirror neurons telling you to do as your friends are doing. And sometimes simply the act of knowing that it's your mirror neurons, that it's not necessarily what you want, gives you the power to consciously choose differently. Okay, so now let's jump into a chat about alcohol, because this is where people need the most honest and non-judgmental conversation, and this conversation is often completely overlooked or underrated when it comes to health programs. So we've talked about liquid choices in week four and sleep disruption from alcohol in week seven. This week I want to talk about the social dimension because the pressure around drinking in group settings is real. We all know it, it's been there since we were sometimes teenagers, and it deserves to be named. So there is a real deeply embedded expectation, particularly in our Australian culture, to drink at celebrations, to drink at work events, at dinners with friends. And saying no can really feel awkward. And so many people drink because they particul don't particularly want to, but because it feels easier than explaining themselves. And here's the truth you do not owe anyone an explanation. You can decline a drink with confidence and warmth without saying a single word of justification. If you need some tips with that, I'll give you three good sentences that you can say. They're complete sentences with no further justification needed. Here's the first one. No thank you, I'm good with this for now. No thanks, I'm driving tonight. Not for me tonight, thank you. You'll notice it's a short, complete sentence with no explanation needed. And if you do choose to drink, here's how to do it in a way that does not undo your entire week. One, make sure you eat first. And we all hear this, but sometimes we forget, because protein, particularly protein in your stomach before you drink, significantly slows alcohol absorption. So arriving hungry means that you're not only likely to overeat, but it also means that alcohol will absorb faster and harder, and your judgment will shift more significantly, more quickly, which means you might not make choices that are in your best interest. So make sure you've got food in your stomach if you are going to have a few drinks. Also, set an intention before you arrive. Not a rigid rule, but a clear intention. What are you choosing to have this evening? Will it be one glass, two glasses? Make a cap for yourself. Something that gives you an anchor to point to before the evening takes on its own momentum. And alternate with sparkling water. If you have chosen to have two or three drinks and you know you're going to be out on your feet for potentially six or eight hours, make sure you're alternating with something like sparkling water. Alternate with every alcoholic drink. That'll help slow down the pace of your drinking, but it also keeps you hydrated. Another top tip is to choose lower calorie options where you can. For example, a vodka and soda with lime is about 65 calories, whereas a standard glass of wine is closer to 150 to 200 calories. So you could have half the calories by choosing something like vodka and lime. Frangelico is another lovely option with soda water that has that little bit of sweetness to it if you're looking for a bit of a sweet flavor. It also has less alcohol than vodka. So if you're wanting to make sure you don't tip over the edge in terms of your ability to think clearly and make good choices, then choosing a lower alcohol spirit is also a good option. And something like a cocktail with fruit juice and syrup can be 200 to 300 calories or more. So it's just important that we're knowing that the cho what choices we're making, if we are trying to be in a calorie deficit and achieve some body fat goals, and we're trying to optimize our recovery from our workouts and building muscle, then we don't want to be allocating thousands of calories every week to empty, nutritionally sparse choices like alcohol. Sometimes if you look across your week and you add up all the calories that have come from alcohol, you might see that you're actually consuming almost a day's worth of food from a nutritionally empty choice. A choice that's actually not aligned with your goals and is giving you no benefit. Next, I want to share with you two stories because they genuinely move me when I was part of these transformations. So these are two of our legacy members who have shared their stories with us, with their consent, of course, and you'll find the links to their full story in the health track as well. So, firstly, Nicole, I'll chat about Nicole. She was actually a member at Legacy before she became one of our trainers there. And Nicole did in as part of her transformation whereby she lost 15 kilos altogether, there was a time when she took up the challenge of dry July. And you this is something you might have heard about but never committed to. But dry July is a challenge whereby you're raising money and you are not you are choosing not to drink for the entire month. And in that month, Nicole lost more body fat than she had in the six months prior. And not because alcohol was the only thing standing between her and her goals, but because removing alcohol created space, physical space for her to be in a calorie budget, calorie deficit, but also mental space in her decision making and emotional space in how her body responded to the food without the interference from alcohol. So Nicole wasn't a heavy drinker, but she was a social drinker. And even just that shift in not drinking for the month of July, she noticed she was able to make choices around her meal prep and recover from her workouts better in a way that just made everything, made her body sing and made her results come in a much more efficient and predictable manner. So once she mastered that, she found it much easier to balance it. Sometimes it's just having that period of abstinence that helps you learn some new tools and manage socializing in a way that doesn't always involve alcohol. And then I'd also love to share the story about Fiona. I recommended to Fiona a book called Alan Carr's Easy Way to Control Alcohol. It's in your health track this week, and if you do have any trouble finding it, do let me know. This was a book that I read when I was pregnant, uh actually prior to being pregnant, because I wanted to know that when I was pregnant, I wasn't going to be feeling like I was missing out uh in social situations. I wanted to know that I wasn't codependent on alcohol. So I read this book uh because it's written uh by the same author who wrote the book How to Stop Smoking. And the way that it's written, it really helps, it really helps you to understand the physiological patterns behind drinking and the way we're socially conditioned to associate alcohol with reward and relaxation. And so Fiona read the book and it completely changed her relationship with alcohol. And in the end, she gave it up permanently, not through white knuckling it or through sheer willpower and grit, but through genuine relief and clarity. She no longer missed it at all. So both women found their own path, and this is not about telling you what you need to do, but it is about giving you tools and some stories and some experiences that I've seen that have worked for women in the past and for me, so that you have the tools and the information to make the best choice that's right for you. Okay, so let's move on to our mindset track for this week. And it's just a little something to be mindful of. Comes down to behavior change and how that affects our social network. So when you start eating differently and training consistently, something shifts in how you show up to the people you love, how you show up in your social world, and maybe sometimes even at home. And sometimes the people around you notice, and frankly, their reactions can be complicated. Some will cheer you on, some will quietly feel challenged by your choices because your choices hold up a mirror to their own. And they will pressure you to eat the cake or to have another drink. Not because they want to sabotage you necessarily, but because your consistency makes them uncomfortable in a way that they might not be able to articulate. And none of this is your problem to solve. But what is worth knowing is that it might happen to you so that you're not being blindsided by it. You are allowed to change, and you are allowed to want different things for your health and your body than you did six months ago or even six years ago. And you are allowed to show up for a dinner to eat in a way that serves you. You don't have to shrink yourself or pretend that you're not doing this work just to make other people feel comfortable. So this week, go back to your values, think back to the worksheet that we did in week four, from your why in week one. So thinking back to those values from week four and to your why from week one, what were the reasons for you to begin this program? Because when your reasons for being here are bigger than the temptation in front of you, the choice becomes easier. It's not always easy, but it does become easier. It's important to remember why you're here. So your mindset track lesson this week in the program does go deeper into this. And it also connects to something that Peter sees on the gym floor all the time. So I'll hand you over to her now.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

Hey team, Peter here. One of the things I love most about watching members progress through this program is seeing the confidence shift. And it doesn't stay in the gym. I see it in the way women talk about food at events, the way they make choices at work lunches, and the way they handle the I'll go on, just have one moments without second guessing themselves. That confidence comes from knowledge and from practice, and it builds over time. So if social situations still feel hard right now, that's completely normal. Every time you navigate one well, it gets a little easier. You are literally building a new skill, and skills take repetition. You've got this. Keep going.

SPEAKER_01 20:46

Thanks, Peter. And your action track this week, we've got three things. First, plan ahead for any social event that you have this week. Remember what we talked about? Look at the menu if you can. Decide ahead what you're going to eat before you arrive. And set one intention. Hold on to it for the night. Not as a rule, but for a guide. Secondly, perhaps have make some time to try meditation this week. In your action track lesson, you'll find a lesson on meditation. It doesn't have to be a huge formal practice, but even just taking five minutes out of your day, and we will show you in the app exactly how to start, and it really can be simpler than you think. And the reason why you want to open yourself to learning this skill of meditating and being with your emotions is because we're talking about social pressure this week and navigating emotionally charged situations. So having that tool in your tool belt of knowing how to regulate your nervous system is really, really valuable. And having the ability to pause between an urge and an action in is the same skill that you're building in your nutrition habits. So meditation trains exactly that. And thirdly, if you do happen to have a social event this week that doesn't go perfectly, do not let one evening or one meal become a reason to abandon the rest of the week or even the rest of the day. Go back to your next meal as planned. That's all you have to do. Just remember that one event does not define your progress, but how you respond to that event does. So plan ahead, have a go at doing some meditation, and if you do have a little slip up, get back on track without any drama. And that's your week. Eight weeks in team, congratulations once again. You've built something real here, real knowledge, real habits, and real confidence. And that does not disappear the moment you walk into a restaurant or party. It comes with you. So trust what you've learned and enjoy your life and keep on building.