The process of changing the diet and going from eating like you give zero fucks, to eating like a rabbit who gives lots of fucks, can be tricky business. There are numerous things that can trip you up along the way – fear, false information, excuses, addiction to crappy food- these can all come into play and work against your badass, plant eating efforts.
But one of the things I see most often that leads directly to self-sabotage is the all or nothing mindset. It’s an easy mindset to slip into and once you’re there, it’s like trying to get out of quicksand, but the quicksand is made out of peanut butter. And there’s also jelly. You’re basically stuck in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
This all or nothing mindset can happen to anyone and it can happen around anything – school, diet, cleaning, exercise.
Here’s a snapshot of what it looks like:
Anything less than 100% = 0%.
If you don’t get all A’s in school, why bother trying to get good grades at all.
If you don’t eat 100% plant based, you may as well eat whatever the fuck you want, even if it involves deep fried cheese followed by more deep fried cheese.
If you can’t clean your entire house, including the back of the refrigerator, there’s zero point in even doing laundry.
If you can’t go to the gym at least 5 days a week and feel sweat actually dripping into your butt crack, there’s no point in even taking a walk.
When you’re stuck in this thinking, smack dab in that PB&J, you set yourself up to fail, not by putting big expectations on yourself, but by jumping ship the moment you don’t meet those expectations.
And then after you jump ship you feel like shit because you went from striving for perfection to sitting in a dirty ass house, wearing the same stained shirt you’ve been wearing for days and stuffing fried cheese into your mouth hole. It’s a hard landing and the perfect recipe for breakdown city.
The remedy for this is NOT lowering the bar or your expectations. Hell no! You should never sell yourself short, and I firmly believe that you are fully capable of whatever you put your mind to.
The remedy for exiting the peanut butter and jelly debacle is twofold. In order to ditch the all or nothing mentality, you must first stay rooted in reality and then you must focus your energy on smaller chunks. Let’s explore, my love.
We’ll start with staying rooted in reality.
Anything less than 100% DOES NOT in fact equal 0%. It equals whatever you reached. I’m horrible at math and even I understand this.
The only way anything less than 100% equals zero is if you literally did NOTHING to reach your goal. So take a step back, be proud and grateful for where you’re at on your journey and don’t even think of equating it to zero and throwing in the towel.
Also – how far up one’s ass do these numbers get plucked from? Can anyone really tell me they’ve reached 80% of their goal?
Screw quantifying your progress – celebrate by how you FEEL.
If you’ve done something – anything to reach your goal, put your arms in the air, shake your ass and do a dance right NOW in honor of your forward motion – especially if it hasn’t been perfect.
You have a plan. You’ve taken action. You’re on the path. Wherever you’re at is enough. So bathe in it and know that we are all a work in progress.
The positive changes that you are making in your life are for YOU. It is essential that you stand up, rise to the occasion and become your biggest fan – regardless of where you’re at in your process. It all starts with you.
But most importantly, anything less than 100% DOES NOT equal 0%. So check that at the door.
Now let’s talk about biting off small chunks.
I don’t know about you, but when I think about everything that needs to be done in order to reach my goals, it’s enough to make me puke. And then shit. And then stop everything I’m doing and go binge watch Narcos.
Looking at the overall picture is great when you’re deciding what you want to accomplish, but as soon as you do that, you have to step the hell back, pare it down down into manageable chunks and take one small bite at a time. Your goal isn’t to choke, right?
- If you’re in school and you want to get really good grades, focus on doing well on each test and assignment that comes your way. Your cumulative efforts will pay off – even if you don’t get an A every single time.
- If you want to eat plant based, make a commitment to follow my meal plans each week and have one green smoothie per day. Consider anything you do on top of that a bonus. When you stop trying to be perfect and you focus your efforts on just a couple of things, you will reach your goal without even thinking much about it because it won’t be forced.
- If you want a ridiculously clean house, choose one space and take it from there. Cleaning your entire house, ceiling to floor (including every crevice of your refrigerator) is daunting. Cleaning out your pantry is doable.
- If you want to get into shape, commit to moving your body each day – even if it’s a 20 minute bike ride, a 30 minute walk, or a yoga class. Just because you can’t get to the gym doesn’t mean your body should miss out. Plus, getting into shape doesn’t require being a gym rat – it requires the right fuel and moving your body each and every day.
So my dear, here’s the game plan. Stay rooted in reality, bite off small chunks, and you will be out of that PB&J in no time. And then one day soon, you will look up from your life and without even realizing it, you will be living your goal.
And that’s when it will hit you.
You didn’t reach your goal by being perfect. You reached your goal because you didn’t let your imperfections stop you from reaching your goal.
Things are feeling less sticky already – am I right?
If you’re looking to simplify your week, save money and diversify your food, check out my meal plans, support and accountability all rolled into one glitter ball, right here.
Plant Based Carrot Ginger Soup / Instant Pot and Stove Top Directions
Instant Pot Directions
1 cup chopped red onion (140g)
5 cups chopped carrot (630g)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons peeled and chopped ginger (30g)
3 cups water (710ml)
1 can coconut milk (13.5oz. / 400ml)
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
- Prep the onion, carrot, garlic and ginger. The fastest way to do this is to use the “s” shaped blade of your food processor. This isn’t totally necessary, but it makes it much faster. Place the prepped veggies into one big bowl and set aside for now.
- Press the “saute” button on your Instant Pot and let it heat up for about two minutes (make sure the lid is off).
- Pour all the veggies into the Instant Pot and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan (make sure the lid is off). Turn the Instant Pot off.
- Add the water and give it a stir. Lock the lid into place and make sure the nozzle is in the “sealing” position.
- Use the “manual” setting and set the timer for 5 minutes. When the timer is up, turn off the Instant Pot and use the natural release method.
- When the pressure is down, open the lid and add the coconut milk and the salt. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to help cool it down.
- Use a blender stick or blend in batches with your blender until the soup is super creamy and smooth. Add a few turns of black pepper.
Stove Top Directions
1 cup chopped red onion (140g)
5 cups chopped carrots (630g)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons peeled and chopped ginger (30g)
3 cups water (710ml)
1 can coconut milk (13.5oz. / 400ml)
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
- Prep the onion, carrot, garlic and ginger. The fastest way to do this is to use the “s” shaped blade of your food processor. This isn’t totally necessary, but it makes it much faster. Place the prepped veggies into one big bowl and set aside for now.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat for about a minute until it’s hot. Add all the veggies from the bowl and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. Add a couple tablespoons of water to the veggies if they start to stick.
- Add the water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat, cover the pot with a lid at an angle and simmer for 20 minutes. If the water level gets too low, add a bit more water. Turn off the heat and add the coconut milk and the salt.
- Allow the soup to cool for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to help cool it down. Use a blender stick or blend in batches with your blender until the soup is super creamy and smooth. Add a few turns of black pepper.
Wishing you a happy week. May it be filled with not being perfect and NOT letting that stop you.
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