Do you love brownies, or cake, or ice cream? Full disclosure, I am not the biggest chocolate lover in my house. My husband holds that title. But, that being said, I do enjoy some chocolate on occasions, especially with one of my favorite flavors….like cherry, or coconut! I love coconut, and there is something about the chocolate coconut combo that just hits the button for me!
Do you feel like you need to miss out on all the foods you love to reach your health and fitness goals? I used to feel this way too. I would restrict myself pretty severely, and it would almost always lead to an over indulgence. Whether I could “make it” a day, a week, or even a month I would feel disappointed in myself for not having enough grit, or determination, and as someone who is often identified as “tough” that was a hard pill to swallow. Until I realized the mistake I was making was not in my lack of willpower, or drive to succeed in the goals I was working towards, but in my mindset of lack! I had the BELIEF I had to suffer for success in my health, wellness and fitness journey.
I truly believed I had to have “control”, and that I had to abstain, or moderate (which I used to believe I was incapable of). I was living in a world of “shoulds” and not living up to any of them. Then, failing, feeling guilty, rinse and repeat the cycle. It was only when I realized I could literally have my cake and eat it too that a big shift happened. When I realized that my beliefs around what I was capable of needed to change and get into alignment with what I said I wanted! I needed to get clarity and make a plan to get there that I was confident I could succeed at. How did I re-write that story for myself, and step out of that mindset of lack, and depraviltiy to re-discover the abundance I (and you, and everyone) deserved without falling back into old habits? I will tell you…
That is when I started looking for “low hanging fruit” aka EASY opportunities to make small changes that aligned with my goals. One of those opportunities I identified was my nutritional habits. I had been looking at them all the wrong way, through that lens of lack, and a landslide of “shoulds”. When I started considering what I could realistically (using confidence testing, which is a story for another day!) do without big overhauls to my nutrition, without spending big money in the grocery store, or investing in tools for prep, ect… without looking for another guru or roadmap to tell me more “shoulds”…. I started to look at what I was currently doing, and what small tune-ups I could easily make. Could I add more veggies to my meals? Absolutely! Could I add more protein? Absolutely! Could I drink more water? Heck ya! Would I still be satisfied, yes, and probably more so!
You CAN take your favorite foods, and level them up. You CAN enjoy your faves in moderation when you re-write the story you are telling yourself. You CAN surround yourself with better choices, so the “right” choice is already made and becomes easier and easier to make even in the most stressful situations. What are your low hanging fruit?
If one of yours is adding more protein too, here is a delicious recipe for you to try:
Protein Brownie Balls:
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup Dry Oats
- ⅔ Cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
- ½ Cup Brownie Batter LadyBoss Lean (Paid Partnership; Get yours here, while it lasts!!!), you can also swap this for your fave protein powder but the Lean will be SO delicious, promise! So if taste is a priority for you, this is your jam!
- ⅓ Cup Honey or sweetener of your choice
- ½ Cup Peanut Butter or nut butter of your choice
- 7 Drops Vanilla Stevia or 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions:
- Mix everything together in a bowl, until it sticks together.
- Put in the fridge until firm.
- Roll into balls and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat!
Make this recipe your own! Maybe you want to swap out the oats for a banana, or the coconut for some shredded dates, there are so many options when you are willing to experiment! I can’t wait to hear the swaps you make, remember small changes add up!!! Join me, and the amazing group of supportive humans in the EMPOWER-ed Facebook Community here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1104296846848402 for more swaps, tips, tricks, and MORE! We are lifting each-other up and making those sustainable changes STICK through accountability every day!
Make Moves,
Coach Christine Bettera
PN L2 Master Coach + ACSM CPT
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