12/06/2024
✍🏼Dieting is like using your non-dominant hand. Let’s find out in this week's metabolic metaphor.
🎨John is right-handed. When he goes to art college, he is surprised to find that all other students are left-handed. He goes off to speak to the lecturer.
✍🏼The lecturer says, “You are right-handed? Well, we will have to change that. In this college, the best artists are left-handed artists.” Then he explains some things about the left hand being connected to the right side of the brain which is more creative.
🎨Convinced this is the right way, John begins his journey to becoming left-handed. When he goes to the cinema, he holds the popcorn bucket in his right hand and eats with his left. It feels different but doable. He grabs his sketchbook and begins to draw left-handed. It’s difficult; his drawing doesn’t come out like it should. Then he signs his name at the bottom like always. “Ah, f—k,” he thinks. Instinctively, he just used his right hand to sign his name.
“Ok, no problem, just a slip-up,” he thinks.
🥣In the college canteen, sitting with his classmates and lecturer, he has soup for lunch, eating with his left hand. The motor control isn’t that great, and he spills droplets of soup all over his shirt. He grabs a napkin to clean himself when the lecturer says, “You’re using your right hand again.” He had instinctively grabbed the napkin with his right hand. “F—k!” he thinks.
✍🏼His lecturer encouragingly tells him, “Don’t worry, it will get easier as you keep trying.” John asks, “There must be some hack I can use?”
🌟The lecturer tells him, “You don’t need a hack or any more information. You already know how to draw. You just need to put in the time. Using your non-dominant hand is a lifestyle. Behaviour change is difficult. Your classmates don’t have to think; they just lift the pencil and draw because they have done it their whole life.” It’s not something new and fancy you need it’s just the basics over and over again.
🥗 There are some strong parallels with using your non-dominant hand with dieting and health optimisation. You probably already know what is healthy; you know that an apple is a better snack than a donut. You know you should exercise. John’s dominant hand is like your dominant nature which is a set of behaviours and habits.
🌟The piece that’s missing for most people is consistency, not a fancy hack and not necessarily any new knowledge. You have to become healthy with all your actions. It’s very simple but not easy fighting against your dominant instincts.
🥗Your old habits, behaviours, and beliefs got you the body you didn’t want on autopilot. Much of our day-to-day living is on autopilot—some say as much as 90%. Imagine if all that 90% was healthy, positive habits and behaviours. Living a healthy life would be effortless.
Thats what we should be striving for, not the next diet the next hack, or sum wonder supplement.
🌟If you don’t have the body that you want, your autopilot is steering you in the wrong direction. Turn off the autopilot and start taking a little control for a while. Plan your meals, track your macros, and eliminate as much junk food, junk TV, and junk activities as you can. Get to bed on time. Schedule your workouts and activity. Do all this until it becomes second nature.
Metabolic Health Coach | Personal Trainer
Angus
Hey there! Thanks for reading, I’ve been dedicated to guiding individuals on their metabolic journeys since 2011 as a personal trainer and metabolic health coach. If you're seeking personalised assistance, book a 1:1 call directly with me
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