Re-Design
Phase 3: Re-Design
In this phase, we get practical in respect of our food, health and work-life environments. This is a great area to work on as making some small but significant changes can really boost your efforts.
Session 1: The Re-Shape Principles
Today I want to give you the foundational principles to the programme, but especially, this phase as you will see. They underpin the entire philosophy of the 'MidLife Re-Shape' as you will see, but specifically support the 'Re-Design & Re-Zone' part of the programme
The principles are summarised as follows, but do watch the video for a more thorough explanation:
The 'Mindful' approach, i.e. a conscious monitoring of what we do and don't eat, does not work over the long term for 9 out of 10 of us.
Energy in versus energy out matters, but we are all different and being too extreme in our approach (as advocated by many diets) can have negative consequences
Adopting a more 'mindless' approach to our food through designing our food environments to nudge us to mindlessly eat less is proven to be a n effective approach.
Research shows that we tend to consume 80% of our food within a 5 mile radius of our home, therefore we don't need to change the world - just our key food zones within this radius.
our overall aim is to restore a sense of enjoyment and relaxation around our food habits. Less 'shame,' 'secrets' and 'splurging.'
Your tasks:
Watch the video
In your journal jot down anything that comes to mind in relation to the principles - strong emotions? Feelings of hope, frustration and any ideas you have already regarding 'designing' your food zones to encourage a more mindless but healthy way of eating.
Session 2: Kitchen Zone Audit
Now we get down to re-designing your food environment to get you moving in the direction of mindlessly eating healthier. You may find that one or two tips, etc are familiar to you since some of the research this work is based on has slipped into main-stream both.
Maybe you've heard how having smaller plates can help you eat less? It's true, but maybe become so familiar it's almost cliche. As I often say though; at the heart of a cliche is often a nugget of truth. There is a wealth of research that shows just how our environment can influence our consumption habits.
Your tasks today:
Survey your kitchen environment using the kitchen audit tool here
Consider taking some pictures as you go. Don't worry - it's only for you, so don't tidy up before doing so - capture a typical day in your kitchen
Speaking of typical days, jot down in your journal your movements over a typical day. Take a recent day, like yesterday unless it was unusual and you were travelling for work, for example). If it was a day that resembles most days in your week, then roughly capture your activities and movements throughout the day from waking to going to bed. This may take a bit longer, so I have built this and the next session to give you some space and time to do this. You can spread the effort out - but do capture this. it can be illuminating!
Session 3: Kitchen Zone Makeover
How did you get on with your kitchen audit? Any particular thoughts or insights from carrying out the survey? It's quite common to identify some changes you want to make simply by doing the audit.
If you felt a bit overwhelmed by it, don't worry. That's something that can happen. The key is to complete the audit and then you have it as a basis for making the changes over the coming days, weeks and even months.
Remember, this is all about making small (sprout-sized), consistent tweaks and improvements. If you have the luxury of time to do an overhaul that's great, but you will still need to keep on top of things over the weeks and months ahead - it's easy to slip back into those old habits if not.
Your tasks today:
Watch the video in which I provide some background to support why you surveyed your kitchen, along with some tips.
Plan out a short list of 'to do's' - things you can change reasonably quickly and easily over the next couple of days. Don't make this onerous unless you genuinely have the time and inclination. The research supports the idea that a few small but significant changes made and adhered to have more impact than big sweeping changes that are not maintained.
Create a 'someday' list of the other things that you intend to get round to in respect of your 'Re-Zoning.' Perhaps the back of your journal could act as a place to list and track these (don't include in your main journalling as they may get lost amongst the rest of your entries). The idea here is to keep and build a list of the things that you will do next, or may be bigger or more expensive projects - 'non-essentials but would be nice kind of things.'
Session 4: Your Home Dining Audit
How did you get on with the activities and reflections of the last few days? Remember the 'sprout-sweater' way is to make small changes consistently over time, so don't get frustrated if you haven't had the chance to make all the changes you wanted to. Keep a track of those actions and sweat those sprouts one by one over the coming days and weeks.
Today is about considering your eating environment, i.e. where you dine. That can include a separate dining room if you have one and use it. Or it could include, your home office, your lap whilst sitting on the couch, or any other area.
Today's Tasks:
Using the home dining audit tool attached, or record in your journal your 'home dining audit'
Any thoughts or reflections on your findings? Jot them down in the worksheet or journal alongside your notes
Session 5: Home Dining Re-Zoning Tips
How did you do with your 'home dining audit?' No doubt you may have had some mixed thoughts and feelings arise, particularly if some of those routines step away from the notion of traditional routines - the kind many of us were brought up with. That's fine, but aim to step away from any judgmental thoughts. The question to keep front of mind is - in what way do these habits serve me/ us?
Consider your life as a whole but do include your health. Chances are some of these routines have developed due to the day to day demands of life. Today's video offers some thoughts and ideas, but do consider whether they will work in the context of your life. The aim is to make small changes where appropriate and embed them rather than upsetting big chunks of our day - that won't be sustainable and is likely to lead to issues in other areas of life. Take it step by step:
Today's Tasks:
Watch the video
Consider what might work with minimal friction and how you might implement it.
Decide when to start making one change and share your intention with those impacted by the change. Getting buy-in and support is key.
Session 6: Snacking Deep-Dive
You no doubt noticed that the previous 'home dining audit' omitted the dreaded topic of snacking. That's because it's worthy of specific focus. As we do, we start to get into the territory of habit forming which we explored in chapter 1. So, for now, we will look at the habits surrounding snacking and explore what could help to support your habits. Inevitably there is a bit of overlap here. For now though, I want to focus on what one-off changes or actions or 'policies' (I'll introduce those in the next lesson) can be made that will support you in a more mindless way.
Let's first define snacking as anything you might consume outside of your typical meal times. Your meal patterns and times may differ from others so go with your typical habits, not what you feel you should have.
Today's task:
Using the snacking audit tool attached or your journal (the worksheet can act as a template), jot down your thoughts on your snacking habits
Don't worry if there seems to be a lot in the worksheet - jot down rough notes and take tomorrow to add additional thoughts. You can continue to notice your habits over the coming weeks and come back to this - it's about making you more aware of those habits so you can make small changes over time.
Session 7: Snack Proofing Your Life
How are you getting on with the programme?
Today I want to share a few tips regarding snacking snacking, but I do want to check in because despite aiming to chunk things down into manageable daily activities, this can still feel over-whelming. Take things at a pace that suits you. You can always come back to the emails and you will have access to the online membership area for life so just get into the habit of checking in and doing something small more often than not and you will make progress. This is not a race or a quick fix programme - it is about shaping your approach to your health for the rest of your life.
Another reminder regarding snacking too - it is neither good or bad - the question is 'is it serving me in reaching my goal.' For example, you may find that if travelling with extended periods of time on the go, that a snack at an opportune time, staves off major cravings which could lead to total wipe out at the hotel restaurant/ bar, etc. Be honest with yourself and avoid that should thinking. Stick to - is it genuinely helping or hindering me?
Your task today:
Check out the tip sheet attached and consider what one or two tips you could implement, adapt or use to inspire you to make a change or two in your snacking habits.
Session 8: Meal Planning
Well done for continuing on this journey. I've no doubt there will have been hiccups and things missed along the way. No worries - that's life! That's why this approach is about working with not against the day to day challenges of life. Remember yesterday's advice and focus less on beating yourself up for any omission or mistake or lapse and more on making those consistent small changes. You may not want to or feel like it. That's fine too. Pick one thing and do it anyway.
Today, is something that, in my experience, is an ongoing practice. You may already do this, or you may be starting from scratch. Either way, making tweaks and improvements, or making a rough and ready start and working with it is the best approach. What am I talking about?
Planning and laying out your weekly meal/ snack plans ahead of time. I have a simple template attached to work with if you don't have a system already in place. I also have some tips that apply to you whether your are new to this planning idea or a seasoned pro.
The key principle here is that life in the moment is often unpredictable, challenging and you may be distracted, drained or short on time. So, a plan ahead of time can help take away some of the decision fatigue we can often feel when it comes to choosing what to have in a given meal.
Today's Task
Using the attached worksheet with tips, map out a rough plan for the week ahead. If that's too much to work on for now, focus on one particular day of the week or a particular meal - see the tips).
Optional - this episode of the Restless Midlifer- episode 54 can be useful food for thought in terms of preparing meals ahead of time.