how to break the all-or-nothing cycle

A complete choice is one that understands all the trade-offs, now and in the future... If you are having trouble viewing this email, [click here.]( You can remove your email by clicking [unsubscribe]( at any time, or simply reply back to this email asking to be removed.  Here's Today's Tip... All or Nothing. Are you the type of person who eats in a reasonable way Monday morning through Friday afternoon? Or, from breakfast through dinner? But when that clock strikes 5pm on Friday, or the kitchen closes down after dinner, you turn into a party animal or snack monster? By the time the weekend or night is over, you’ve eaten (or drank) way too much, often of the foods you wouldn’t normally choose. You feel crappy. Guilty. Regretful. Ashamed. Bloated. Maybe even angry at yourself. It might even seem like weekend or night-time eating is so strong, it’s like a recurring disease. Let’s call it Weekenditis, or if you prefer, Eveningitis. Looking to catch Weekenditis or Eveningitis? Here’s how the nasty virus spreads… - Try to be “perfect”. Follow (or try to follow) strict meal plans and rules to the last teaspoon. Be rigid and restrictive. - If you’re not 100%, your 0%. Any deviation from perfection is a shameful failure. - Don’t prepare for anything. If you overate or drank too much last Friday (and the 347 Fridays before that…) maybe this one will be magically different. You don’t need a plan; just let life happen. - Trade off good behavior. Just like a child, you get bonuses and freebies for being “good”. “Good” eating sometimes gives you permission to be “bad” other times…and boy, are you going to be bad. - Say “Screw it.” If you overeat or eat the “wrong” foods, don’t stop…eat more. Let loose. - Game the system by “cheating”. A cheat meal/day lets you break the rules. You get to eat and drink all the stuff you didn’t permit yourself when you were being “good”. - Avoid the void. For a brief time—whether late at night, on Sunday afternoon or on the drive home—no one’s demanding your attention. Now there’s a big empty space. What are you going to do? You eat. Or you drink. That’s what. Okay, that list is a little tongue-in-cheek, but it lends some insight on how to cure (or better yet, prevent) Weekenditis and Eveningitis: - Be “good enough”. The decent method you follow consistently is better than the perfect method you quit. Be reasonable and sane with your food and drink choices. Instead of “perfect”, try for “just a little better”. - Ditch the all-or-nothing thinking. All-or-nothing thinking gives you two options: perfect or failure. In reality, there’s a spectrum of possible options. Instead of overhauling everything, try tiny changes that you can do consistently. - Learn your patterns and look ahead. Think about what’s coming up for you in the next hour, day and few days. Knowing yourself, which are more or less risky situations to be in? What could you change or do differently to affect the outcome? How can you plan for that before it happens? - Instead of good-bad trade-offs, come back to your grown-up values. Be a wise, kind and sane adult with yourself. You aren’t “bad”; you don’t need to be punished or feel guilty. - Learn your own hunger and fullness cues and notice when and where you’re likely to say “Screw it!” The “Screw It Effect” (known as disinhibition) is actually caused by “food rules” that we ultimately want to rebel against. If you keep trying to follow rigid external rules and prohibitions, you don’t hear your own inner cues and signals. Notice how you feel physically. Are you hungry? Stressed? Tired? Slow it down. Check in. - Cultivate an abundance mindset. For most people, having the mindset of “cheating” means that they’re playing a game with rules, and that game is scarcity and deprivation. Scarcity makes us feel anxious, needy and greedy. Deprivation makes us feel panicked, angry and lost. Abundance, on the other hand, allows us to feel calm, satisfied and fulfilled. - Get out of your head and into your life. The rush and jangling noise of the busy week/day drowns out quieter things…like alone-ness and lack of real connections. Lack of meaning. Lack of purpose. Reaching for a snack or glass of wine is better than facing the emptiness, sadness or loneliness. The antidote: Do something. Reach out. Help others. Find a way to share your kindness and care, and to build relationships that matter. Start a project. Take a class. Take on a hobby. Don’t just add more quantity; add more quality. - Make complete, wise and loving choices. A complete choice is one that understands all the trade-offs, now and in the future. A wise choice is one that steps back and considers the options. A loving choice is one that is kind and caring—that tries to take care of you. Consider all the options and angles. What will you feel now? An hour from now? Tomorrow? What are you willing to trade and why? Then choose accordingly. And consciously. Think through to the consequences. Ultimately, you’re free to eat and drink anything you want. You choose your behavior. Just remember that different choices produce different outcomes. Your call. Before I go, make sure to check out this "Bonus Tip"!! Bonus Tip - 5 High Blood Pressure Myths... There are many misconceptions about high blood pressure. This is a case where ignorance is definitely not bliss. In fact, it can kill... So here are five deadly myths about high blood pressure you cannot live without. The good news: you can get control of your high blood pressure. And perhaps even prevent it altogether... Five Myths about High Blood Pressure Myth Number One: It's No Big Deal… The problem with high blood pressure initially is there are no symptoms. You don't feel bad, so how could anything be wrong? The truth is, when your blood flow begins to push too hard against your blood vessels, it leads to damage of your heart, kidneys, and other organs in your body. High blood pressure is a very big deal indeed. Myth Number Two: There Is No Good Treatment… Many people feel there's nothing they can do about their high blood pressure. The truth is if you follow a sensible plan, you can manage your high blood pressure. More about this in just a moment... Myth Number Three: A "Little" High Blood Pressure Is Okay… When you take your blood pressure readings, you probably notice they vary somewhat. You probably also notice there are two numbers, one on top and one on bottom. Normal readings are: 119 or below for the top number, and 79 or below for the bottom number. Some people believe that as long as one of these numbers is normal, you're okay. The truth is if either of your blood pressure numbers is above normal, you need to do something right away. Myth Number Four: High Blood Pressure Cannot Be Prevented… This idea is dead wrong. Even if everyone in your family has higher blood pressure, this doesn't mean there is nothing you can do. Simple changes such as eating a healthy diet, limiting salt intake, and keeping your weight under control, can help you prevent high blood pressure. Myth Number Five: Treatment Is Difficult… Most people think that treating high blood pressure requires giving up all your favorite foods, engaging in some crazy exercise plan, or taking dangerous and expensive drugs. While you do need to make changes to get your blood pressure under control, those changes do not have to be difficult or unpleasant. A Natural High Blood Pressure Solution That's Easy and Fun The Medical Research Team led by Joe Barton, has produced [a short video presentation]( explaining safe, natural methods anyone can use the help control high blood pressure. When you watch this video, you may be surprised to find the best treatment for your high blood pressure might already be inside your kitchen cabinets. You might also be delighted to find out how easy, tasty, and enjoyable it can be to get to the root cause and even prevent your own high blood pressure from escalating. High blood pressure is a big deal. It can definitely kill you. But it doesn't have to be that way, and that's why it's important that you watch this video right now. [Click here now to watch this complimentary, short video presentation]( that shows you how it's possible to normalize your blood pressure readings using safe, natural methods. 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