Stay out of the fridge you fat bastard
Let’s be honest, sometimes you need tricks to help you get by. Sometimes you need more than just that inner will power to help get you through. Most days you are going to have that “screw it” attitude until it clicks. Until that point comes here are 5 things to put on your fridge to help.
#1) A lock
It doesn’t matter if you have a combination or a key lock because nothing brings the taste of failure more the 10 extra secs it will take to undo it.
I know a lot of psychologist and fitness people who say that kind of thinking is what leads to having a problem in the first place. However, I am of the camp that says that nothing about dieting should become a way of life. We are too caught up in dieting being a way of life. Eating good foods should be a way of life. Losing fat, should be a short term torture you never have to endure again.
Get in, get out, and get a lock.
#2) An ugly picture, of yourself
That’s right, I want you to take the fattest, bad lighting, gut hanging out picture of yourself and then plaster it right there on the front of your fridge. No flexing. No flattering outfit. Yes, you can remove the photo when company comes over, but other then this you need to let it be out there. If you have kids or a husband/wife and really can’t bare them seeing it, then put it in your visor, by your vanity, or somewhere where you will be reminded of what makes you unhappy. Understand that there is a constant and nagging reason of why you want to change. Do not live in denial, that is what got you here in the first place.
#3) A beautiful picture of yourself or someone you admire
I want you to see the bad, but I also want you to be reminded of the good or enlighten to what is possible. If it is of yourself then it isn’t just the body, it is the mindset you had while in that body. Most of the time it isn’t the body that we want, it is the life we lived while we had it. Most people can’t have a bad body and a good life. It isn’t something they can wrapped their heads around. If you have never had that at all, then find someone who represents it for you.
#4) A non-body goal
It can be a place you want to travel to, or a physical activity you want to achieve. Whatever it is, it needs to be a constant reminder of what lies ahead that doesn’t have anything to do with what you look like.
#5) The excuse sheet
Every time you break the rules, every time you break down and give in, you have to write down why it happened on your excuse sheet.
“I broke down and ate because I was sad.”
“I broke down and ate because I was hungry.”
“I broke down and ate because the game was on and I just wanted to have fun.”
All are excuses, all are things you are trying to justify to yourself. All are reasons why this is being drug out for weeks, months, and years longer than it has to. With the sheet you will start to see a pattern and maybe you can find a way to end some of the triggers of why you keep giving up on yourself.
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Sinead
LOVE this! I think I need a magnet for my fridge (or a t-shirt!). I love these suggestions. I’ve got a pic of me at my thinnest (right before I got married) since being diagnosed with arthritis (leading to predinisone and the beginning of the big gains) in 15 yrs plus a pic of me that is REALLY unflattering on my fridge. I’ve also got my “Dear Fat, you suck” letter there and something that I printed out about success. They make a difference!
February 10th, 2009 at 10:58 pmMissy
If I put my grotesque pic on the fridge, my husband and child would end up weighing 80 pounds!! I, on the other hand, would see the pic, get more depressed and eat MORE!!
February 11th, 2009 at 7:52 amI do love these rules and am printing these instructions out to read and re-read today!!!
Jim
I think if I put the biggest, ugliest picture of me on my fridge, my dog won’t even go in the kitchen!
It will definately make me think about saying “screw it”.
February 11th, 2009 at 8:59 amDarrin
Hey this is great and funny too. Love the title.
February 11th, 2009 at 2:33 pmSome times we all need a little help and nothing helps better than a tool that is easy to use and shows a pattern (the list).
Thanks for the info
-Darrin
Tina
I think I will try the excuse sheet. It reminds me of an excerpt from The Body Fat Solution where you’ve got to write down your issues/excuses/problems to actually see or realize it and then correct it. You’ve got to correct the way you think.
February 11th, 2009 at 2:46 pmI also don’t have anything bad to eat in my apartment. When I randomly crave food then I will open the fridge but see that there is nothing in there that I really want so I go back to where I was empty-handed. That really helps for those who have a harder time saying no.
Leigh Peele
Sinead- You are so great! I can’t believe you still have that “Dear Fat, you suck” letter. http://avidityfitness.net/2008/07/28/dear-fat-loss-you-suck/ is the link for anyone that wants to see it. Sinead’s was very cool.
Missy- I doubt that, you have more will power than you think.
Jim- As the biggest loser on the One Big Meal Challenge, I can’t imagine you ever saying “screw it”
February 11th, 2009 at 4:16 pmTyson
Your list is awesome! I have done the picture of someone I want to look like before.
February 11th, 2009 at 4:50 pmSinead
I’m like an elephant, Leigh–I never forget.
(Well, until this baby sucks out my last functioning brain cell, which might be sooner rather than later!) hehehe
February 11th, 2009 at 5:11 pmJustin
I think I’m just going to install a full-length mirror on the front of my fridge and maybe set up some video cameras around my kitchen in hopes to get even more unflattering visuals for me to soak up. I think that if I could have a “Flabby Ass” camera set up about butt height that automatically uploaded the video to you tube and then emailed me a link to it….that would probably stop my non-compliant, late-night feeding.
Actually I think one of my biggest problems is my wife. You see, she is beautiful, perfect in every way, she could eat an entire chinese buffet and lose two pounds afterwards. I envy her metabolism. If “bad” foods aren’t in the house, then I am great with my eating. But lately she has been either bringing bad foods in or even worse…baking them herself.
This problem is two fold for me because although I realize that I am the weak person who ends up making the poor choice of eating a cupcake or three when I shouldn’t, how do I explain to her that I need her to help with limiting the “temptations” around me without her feeling guilty or deprived when I’m the fat one. Does that make any sense?
February 11th, 2009 at 5:13 pmBenking
Don’t you think you are promoting a unhealthy look at food? Diet is about changing for life, not quick fixes.
February 11th, 2009 at 5:16 pmSinead
Benking, did you read the beginning of the post?
“Let’s be honest, sometimes you need tricks to help you get by. Sometimes you need more than just that inner will power to help get you through. Most days you are going to have that “screw it” attitude until it clicks. ”
Leigh isn’t saying that these tricks should replace a healthy attitude about food, but rather that while you are changing the way you look at food and changing your habits, you might need some tricks to get you through some clutch moments. If you read everything that Leigh writes, you will see that she advocates a healthy attitude for food (there is no “bad” food in her book, just bad ways to eat them).
February 11th, 2009 at 5:23 pmCaleb - Double Your Gains
Leigh!
I read that first tip about a lock, started laughing my ass off and then scrolled down here to leave a comment right away (then figured I’d read it all before commenting).
I agree and love the lock idea. haha!
Later
February 11th, 2009 at 6:35 pmCaleb
Wendy
Love it. Get in, Get out, Get a lock. That might just be a good trick to try
February 11th, 2009 at 11:55 pmLeith
I was doing simmilar. I had written on my cupboard where all the snacky foods are kept… not that I keep a lot, just a few bikkies for the kiddies… anyways, it said in red chalk “DONT DO IT, YOU FAT F#%K!” Lucky the kids cant read yet.
February 12th, 2009 at 12:38 amJulie Keen
I like the list idea …
February 12th, 2009 at 1:22 pmJim
Leith, that is hysterical.
February 12th, 2009 at 4:50 pmLeith
Thanks Jim
I wasn’t actually fat at the time anyway, I was about 3 kilos from my goal and I was struggling because my body didn’t want to go that low. It worked for me!
All the touchy feely phrases just don’t cut it for me. “You ARE lean and Sexy!” Oh really? COOL! Then its okay if I eat this packet of chocolate coated, caramel filled, deep fried and battered cookies isn’t it?!
I need the in your face attitude to tell me to stop being stupid!
My partner thought it was a bit strange and self abusive, but cravings usually win unless I tell myself to “F” off out of it!
Hey, I’m lean, muscular and SEXY now! hehehe
February 12th, 2009 at 5:49 pmMike
My fridge doesn’t need a lock, it’s empty! ‘cept for eggs, carrots and some cottage cheese that’s 6 months old and has fur, which oddly enough I haven’t thrown away yet but have no plans of eating. LOL
February 14th, 2009 at 12:46 amjamie hale
You have to take responsibility for your actions. Don’t expect other people to eat they you do to make it easier for you. This is your life and your body. If you think your friends and family are not going to eat pizza, cakes or whatever your favorite junk foods are in your presence you are wrong.
There is no physiological mechanism for FTM (food to mouth)Syndrome. You are responsible for occurence of the phenomenon. No more excuses either you want to do it or you don’t. Don’t plan on it being easy or fun. What if I get hungry? Deal with it.
February 15th, 2009 at 9:33 amGetmovin
haha this is funny. You know what we did? We have a fridge in the garage,and boy is that garage COLD right now. I put anything I cant control myself with, even fruits when I am low carbing, in that fridge. And do you think I really am going to make the effort to go get stuff in that cold dirty garage?
February 24th, 2009 at 7:11 am