We’d all love to think we’re independent of our environment, and that we make all our own decisions regardless of outside influence.
Sorry, time to rethink that.
Here are a few examples of how our environments shapes the hundreds of eating decisions we make every day:
- We eat from larger bowls than smaller ones – and if the bowl gets endlessly refilled, we…just keep eating…
- We pace our eating by other people. If we’re surrounded by fast, hearty eaters, we become one as well.
- Take a bottle of cheap wine, add a fancy label, a higher price tag, and some reviews from people we’ve never heard of, and all of a sudden that wine becomes amazing!
- We eat until the container, bucket, plate etc. is empty (truly, size doesn’t matter!).
Time to make conscious choices
Much to our chagrin, many of the choices we make are unconscious. We just do them.
Ever wonder why certain foods are so appealing? They’re designed to be. whether targeted to be consumed in certain places (a pie and a pint at a football match), or by yourself (a ‘guilty pleasure’), their design and even smell are designed to make them virtually irresistible.
Time to re-take control
The good news is that by making small changes to your environment you can take back control of the food choices you make. We’re not asking you to change everything all at once. Just be aware of what’s affecting your decisions, both positive and negative.
Identify and name
Pinpoint the elements of your surroundings that are helping or hindering your progress toward achieving your goals:
- Your home
- Your workplace
- Your commute
- Your family members
- Your work colleagues
- Your kitchen set up
- That pesky doughnut table next to your desk (damn those doughnuts!)
Start to notice patterns and how your behaviours are affected by your environment.
BE AWARE. BE CONSCIOUS. BE MINDFUL OF YOUR RESPONSE TO OUTSIDE INFLUENCES
Show that environment who’s boss!
The Fit to Last Framework
The Fit to Last Framework is our 12-month nutrition and lifestyle coaching programme based on a series of micro-habits. If you’d like guidance, support and accountability in creating small wins leading to big changes, get in touch.
ABOUT JAMES STARING
James Staring is a personal trainer based in Clapham, London. His methods have featured in publications such as Your Fitness, Hello, Healthy, Daily Mail, Closer, and many more. After giving up smoking and entering the fitness industry in 2009, James has focused on his passion to help others transform their health and fitness. However, James is convinced most people struggle so much more than they need to in an effort to improve their fitness. Through his company, Fit to Last, James has helped hundreds of men and women make small adjustments in their daily habits to transform their fitness and to love how they look and feel.