Under normal circumstances, I would say that any activity is better than IN-activity. Any time you are putting forth physical effort, you are lapping someone on a couch. However, beware as to how you part with your hard-earned dollar. There are many out there that have figured out how to make martial arts a full-time business. Their primary goal is student enrollment through what they call "trials". You will also hear the arguments of which style is better than the next.
You must decide early on what you want to accomplish with your training. Are you looking for techniques to help you better defend yourself? Are you looking to train with your child? Are you looking for a long-term and meaningful traditional experience? Other things to consider if you are a younger person. Some want to train in MMA and find themselves either completely out of their depth by joining a well established gym or find themselves in a gym that refrains from regular sparring. Others may be older and find themselves in a physically demanding workout that they are not capable of continuing long term.
So take stock in what your goals are and have a definitive stance as to what you want prior to shopping for a school.
Whatever you decide, know that you are about to embark on a meaningful journey that may change you for the rest of your life.
Paid trials work like this... You prepay for 2-6 weeks of lessons at a very small fee. Two weeks prior to the end of the trial, the pressure starts for you to join as a full-time member. At first blush, the deal sounds good - uniforms, equipment, etc are thrown in to get you to sign up. The issue is the term of agreement. Most require you to sign up for an extended period that would carry you through to your Black Belt - which is a multi-year contract. These are much more likely for the Taekwondo style schools (which are generally aimed at youth), however, adults often fall into this trap when wishing to train with their youngster.
Contracts are a necessary evil for schools that wish to stay in business. These are needed to use membership revenue for the facility, instructors and equipment. It is the TERM of agreement that you should be wary. Anything over an annual agreement should be negotiated down.
These are often your best option when deciding how to pay for your membership. If you pre-pay a year in advance, you may be able to save yourself up to 25% in some cases. It goes without saying that anything over a year should be avoided.
So you have decided what you want to train in and successfully negotiated your membership. Now the training begins.... or does it?
Your training is often what you make of it. I always tell students that the relationship is 50-50. As an instructor, I need to provide good learning content, structure and deliver it in a consumable fashion. The student must do something with it. Showing up is only part of that equation. Noone expects you to become John Wick - and neither should you. Martial Arts and Combatives is a game of inches. Your progress may seem slow but if you are putting forth the effort and the school is doing their part, your skillsets will be more effective and efficient!
Testing is quite normal in ALL martial arts, regardless of style. I even know people with Black Belts in Kickboxing. Other styles like Combatives and Krav Maga may have a very different philosophy on rank, but there is still a testing regiment.
Testing is a right of passage. It is an opportunity to collectively demonstrate the skills you have accumulated thus far in your training. Good tests are physically demanding and sometimes unpredictable. The length of testing extends as you advance. The higher the rank, the longer the test. The good news is that since you have been training regularly, your body has become more physically fit and conditioned. Once you attain your belt or certificate, it is an important benchmark.
The dark side of this is that some organizations literally train you to test. The testing is SO often, that you find yourself in a constant cycle of training for the next test. Often the motive for this is the "belt fee". No doubt that you should be charged for your test. It takes time, money, resources and energy to facilitate a test. However, the fee should be reasonable. You should ask prior to joining how often the school tests. If it is every 2-3 months, you should take that as a red flag.
I often say this to our social media followers as well as to my own students. Again, you will get what you put in to your training. Anyone who is truly proficient in whatever martial art they practice is dangerous. So, whatever you pursue you should take it serious and question the real-life consequences of the techniques and tactics you are learning. It is good to ask questions in the right way and environment. Don't be "that guy" though. You know the one... Who constantly talks about their former military or training background to cover their own inability to either understand or complete the technique. Also be wary of titles. Many schools have instructors that require you to address them as Master or a more formal title. That is fine - especially if you have chosen the traditional route, but outside the school or dojo you are equals.
Enjoy your training and remember that it is a key component to your Pie of Skills. Train Weekly, Lift Daily, Shoot Monthly.
Cheers!
Michael Kramp
Michael Kramp is the owner of Train Lift Shoot as well as CORE Martial Arts and CORE Combatives. He has over 30 years of martial arts experience including a 5th Degree in Taekwondo, Nidan in Kyokushin Karate and is a Level 3 Krav Maga/Combatives Instructor. He is also a Reserve Police Officer in the state of Oklahoma.
]]>After 25+ years in law enforcement, and many, many, hours of training, I have one fear above all others. It is not having the tools and equipment with me to help someone. Nothing will make you feel more helpless than having the training and not having equipment or supplies to make a difference. It doesn’t necessarily center around having a firearm, but that is important. It can be medical equipment or something as simple as a knife. It usually comes down to not being lazy or succumbing to the “it won’t happen to me” attitude. It takes discipline. Carrying your stuff on your person is preferable but not always feasible. Having a bag for the bulk of it is nice.
Train with the way you carry. If you carry concealed, train from that concealment
The taste of eggnog, ugly sweaters, time with family and of course shopping. People, elbow to elbow, in malls and shopping centers fighting over toys all in the name of the holidays. Who can forget the images of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad battling it out for a turbo man in the movie "Jingle all the way"?
The holiday season is generally filled with goodwill and great family time. Unfortunately, there is also the familiar news reports of someone being robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot of a shopping mall. People concentrate their efforts on getting the best deal, and personal situational awareness goes out the window. It is the season of concentrating on trying to get the last turbo man for little Johnny and not on the person hiding around the corner waiting to steal your stuff and possibly harm you in the process.
One way to practice awareness and stay safe during the holiday madness is to use Cooper's color code. Cooper's color code is a system we should all know and practice in our everyday lives. It is a way to represent the levels of awareness we should be at daily. The following is a brief explanation of the color code:
Here are a few other tricks to be more attentive to our surroundings during this time of year? I like to make it a game of sorts. Making it a game can keep you from becoming paranoid. A few things we do while in public that forces you to be aware of our surroundings are:
Each of these practices serves a purpose of getting us to look at those around us and being aware of any potential threats. When in public and in a crowded place we don’t have the advantage or luxury of knowing what is out of the ordinary short of social norms.
As a reminder, always park as close to the door as possible, particularly during this time of the year. We concentrate more on the likelihood that we may freeze to death before we make it to our car rather than if anyone is following us. Also, park in a well-lit area. Preferably under a parking lot lamp. Always try to shop in pairs. If you are shopping for family and don't want them to know what you are getting them, ask a friend to join you for the evening. If you are alone, you can ask for security personnel to escort you out to your car. And last but not least, get your head out of your phone. Insta-google-tweet-face and the text from your spouse can wait.
The Holiday season is fun. Trying to find the perfect sale and deal can also be fun. However, let's not forget that there are people ready to prey on those that are not paying attention. Do not be a target of opportunity, always carry your weapon of choice, wherever legal, and keep your head on a swivel.
Mario R. Morris
Core Protective Solutions
Mario "Boo" Morris is a U.S. Navy Veteran, Deputy Sheriff and the owner of Core Pro Solutions. CPS specializes in personal and corporate security. CPS also provides firearms training with a major focus on the incorporation of defense tactics. In addition to all of these duties, he is also the TLS Lifestyle Director with a job of bringing Train Lift Shoot to life beyond social media!
www.coreprosolutions.com
mario@coreprosolutions.com
The crazy journey for Train Lift Shoot started when I was a guest on the “Meet the Pressers” podcast (https://youtu.be/CGUXtAwsxMI) with Matt Mallory and Klint Macro.
It was on that podcast interview that I coined Train Lift Shoot as my life philosophy. I run a martial arts school as one of my four jobs, and during my Krav Maga class my unofficial “wife” from the police academy and best friend, Mario “Boo” Morris mentioned that I should put that on one of our school shirts. Being the cheap bastard that I am, I thought that if I had a few shirts made it would pay for my own. So I had 5 made. Sold all of them in a day. I even had to sell the one I made for myself. I then made 10 more. Then 20 more. Then I did something crazy, I paid for a Facebook ad. 8 designs and over 2,000 shirts/hoodies/hats and shorts sold later and I’m still in a state of animation.
I founded TLS with a simple fundamental rule - service. When I made the leap to a functioning retail website and over $10,000 worth of inventory I promised myself that if I was going to do this, I would do it right. And that meant The Golden Rule of Customer Care. It also meant putting out a great product. I hate the customer service I receive 90% of the time. They got my $ and that’s all that mattered. So TLS did some things to ensure that customers always get a response. All of our employees have the “chat bubble” loaded to our phones. That means someone, regardless of their position (even myself) is on the issue and believe me.. I’m normally the one you are chatting with. We may sometimes get it wrong, experience a back order or have a shipping issue. Every company does but I promise you this, we will break our backs getting it right. Ultimately, the best resolution to any situation is good old fashioned communication. We aren’t ever back ordered or “out” of that - communication.
The second thing I mentioned was a great product. I am a 5’7” (on a good day) 195 lb man. Yes, I am built like a V and sometimes ignore my legs at the gym (that’s a conversation for a different blog). I was sick of being disappointed in flappy sleeves or shirts that fit my chest and arms but fell below my crotch in length. So I went out and found the best fitting styles from Next Level and Bella+Canvas. At one time we ended up in a supply issue and I had the opportunity to make a few extra bucks by changing the shirt style. Instead I chose to pay more from a different vendor, reduced my shrinking margins in order to find the right fitting shirts to maintain the quality during the supply blackout. I’m really glad I did that. Once again, I put myself in the customer’s seat by imagining what the lost expectation would be if I was excited about getting the shirt and it fit like shit.
If you follow my personal posts then you know who Nurse Jamie is and my affinity for that woman. My beyond beautiful fiancé has been with me every step of the way. Sometimes at a respectable distance (like the fact that I coded the entire website on my iPad while on the can for over 2 hours) and other times, literally stuffing envelopes and folding shirts. She’s my main motivation. My North Star. Every man needs a woman that can Train Lift Shoot. One thing you will NEVER find on our site is a bunch of gun bunnies hugging a stripper pole in order to captivate an audience that isn’t serious about our mission credo. “We are an army of every day protectors” - not exploiters. ‘Nuff said.
Every company has that one STAR that digs in to the work, never bitches about the load, improves the daily situation, is innovative in their approach, is a problem solver and also a friend. And that co-pilot is our Director of Operations, Amanda Hankins. She’s literally kept her cool once after I threw a box of shirts across the room that came in that were poorly printed. You’ve got to have the best people that understand the mission and don’t mind building the plane while it’s in the air.
Destination is unknown but it may not be in this orbit I’ve chosen not to limit ourselves but also know that I’m not in any hurry. Didn’t I mention I have 4 jobs? One is my career that demands the majority of my time, I’m a martial arts school owner, a reserve police officer and now a online retailer. The job that’s not really my job is just being a good husband to be... and that’s really where my passion goes each day.
A final thank you to each and every one of you that chose to part with your hard earned dollars to purchase our product. You, who put in the blood, sweat and tears to improve yourselves, better protect your families, make the world safer. You are why we exist.
Stay Dangerous
Michael Kramp
Owner/President/Chief Customer Advocate/Website Designer/Apparel Stylist/Social Media Hack/Floor Sweeper
(405) 464-5478
trainliftshoot@yahoo.com
]]>TLS has a definite demographic of those who take charge of their own destiny. People who work their butts off to improve their skillsets so that in the event that they begin to act, they can do so skillfully and well. ‘Train’ incorporates fighting skills but it also means much more than that. It means reading and educating oneself about mindset and tactics. It means associating with other people who lift us up and make us better. It means Training in ALL areas of our lives that could make a difference.
People like to focus on something like dealing with a gunshot wound (GSW) but it also includes less critical problems like a twisted ankle if you are stuck halfway up a mountain with no cell service and you need to get help before the effects of exposure start to set in.
More and more people are coming to the realization that to have a complete protector package they need to include some form of Medical Emergency Training. This can be in the form of governing body certifications such as through the Red Cross or American Heart Association, which is often necessary for work etc. Alternatively it can be informal hosted events that give no actual certification but they do provide high quality useable training perfect for those who just want to improve their personal skill sets.
Any such training needs to include everything a Lay Person can do, being minimally invasive but ensuring maximum life saving ability.
So, for example, CPR training is a real life saver, legal and hard to do ‘wrong’ (it can be of course!). Your Tactical Tim friend who carries two chest decompression needles in his EDC (Every Day Carry) sounds cool as hell but unless he’s doing it on himself or under the authority of a Medical Director (such as working for an EMS company) sticking someone else in the chest and through to the lungs is practicing medicine without a license and can lead to a hefty lawsuit – regardless if it saved anyone’s life!
BASIC Physiology – not talking nursing school level here, just basics about how the human body is made and how things interact. Eg it helps to know stuff like generalized flank pain can be a symptom of dehydration and what different types of shock look like.
CPR – it’s basic but all the fancy drugs and electrical shock stuff EMS brings to the scene mean nothing if good quality CPR hasn’t been done on scene prior to their arrival.
Hemorrhage Control – remember I’m talking ‘oh s***’ stuff here not just a slip with a kitchen knife into a finger, no matter how alarming it seems. I mean a LOT of blood. Compression bandages work on 90% of cases but for those rare ACTUAL arterial bleeds how to PROPERLY apply a tourniquet is a must.
Penetrating Chest Trauma – GSW’s and knife / pointy things. Learn what a pneumothorax and hemothorax are and how to stop it getting worse (surprisingly easy until they get to the ER).
Exposure to the Elements – HyPO and HyPERthermia. Dehydration. Heat Exhaustion vs Heat Stroke, What are the signs? How to help. Things NOT to do (that people still like to do because Hollywood and ‘that’s what you do’).
Envenomations – things to do and NOT do in the case of snake/spider bite or insect sting.
Allergic Reactions - including anaphylaxis. How to help if possible.
Splinting and Spinal Motion Control (SMR) – remember that scenario of being up on the mountain? Normally it’s better to leave someone in place but what if you have to move them. Can you do it?
There are various companies and organizations that offer some or all of these options. Krav Maga Universal offers programs like this above and beyond the martial arts curriculum. The best idea is to talk to whoever is running the training and see what training and experience they have and how it relates to your needs.
Ideally you want a package that will sell you an EDC Kit and train you how to use it. Our course has 2 levels which reflects the situation.
Personal EDC – this is carried routinely on you in say a pocket, handbag or backpack. Small, lightweight and not going to be an issue to have on you or close by at all times. It should have :
Sure you can add more but this is supposed to be something that isn’t a big effort to have close by all the time. Which is why you also have the :
Extended EDC – this could be carried in a vehicle or if off hiking in a backpack etc. I have one of these in all my motorcycles and 4 wheeled vehicles.
That’s really all you need. Along with the training how to use it!
Some of you reading this will be saying but what about X and why haven’t you mentioned Y? Well most of X and Y are popular due to use in the military but you are probably not deploying to Afghanistan, so you don’t need it. Here are a few examples and why you don’t need them…
Quikclot (or similar hemostatic agent) – Not necessary if you know how to properly pack a wound. Developed to work around body armor and equipment. Simply exposing the wound and packing it well makes it unnecessary. Early examples had an exothermic reaction too giving the surgeons a bad burn to deal with too. Typically not used by many EMS agencies so why do you think you need it?
Needle Cric / Decompression Needles / anything I poke into you – this is called ‘invasive’ and you need a medical license to do. Good luck in court if you decide to risk it.
EpiPen’s / Benadryl / any drug really – you can absolutely assist someone else administer their own medications… especially something life saving like a breathing treatment or EpiPen. But you can’t go around deciding to administer medications yourself as that falls into the ‘practicing without a medical license’ again. And court / fine / jail….
So don’t be a Tactical Tim with all the gear and no idea… be an informed and educated member of society. A elite member of the TLS Movement and TRAIN to use your skills in crisis situations. When others lose their heads (remember these are oh s*** moments) you can keep yours and with a little know how and some basic kit you could save a life.
Now that’s a badass.
Paul Landreth-Smith
Author of ‘Sheepdog with a Black Belt’ detailing his experiences of reconciling martial arts training and real life fights. This can be found here on www.trainliftshoot.com
Paul is a Paramedic, EMS Instructor and Senior Field Training Officer for a large EMS Service in Texas. Formerly a Team Medic on London CT SWAT Team. Now Director for Krav Maga Universal who offer training in combatives, tactics, shooting and Emergency Medicine.. 18 Years LE experience and Black Belts in Tae Kwon-Do, Kickboxing and Krav Maga. Blue belt in BJJ and trained in various other styles. Fought competitively in tournaments and match fights as had 100’s of real life ‘encounters’..
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Lift, Train, Shoot has a ton of resources out there who are superb fighters and shooters. I’m pretty good at both but I wanted to talk about the 3rd (or the 1st) Wedge of the pie - ‘Lift’.
When it comes to self-defense or protecting those you love, everyone gravitates towards some form of combatives training and or firearms training. Both are extremely important of course and require regular updates and work to keep the skills honed. They are ‘perishable skills’. Another time I will discuss my thoughts on both!
However, the ‘Lift’ is often overlooked – and it is, in my view, the most important.
I have an extensive background in fighting. Both in combat sports and in real life. In combat sports it is so well known that size and power MATTER that weight divisions exist. The bigger and stronger you are makes such a difference that it is considered unfair to put someone significantly heavier against another person.
From my own days as a sport fighter, I was often at the bottom of my weight class. This sucked because although I was faster and more agile these dudes hit HARD. This was bad enough in striking competitions but in grappling it was ridiculous. Simply put, size matters. The BJJ Gracie Brothers have a rule of thumb. For every 20 lbs you give up to your opponent + 10 years in age, you give up a belt rank. So for me a 48 yr old, 185 lb man who is a Blue Belt in BJJ, if I roll with a 25 yr old 205lb guy then I’m giving up 3 belts… So I’m in negative belt territory! After over 15 years of BJJ I can assure you it is a Thing!
Going back to my fighting days, there was more than one occasion when I faced off against someone who was hands down better than me. They were gifted naturally, faster, and flashier. But they had a time limit… I just had to weather the initial onslaught, cover up and do damage limitation. They were like wind-up toys and once the gas tank was empty, they were done. I wasn’t as good as them technically but I could keep going longer than them. So, in the final minutes it was my turn to unload and they were so tired they could barely defend.
OK so that’s great but what about real fights? Forget everything you think you know about ‘it’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog’ nonsense… imagine trying to fight one of the following people:
You’ll hear Karate guys talking about how they would ‘just do…’ and I giggle inside. I can assure you that someone who is FIT and STRONG is incredibly hard to deal with in a real fight. In the pavement arena someone who can either (or worse both) out museless you and out gas you, will win. Unless you are very very nasty lol…
It means that you need to train, you need to LIFT. Be as strong as you can be and be as physically fit as you can be. The best competitive fighters, race car drivers, in fact ANY physically demanding pastime they ALL train strength and conditioning to augment their chosen sport. The military all train relentlessly to be as fit and strong as they can be to make them better warriors.
It is even shown that the stronger you are the better you can take and recover from damage yourself.
You want to be a good Shooter? You need to Lift. What to be a good Fighter? You need to Lift.
Lifting is pure too. Shooting and Fighting are subjective to a certain extent… but Lifting is pure. The iron doesn’t care about your feelings or your scoring system or even your time. You can either lift it or you can’t. You can either lift it 8 times or 9, or 10. You need a notepad to keep a score of how you did one session compared to the next. The iron doesn’t have an ‘off day’ – you either are better than the last time or you are not.
Get in the gym and Lift. Lifting supports the Training and the Shooting.
Training time and Shooting time is fun and necessary, but Lifting is essential.
Go Lift.
Paul
Paul Landreth-Smith
Is a paramedic and Director for Krav Maga Universal. 18 Years LE experience and Black Belts in Tae Kwon-Do, Kickboxing and Krav Maga. Blue belt in BJJ and trained in various other styles. Fought competitively in tournaments and match fights as had 100’s of real life ‘encounters’. Author of ‘Sheepdog with a Black Belt’ detailing his experiences of reconciling martial arts training and real life fights, in which he discusses this exact topic.
]]>Worldwide pandemic, riots in the streets, surging crime rate and law enforcement being openly attacked.
It sounds like something straight out of an apocalyptic movie. No its not a movie, its our current reality. Today’s trial and tribulations touch every single person regardless of your race or social status.
Recent events have people re-thinking many things, especially preparedness and self protection. .
Whether you recognize it or not you put yourself in a dangerous situation each time you walk out your door. Whether it be the risk of getting a virus, being a victim of surging crime rate or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So it begs the question “what can I do to protect myself?”
Train Lift Shoot personifies what you can do to be prepared to protect yourself. Today we are talking about personal protection. Something that embodies all three aspects of Train Lift Shoot.
Self protection is a personal matter and can be different for the person living in rural America or the person living in a booming metropolis. Each person can take steps to ensure their safety.
Situational awareness is free!
Something that requires no training and what I feel is the most important in self-protection is situational awareness.
Situational awareness is as its title simply says being aware of your situation., your surroundings and those that surround you. Its not about being paranoid. We can not live our life in such a way that we think their is a boogie man around every corner. However, we can not live our lives as their is no such thing as the boogie man. We must make decision every second of every day that puts us in the best situation to be safe and get home. Just as we drive we must know what is going on around us and have a plan.
Doing these things can save your life!
The best situation is the situation where you go home safe and sound.
Situational awareness is also being prepared for the worst. Here are four things that I feel can give you a better sense of safety and perhaps save your life.
TRAIN
First is learning basic hand to hand self defense. I’m a big proponent of carrying a firearm when permitted but lets face it, the use of a firearm should and is the last resort. We must first know how to defend ourselves if we are physically attacked. If you do not know hand to hand self defense, your simply a holster for someone else.
LIFT
The next part of that is being physically healthy and able to protect yourself. This could be simply requiring you to pick someone up and drag them to safety in an emergency. To running to escape an out of control mob out to riot or fight off a would be attacker. You have to be strong and have the cardiovascular capacity to sustain a fight or emergency until help arrives.
SHOOT
Next is my favorite. If your area permits you to have and carry a firearm then do so. However, having a firearm is not good enough. You must learn how to use it and handle it safely. The resources out there are amazing but be careful of who you follow. The magnitude of insta-ninja’s on the internet are abundant. Just because you have a YouTube channel does not make you an expert. Find a credible instructor in your area and start with the basics of safety and leave the ego at the door. Your best option is to take an NRA basic firearms safety course. It is great for the beginner and from there you can move on to the cooler and more exciting stuff.
Plug, Pack and Wrap!
Last and certainly not least. Get first aid training! Especially if you carry or train with firearms, medical training is synonymous. However we are more likely to have to help someone who has been hurt in a vehicle accident then putting on a chest seal for a bullet wound. I carry a first aid kit everywhere I go. I have one that never leaves my car, one in the backpack I always carry for security details, one in the house, one in my range bag as well as one in my patrol car. You should arry and learn to use a tourniquet. This simple tool can save a life when seconds truly count. Get CPR certified at your local fire station. A simple first aid kit can save lives if properly used. Get one and learn to use it.
These few things I mentioned is just the tip of the iceberg and each will be expanded in the future. Start somewhere. Start to read. Train the brain and the body will follow. This is not a movie. You are not in a dream. This is reality. Train Lift Shoot.
- Mario R Morris
BIO
Mario Morris is a Navy Veteran and Active Law Enforcement. He is also the owner and President of Core Protective Solutions. Core Protective Solutions is a private security firm specializing in high risk protection threat response as well as firearms training.
]]>Women are asked to do a lot. Most of us spend our da putting out fires, checking items off to-do lists, feeding little bellies, and keeping everyone safe and happy.
The interesting thing that I’ve learned about women is that most of them not only rise to the challenge, they thrive under it!
But eventually, the energy runs out and they hit a wall.
Eventually, after months or years they begin to feel burned out.
Women neglect themselves because they spend so much time investing in others.
But ---- it doesn’t have to be this way.
You can overcome emotional eating and cravings.
You can show take care of others and still take care of yourself.
Maybe some women can do this.
But my life is different. My body is different. Nothing works.
I have worked with many women who felt the same way.
They also felt frustrated, lost, and confused and didn’t know how to make everything work.
But this is what they discovered:
No matter where you’re starting.
No matter how you’re feeling.
No matter how many plates you are spinning .
It’s not only possible, it’s within your reach!
At some point in their lives, many women struggle with overeating, chronic dieting, and emotional eating. We get used to indulging in our favorite chocolate, a glass of wine each night, and eating leftovers off our kids’ plates.
But we all know the “food high” wears off and not only are we left with the same stress we had, but now it’s coupled with guilt, shame, and sometimes self loathing.
The cycle often looks like this.
(Believe me, I’ve been there too!!!!)
Simply notice, observe, and record what happened leading up to any food cravings, emotional eating, overeating, and/or any other times that feel “out of control” with food and eating. Make note of these feelings and your automatic response to them.
Because here’s a secret:
Those feelings and behaviors didn’t come out of nowhere. They aren’t random. Something led to them.
Think through the steps below:
For instance:
Maybe a few hours. Once again:
Try to capture as much detail as possible.
If you don’t see any connections right away, no worries.
Try this exercise a few times, and then start looking for links between what was happening in the days or hours before you had a serious food craving or emotional eating episode.
Don’t worry about fixing them right away. Just notice them.
“Hm, that’s interesting. Every time my mom calls me, afterward I want to hit the chocolate.”
“You know, I actually feel fine most of the month, but the week before my period hits — watch out.”
“OK, I’m going to go for a workout after I talk to mom, to get some of that energy out.”
“I’m going to mark my PMS days on the calendar so I know about them in advance.”
Or you might not notice solutions. You might feel stuck at step #5, noticing the patterns but not sure how to change.
Either way, that’s OK.
The important factor is noticing the pattern - a solution will come.
Most women have tried multiple times to get - and to stay - in shape.
They have done all the popular diets, gone to the newest gyms, and tried all the fancy supplements.
I’m not saying these aren’t good options - they work for some people.
Yet most people have trouble staying on track.
In part, this is because these plans don’t take into account what is happening in your life.
They don’t offer you steps and plans that you can use to face challenges and most don’t offer support and accountability like 1:1 coaching does.
Ideally, you want a program that:
Nothing worth doing can be done in isolation.
Social support — whether that’s a friend, a workout partner, your spouse, or a coach can provide the support that is crucial for a permanent change.
Independence is great, but for a project like this, you need a team and a tribe of like-minded people helping and supporting you.
Social support plus accountability and lots of caring coaching is my specialty.
I am in this business because I want to help you reach your goals and feeling and performing better.
If you want to join my next nutrition coaching program, I would love to help you.
If that’s not a great fit for you, no problem. Just find one or more people who can support you, guide you, help you, and maybe give you the occasional loving boot in the butt when you need it.
Contact me at: tbodyforyou@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/tammielibertas
Tammie Gray - CPT, PN1 Nutrition Coach
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