Stop Training Your Body to Be Hungry

Tools. We all need them. All of us have a toolbox somewhere that we rely on in moments ofneed. Maybe it’s a screwdriver to put together a new toy for the kids, a hammer to hangsomething on the wall, or a wrench to tighten a bolt under the sink.Regardless, tools are useful. So today, this blog is all about tools. Why?Because you’d never walk into Fort Fitness, skip your warm-up, throw 225 pounds on thebar, and expect a PR. You wouldn’t expect something to magically be “fixed” withoutputting in the work.Nutrition is no different. We tend to think eating better requires more discipline, moremotivation, or more self-control. Maybe you don't need more self-control. Maybe you justneed better tools. Here are three worth adding to your toolbox.TOOL #1: A Fed Body Makes Calmer DecisionsCoffee for breakfast. A quick snack for lunch. Work. Kids. Errands. Workout. Then 8:00 PMhits and suddenly you’re standing in front of the pantry wondering why you want to eateverything in sight.That isn't necessarily a self-control problem. You might just be hungry.A body that has been under fueled all day is going to ask for fuel. And when you’re overlyhungry, tired, and stressed, making intentional food choices becomes a whole lot harder.Think about your workouts. You wouldn't intentionally show up dehydrated and underfueled for a tough training session and expect your best performance.Your everyday life deserves fuel, too.

THE TOOL: Fuel earlier.

Eat breakfast. Build meals around protein. Stop saving the majority of your food for the endof the day. Give your body what it needs before it has to scream for it.

TOOL #2: Make Your Environment Do Some of the WorkIf better nutrition requires you to make the perfect decision 15 times a day, eventuallyyou're going to lose. So stop making it so hard. Self-control gets easier when yourenvironment gets better.Think about the gym. The equipment is out. The workout is written on the board. Yourcoach is there. The environment is designed to help you train.Your kitchen can do the same thing.

THE TOOL: Make the choice you want to make the easiest choice.Wash the fruit. Put protein where you can see it. Keep easy snacks at work. Prep a fewgrab-and-go options. Fill your water bottle before you leave the house.You don't need a Sunday afternoon filled with perfectly organized meal-prep containers.You need an environment that makes the next good decision a little easier.

TOOL #3: Stop Eating From the BagThis might be the smallest tool in the box. It also might be one of the easiest to use. Wantthe chips? Eat the chips. Want popcorn? Have the popcorn. But put it on a plate or in abowl first.Eating straight from the package makes it incredibly easy to go on autopilot. One handfulbecomes another, and another, without ever really deciding to continue eating.Plating your food creates a beginning and an end. And if you're still hungry? You can havemore. This isn't about restriction. It's about giving yourself a chance to actually notice whatyou're eating.

THE TOOL: If it comes in a bag, put it on a plate.

Build Your ToolboxYou don't become stronger by walking into the gym once and crushing yourself. You become stronger by repeating the basics.

Nutrition works the same way. You don't need 37 new food rules. You don't need to swearoff carbs. And you certainly don't need to spend every day testing your willpower.Start with a few good tools:• Fuel your body before you're starving.• Build an environment that makes good choices easier.• Put the damn chips on a plate.Then practice. Because having the right tool is helpful. Knowing when and how to use it iswhat actually gets the job done.

- Coach Lauren