Part 2: Create an Action Plan to Defeat "Avoidance Mode"

Peruse this “menu” of powerful but simple actions, and build your own personal roadmap back to your healthiest self.

The “Day After” is Where Your Power Lies

If your goal is weight-loss, how you respond DIRECTLY AFTER an "Off-The-Rails" Day is crucial. You have the power in that moment to create a "calm after the storm.” That calmness directly increases your chances of returning to your normal every-day routine that feels good to you. What an amazing alternative to getting stuck in that rut of “Avoidance-Mode”!

(Read all about Avoidance-Mode in Part 1 here.)

Here is your "menu" of tangible actions that could be included in your Action Plan. I recommend that you grab a sheet of journal paper, draw 3 or 4 boxes, and in each box, write down an action that feels like it fits your personal style. By the end of the article, you'll have your personal Action Plan for the next time an "Off-The-Rails" Day pops up!

Appetizers: Doing a Cognitive "Detox"

Our brains are evolutionarily adapted to focus on the negative. This means that it's easy to fall into a plummeting mood when your brain goes unchecked for too long. And those plummeting moods lead to inaction, creating the perfect environment for Avoidance-Mode. 

So, to start off our menu, here are 2 excellent appetizers to choose from. Pick one that sounds “tastiest” to you!

1) Cognitive Distortion Worksheet: Set a timer for 5 minutes. On a sheet of paper, write down the "thought storm" that's happening. Keep writing until the timer is up. Then, take a deep breath, read what you wrote, and notice any false or exaggerated stories that pop up. Use this awesome resource to recognize your own "distortions" that are telling you that things are much more negative than they truly are.  

2) Listen to uplifting content: Turn on a podcast, Youtube episode, sermon, or even movie/tv show that you know helps you get more in-touch with your optimism, positivity, and gratitude. If you need inspiration, here’s one of my favorite Food Positivity posts from my Instagram (just to get you started).

Entrees: Reconnecting with Your Body

Getting stuck in unhelpful thought cycles is a recipe for low moods and Avoidance-Mode.

So many of these thought-cycles involve fear of what will happen in the future ("What if I gain weight back? What if my motivation is gone forever?") But reconnecting with your body allows your five senses to bring you back to the present moment. It interrupts those thoughts, deactivates your body's stress responses, and allows your body to regain a sense of calm.

The calmer you are, the more in-touch you will be with your long-term goals (and the easier it will be to resume your normal healthy habits). So, check out these 3 powerful Entree options! They can help you reconnect with your body, so select one of them for your Action Plan today.

3) Do a 5-minute guided body scan. (I love the free Insight Timer App for this)

4) Go for a short outdoor walk. Any location will do. But did you know that walking in nature (rather than urban areas) has been shown to create even more physiological and psychological relaxation effects?

5) Engage in a "stretch session" even if it's just from a chair or your bed. Ever since the start of the pandemic, I’ve been using this super-quick Desk Stretch routine. It never fails to improve my day!

Dessert: Setting Non-Restrictive Intentions

Often, we get super-strict with ourselves after being "Off-The-Rails." But being strict actually makes it more likely that we'll fall into Avoidance-Mode.

When we set expectations we aren't ready to meet, we feel a sense of failure, and the negative-thought-cycles and low moods are lying in wait for us. The better alternative? Create gentle and realistic intentions that we are 95-100% certain we can meet!

Which of these 4 Intention ideas speak to you? Choose your favorite “Dessert” option, and make sure it shows up on your Action Plan!

6) Set the intention: "I will eat my next normal meal, without restriction." This breaks any overeat/restrict cycles you might have had in the past, and teaches your body that you are not going to punish it just for having a more indulgent day. You will always bring it the nourishment it needs, on a reasonable schedule.

7) Set the intention: "I will eat today's meals without distraction." Putting away the phones, books, and computer screens can help you be more in touch with your meals, enjoy the taste more, and feel more satisfied by your food.

8) Set the intention: "I will do 1 action to prepare good and nourishing food for Future-Me today." Even just packing your favorite snack in a tupperware for your Afternoon-Self can be a great way to make sure you'll have nourishment handy. 

9) Set the intention: "I will check in and rate my hunger levels 3 times today." It takes just a few seconds to take a deep breath and notice any physical signs of hunger or fullness in your stomach. But this action can help you reconnect with your body's signals, and bring your thoughts into the present moment as well.

What’s the best way to ensure my success in getting back to normalcy?

Well, the strength of your Action Plan lies in its achievability. That means that at all costs, Keep Your Action Plan Simple and Realistic. 

Do not fall into the trap of trying to immediately hold yourself to very high expectations. For example, if you normally do a 5 AM HIIT workout, but your "Off-The-Rails" event involved staying up very late and having lots of drinks, it would not be very realistic to expect yourself to get RIGHT back to that 5 AM workout. 

As a rule of thumb when you are creating your Action Plan, pretend that you are creating this plan for a very good friend that you care about. It wouldn't be very kind to give them an unachievable or really difficult plan, so you would likely keep your plan Simple and Realistic. Treat yourself with the same kindness with which you'd treat a friend!

And Finally, Get It Out Of Your Head

Don’t forget to physically write out your Action Plan. When we keep our plans up in our heads, they stay hypothetical. When we take a moment to get them onto paper, they suddenly become real!

What is the takeaway?

1) Avoidance-Mode is created by indulging your thoughts and the false stories about what happened (which plummets your mood and causes you to stop taking Action towards your health).

2) Getting out of your head and creating a gentle Action Plan for yourself is the secret sauce to defeating Avoidance-Mode.

3) Making your Action Plan simple and achievable gives you the greatest chance of success.

Do you need help with this?

If you need a partner to guide you through the ups and downs of your weight-loss journey, my 1-on-1 coaching program is for you.

Can’t wait to connect!