178 Go ALL IN on Your Health and Body this Summer

What if instead of overindulging this summer, you doubled down on your body goals? It’s the best time for it! This episode will spark motivation to go ALL IN on showing up for yourself when it comes to feeling great in your body no matter how tempting those summer sliders, ice cream cones or bbq drinks are. 

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why summer is the BEST time to release excess body fat
• Unconventional advice for common summer challenges like temptation, food pushers and feeling self conscious 

Book a free call during Next Steps June to see if the Mindful Shape coaching program is right for you.

• Shape Shift Program LEARN MORE
• Instagram: @mindful_shape
• Free Self Coaching Resources
• Interested in getting coached by me? Go to my website mindfulshape.com

Transcript

This transcript was auto-generated, please forgive any weirdness.

[00:00:00] Hi, and welcome to the Mindful Shape Podcast. I am Paula Parker, and this podcast is really to help you become the healthiest and strongest version of yourself inside and out because, of course, we know it starts from the inside, and then we start to see the results with our bodies. So as I'm recording this, it is the end of May, and depending on where you live in the world, it is potentially a very nice time of year, and the weather is starting to get warmer, and the days are longer, at least it is here on Vancouver Island, where I live.

And you might be thinking about summer coming, and you might think that summertime is a really hard time for you to reach your body goals, for you to get in great shape or release excess weight or release, you know, fat off your body because there are more challenges. You might be thinking about some social outings, like [00:01:00] there are more barbecues and things like that.

There's lots of indulgent foods around, like we go for ice cream. That's a thing. Or there's more alcohol, like you're having beer or wine or cocktails, like on a patio or at a barbecue. So that can be a challenge Also, you might have some time off, which sounds great because you're like, "Oh, I'll have more time to focus on this."

But then also what happens is there's less structure. And so when there's less structure to our days, sometimes we can find ourselves snacking a little bit more and not going to the gym like we maybe would be or getting our workouts in.

So there's another thing too that I think happens in the summer that can leave you a little less motivated, which is feeling self-conscious. So of course, in the summertime, weather is warmer. We're outdoors. We need to be oftentimes wearing short sleeves or tank tops or shorts or these kinds of things.

And if we don't love [00:02:00] how we are looking in our body, we can feel really self-conscious, and then we go down the spiral of negativity, and we can feel feelings of despair, and you just kinda wanna give up. And you're like, "Well, it's hopeless," right? Like, "I didn't reach my goal by summer. I didn't... I'm not bikini ready."

Like, we have these thoughts, and then we feel less motivated to show up for ourselves, do the workout, plan our day in terms of food, or say no when the food is very tempting. So if this is you, you might not be feeling super pumped about your body goals or releasing weight over the summer or just summer in general.

You might not be feeling as excited about it as you could be. You might be thinking, "Well, I'm just gonna hold off. Like, I'm just gonna, you know, have fun, enjoy this time, and then maybe I'll revisit this in the fall." And there's that, like, holding pattern. Like, there's a feeling of waiting. Waiting to start has a feeling to it, you know?

[00:03:00] It's like you're just on pause So my goal in this episode specifically is really to convince you that it is the perfect time, that there is no better time to go all in on your health and your body goals starting right now and then through summer. So I'm gonna offer you some specific solutions for the challenges that I mentioned so that you can have something very tangible in terms of how do you deal with those challenges in a new way.

And then also I'm gonna offer you just a reframe on how to think about spring, summer, so that you are willing to go all in, that you are really excited about going all in. Okay, so first point is now, whenever now is, whenever you are listening to this, okay?

It doesn't even have to be the time that I'm recording this, because now is always the perfect time to show up for yourself, to really turn toward yourself, [00:04:00] and this really relies on the premise that you believe that your body goal, that your health goals, that eating on track and moving your body is supportive of you, that it is a real turning towards yourself, that it's for you, that you're not doing this because you should or you have to, or you have to fit into some mold, and that it's happening to you like some sort of diet, but instead that you are really doing this from a place of care, and you like your reasons.

So whatever your reasons are, it could just be that you want it, you want a certain aesthetic, or you want to feel a certain way in your body. That is good enough. But you love your reasons. For instance, tracking can be a tough one for many people. It's, like, annoying to track or measuring your food if you are getting very precise.

Now, of course, not everyone has to do this. If you are dealing with emotional [00:05:00] eating, that might be the first step, is you're just learning how to not overeat. You're learning how to not turn to food to relax, to celebrate, to unwind. And then once you get the hang of that, then there might be a time when you reach a plateau, and you need to really take a closer look at what you're doing.

And so if that's the case, you might need to be tracking what you're doing. Or you're just starting out, and you don't really know what's going on, and so you really do need to track for a short period of time to see the food that you're eating. Because oftentimes we really underestimate how much food we are taking in, just like a little bit this or there really adds up.

So for many of us, we feel like, ugh, tracking is, like, such an annoying thing. It's, like, something we have to do versus This is something that I really get to do. Like, truly, honestly, I get to do this, and I have so many tools available, apps, [00:06:00] just even tracking with a notebook. Like, there are so many tools that you have to know what's going on in your body.

There's so much information. So looking at it like that, like, I get to track so that I know what I'm putting in my body because when I have that information, then I can make better decisions, and I can get closer to what I want. Okay? So you're really seeing it as something that you're doing for yourself.

Again, it can be hard to think, like, now is the perfect time because, like, today, because our brains just... they just love to put things off. So we will constantly think it will be easier tomorrow. On Monday, you know, diet starts Monday. That is real. We get such a dopamine high, and it is so compelling to think, "You know what?

Today, I can kinda do whatever I want because tomorrow, like, tomorrow is a day when I'm gonna get right back on track, and I'm gonna be super [00:07:00] committed." And there's this... I think of it as almost like a siren song. It's, like, so alluring to be like, "Yeah, tomorrow I'm gonna start." And then what happens is we never, like, really get started.

Our brain likes to tell us this story that now is not a good time. Sunday afternoon, is not a good time because we are unwilling to feel the discomfort of that. Years and years ago, when I was doing the Master Cleanse, there was these forums online, because when you're going through that, it's tough, and you look anywhere you can for support.

So I would be reading these forums, and somebody wrote something that I just resonated with so much, which was when you're at work, all you wanna do is get home because you think, "Ugh, when I'm at home, I won't have to focus on work, and it's gonna be so much easier." Then the minute you get home, you're thinking, "Oh, God, I just need to get back to work because then I'm distracted, and it's gonna be so much easier."

So our brains are like [00:08:00] this, right? It's like anywhere but here. We're just very unwilling to feel that discomfort. This is why that diet mentality, diet starts tomorrow, this is why it's a real thing that we need to overcome. Now, I really think that summer specifically is such a great time to focus on your body.

Why? Because the weather, for one, depending on, again, where you are in the world, but you'll have a, you know, summer, or you'll have nice weather. You're naturally gonna be more active. You're gonna be walking more, and walking really counts, especially if you can walk 10 to 20 minutes after your meals.

You're really gonna move that blood glucose through your system, and you're going to get into fat-burning mode sooner. So after-dinner walks are maybe, like, one of my favorite things about summer. Lately, we've been having dinner, having an early dinner, and then we go across the street, and we are... We have this, like, um, parking lot across our street, actually, and the kids [00:09:00] love to ride their bikes.

So they ride bikes. I chase them. We play hide and seek. It's so nice, right? There's more sunlight. You get to be outdoors. Such a good thing that happens in the summer where you're just building in that extra movement that you might not otherwise do. Or if you do it in the winter, it just feels, like, arduous, like it's too cold to go outside, or it's raining, or it's dark, and you're, like, trying to get yourself motivated to go on your indoor walking pad or your treadmill.

Like, it's just a different scenario, right? So utilize, utilize this weather and this light. Also, that sunlight is just so good for your mood. You just naturally have more energy. You have a bit of a pep in your step. You look out the window, and you might notice you're just more willing to

be focused on this, to feel motivated about moving your body, about eating raw veggies, salads, all those, healthy foods, grilled meat. All of that [00:10:00] seems much more appealing when it's bright, when it's sunny, and there's warm weather. And then the last thing, at least I notice this for me, is when there are longer days, I just don't require as much sleep.

I notice that in the wintertime I do... I tend to be somebody in general who needs a lot of sleep. Like, I definitely sleep more than my husband. But in the summertime, less so. In the summertime, I'm... my circadian rhythm more or less matches the light, so I'm able to stay up a tiny bit later. I'm able to wake up a little bit earlier, and so this is great, right?

I'm more active during my day. I'm able to get more done. So you just wanna, like, utilize this. Okay, let's talk about some specific challenges that I mentioned and exactly what to do.

So what do you do when you're at a social outing and there's lots of indulgent foods, and not only do you feel pressure from everyone, offering you things, but also you probably have some desire. You want those [00:11:00] things too. Everyone else is having the ice cream, burgers, chips. Everything's around you, or they're drinking, and, you really wanna participate as well.

You wanna be part of the fun So here's what I think about this in terms of how to approach it. One is you just wanna make some decisions ahead of time and own them. So honor yourself, honor your decisions. That means you are going to decide what is worth it to me. Do I wanna drink? If so, how much? Do I wanna have a burger?

If so, you know, then I might skip the ice cream. But you decide, you make those decisions ahead of time. And you might be thinking, "Well, I don't know what's gonna be there. I don't know what they're gonna offer." Again, you still get to decide, okay, if this is my goal and I really want to reach my goal, I really wanna see a new milestone, I really wanna feel like this in my body, then, you know, it's gonna [00:12:00] require some commitment, which means reducing, eliminating, deleting all the options.

So there are gonna be some decisions that you'll need to make. But here's the thing. When you decide, okay, it's worth it to me, like, yes, I'm going to lean into that discomfort, and this is what I urge you to do, is you just flip it. So anything that you think might make you feel awkward, like somebody offers you some wine, and you say no, and they're like, "Oh, why not?"

Like, you always drink, or anything that would make you feel awkward, everyone else is having the burger and the bun, and you're like the only person that's not doing it. I want you to think of this as emotional bingo. You just make a game out of it. You're like, okay, bring on those uncomfortable feelings.

Awkwardness, check. Self-pity, oh, I don't get to eat like everyone else. Okay? That's fine. You don't have to change that thought. If that's truly what you think, [00:13:00] then you just sink into that self-pity. Check. Emotional bingo. Embarrassment, somebody might notice something or make a comment. You might feel deprived.

Okay? You really want that thing. It looks really good, and then you think to yourself, "I can't have it if I wanna reach my goal." You might feel deprivation. No problem. You have decided, emotional bingo, I am getting a point because I'm experiencing deprivation. Overwhelm, confusion, what am I even doing?

Should I have it? Should I not? We go into confusion. Again, I wanna urge you to lean into this. You can think of it as like almost like emotional stepping stones to getting to where you want to be. All you have to do is feel. You just gotta feel some confusion, some awkwardness, some embarrassment, and not try to escape it by going against your decisions that you made than an hour before or the day before, [00:14:00] all you have to do is feel and follow through.

Feel and follow through. Now, your brain is gonna want to escape the feeling, and so it's gonna say, "Listen, I don't wanna feel deprivation. I'm just gonna have the thing. Like, it's no big deal." And it will come up with lots of convincing justification thoughts. You gotta work through that. You gotta decide, "No, I came here to feel whatever was gonna come up."

Okay? And even the willingness to feel, you'll notice it has less of a charge. It has less of a grip on you in the moment. Let's talk about when you have less structure to your days. Maybe you have the summers off or you just have more time to yourself. Your schedule changes. So what I encourage you to do is use this time to decide my structure...

I create my structure. Like, my schedule does not determine how I show up. This might require you to create your own daily structure on a day-to-day basis because it changes your [00:15:00] own internal guidelines. It might require you to say, "Okay, like, I am prioritizing this during the summer. I am gonna get in the best shape of my life this summer.

Like, this is it. I'm not waiting any longer. I'm gonna do it." And it might require you to change up your schedule. So for me, I've had to take a hard look at my schedule and decide, okay, if I wanna start working out 30 to 45 minutes instead of, you know, what I used to be doing, which was literally 10 to 20, okay, well then, I'm gonna have to find a way to do that.

There's gonna be trade-offs. I'm gonna have to wake up earlier. I'm gonna have to figure out a way to get the kids out of the door faster and get to school on time. This is gonna require me changing, me learning some new tools, some new parenting tools, some mind management, some, like, commitment as to why this is important to me.

All right, I'm gonna have to talk to my partner. So I talk to my husband. I'm like, "Okay, this is what I'm up to." Get him on [00:16:00] board. "Can you support me in getting the kids out by 8:00 AM so that I can get home and get my workout in time?" Okay? So do you need to talk to anybody in your life to get them on board, especially when it comes to meals?

I know sometimes that can be challenging for those of you who have a partner that have a very different way of eating. There might be a conversation that you need to have with them about maybe they do their own food, or you are having a different system in terms of food prep or meal planning. I recently signed up for a eight-week body transformation program, and I am gonna go into the more details about my thoughts around doing that, why I decided to do that, and all of that, but so I'll save that for another episode, and if you're on my email list, you will be privy to the kind of like real behind-the-scenes.

So make sure you go to my website at mindfulshape.com if you're not on my email list already, and I will be happy to share kind of like my [00:17:00] journey and why I decided to do it. But you wanna take a look at what are the ways in which you might need to make changes to double down and really get the support that you need.

And then the last thing is, in terms of structure, is what are the not only external things that you're doing, so maybe that's tracking, maybe that's calorie counting, macro counting. It's just, you know, what I always encourage you to do is eat only when you're physically hungry, stop at enough, check in with your body, and then choose foods that serve you so that you will be in fat-burning mode rather than fat-storage mode.

So those are the external things you're doing. Of course, moving your body, drinking water, having electrolytes, meditating, all of those kinds of activities or those actions. But also to balance that, and I truly think it's 50/50, as much as you are doing the external work, all the actions, aligned action, [00:18:00] action that you take that gets you closer to what you want and who you wanna be, it's in alignment with that, you are doing internal work.

You gotta be managing your thoughts, becoming self-aware. Why do I do the things that I do? What is driving me? What is my emotional landscape, right? Like, i- is awkwardness driving my behavior? Is overwhelm driving my behavior? We wanna really get clear on what's going on internally.

How can you commit to doing that internal work, and what does that look like for you? So of course, that's what I offer. We do extensive internal work when I work with clients. That's what we do together. But sort that out in terms of what are you doing right now that is working that you wanna continue and prioritize?

Maybe it's one of those things where you have either my resources or other resources that work for you, but it's a matter of allocating at least 15 [00:19:00] minutes a day or every other day where you're doing some journaling, and not just venting, but really taking inventory of your thinking and then intentionally deciding, "Here's what I'm working to believe.

Here's what my brain believes on default, that I can't do it, that even if I release the weight, I'm just gonna gain it back. And here's what I'm intentionally going to think on purpose, which is, even if that happens, I will figure it out. I am worthy of this goal. This goal is worthy of me.

We can really decide what we wanna keep and what we just tell our brain, "No, thank you." Okay? No, thank you. No, thank you to that thought.

So I like to think that there's, like, all these invisible sentences that are just out there in the ether that come into our brains as thoughts, and then we truly get to decide, are they gonna take up space, or are we gonna say no to them? I recently emailed a client with [00:20:00] this idea of, think of a food that you do not like.

You just don't care for it. Like, for me, it's always been creamed corn. So my mom used to serve us this, like, canned creamed corn or cream of corn. I don't even know what it's called. And even the smell of it would just repel me, and my sister and my mom, and they just loved it. And I thought it was, like, the grossest thing, and I still think it's the grossest thing.

Maybe that's mushrooms for you. Maybe that's onions. It doesn't matter, but there's some food that a lot of people like that you just despise. I want you to think of me just offering you that food. So you come to my house, and I'm like, "Oh my God, you're gonna be so excited. Here's what we're having for dinner.

We're having creamed corn." Okay? And so you could-- you can be like, "Oh, no thank you." I want you to think of your thoughts in the same way, okay? So they really only have power over you if you accept them. So often we just think, "I have to, you know, scarf down this [00:21:00] creamed corn. I have to eat these mushrooms," because they're our thoughts and our brain offers them to us. Now I just wanna loop back to why you might wanna go all in right now. What's the case for that? So how I think about it is you have this one body, this one body to care for, and if you are here, it means that you care about your experience of your body, and that really has nothing to do with your body composition or the number on the scale.

It's your experience of being in your body. So we have bodies to experience sensation. It's like your personal vessel in which you experience your entire life, and it matters. It matters how you feel physically, emotionally. All of this is happening in your body. It's how you are experiencing your life.

And so [00:22:00] what I wanna offer is not everyone wants what you want. So you might have a goal where another person thinks, "Oh, like, why would you even go for that? Like, you don't need to go for that. You look fine as you are." And I'm sure that you do. And also, if you want it, you get to claim that. Why? Because it's your body.

It's your body that you are experiencing in this lifetime. That will require you to maybe be the only person at the barbecue who's not eating the ice cream, okay? Own that. Own that you care enough about what you want, that it matters to you enough to essentially put yourself in harm's way of feeling awkward, of feeling like the, the odd person out

We don't all want the same things, and that means that we are going to act differently. We're going to make different choices. If you want to be in the body of your [00:23:00] dreams, if you want to optimize your health and feel, uh, like, really good, like just strong and toned and even with your digestive system and your energy levels.

Like, you don't wanna feel hungover. You wanna feel vital. You wanna feel amazing. You wanna feel like when you move, you have agility and you're vibrant. You wanna feel a certain way in your clothes, and I'm not talking about, like, having to look a certain way to fit into clothes. But there's a certain way that you know that your body feels when you've been drinking enough water, when you've been eating really healthy, and you've been moving your body in a way that serves you.

You just feel differently in your clothes. It just feels good. You feel strong, and that ripples out. It ripples out to your mood, to how you show up, to how you treat other people, and it really has a [00:24:00] positive influence on your life and everyone around you. So there's a real, like, energy to this. It's about more than just, "Oh, okay, well, I need to say no to this food because I'm on this sort of diet" or something like that.

So not what this is about, right? So when you experience challenges, I want to just remind you that you get to own what you care about, and the energy of feeling amazing when you show up in this way, when you work out this way, when you eat this way, and tap into how good that feels, that it's a real act of self-love to just take care of your body regardless of the size or the number on the scale or anything like that.

It's just you taking the best care of your body that you know how. And what you will notice is that when you do this, you will be less attached to the number on the scale. It just won't [00:25:00] matter as much because you don't rely on those external changes as much as how thrilled you are at how you are showing up for you.

And then, of course, when you're focused internally, that builds and builds and builds and eventually, yeah, we do see it on the scale. You do see it with your clothes. But first it happens internally, so focus there, and then you will eventually see the results. Don't quit before it's too late. Don't decide it's not the right time.

This is the perfect time to start making the changes that you want and showing up and learning new things so that you can really have the body that you want, which is a body that reflects all this inner work that you're doing. All right. I hope that was helpful, and I'll talk to you again soon. Bye.