Liza Laura’s BodyBlog

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Applying (& Succeeding With)
The “Oh Well” Technique
by Ryan Andrews

I’d like to start with a question…
What do you want from your training and nutrition program?

In other words:
I’d like to know what type of health you want.
I’d like to know what type of physique you want.
And I’d like to know what type of energy & recovery you want.

Take a moment and think about these three things.

But don’t just think about them. Write down your answers. Heck, even up the ante and post them in thread below so that we can discuss them.

Now that you’ve recorded what you want, let’s go one step further.
I’d like to know if you eat and exercise according to what you want?

Think about that one for a moment. Do you consistently make the right food choices, food choices compliant with the PN lifestyle? Or do you get derailed by “the world” and its “forbidden fruits”?

And do you consistently make it to the gym, getting your 5+ hours of exercise per week, doing a mixture of interval work, strength exercise, and lower intensity work?

If you’re regularly and consistently achieving 90% compliance in the gym and at the dinner table, that’s great.

However, if you’ve not ever achieved this level of compliance (or if you have, but sometimes “fall off the wagon”), we’ve got a powerful technique to share with you.

The Cheesy Solution That Works
This technique is one we picked up from Dr Judith Beck of The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person.

Now, we have to admit, this solution sounds pretty cheesy. And you’ll see why once we describe it. However, the truth is this. It’s amazingly powerful.

Here’s why…

People have this unique tendency to go back and forth when it comes to nutritional decision making. When faced with a number of choices - some good and some not-so-good - indecision sets in, tension rises, justification and rationalization sets in, and we sometimes make the wrong choices.

Then what happens?

Well, in retrospect we know we faced a moment of weakness. We know that we rationalized a poor choice with thoughts like:
“It’s only one”
“It’s all about balance”
“Rome wasn’t built in a day”
“I earned this treat”
“I’ll get back on the plan on Monday”
“A re-feed will stimulate my metabolism”
“I worked out really hard today”
You get the point, right?

There are a ton of phrases that help us justify poor decisions. However, as we all well know, it’s only after we make the poor decision that we see the err of our ways.

So today, we’re going to disempower these harmful phrases by introducing a new phrase. A cheesy one that will absolutely help you avoid the poor choices we’re all prone to making. A phrase that will give you control back when you feel like you’re slipping.

The “Oh Well” Technique
In her book, Dr Beck gives the example of her son, a boy with epilepsy. As ketogenic (very low carbohydrate) diets tend to control seizures in epileptics, the docs mandated that the boy follow such a diet.

Of course, that sounds easy enough. Just tell the kid to cut out carbs and the seizures will stop. With that kind of incentive, he’ll jump right on the bandwagon, right?

Fat chance! Come on, now. He’s just a kid. And since no one else follows such a weird, carb-free diet, why should he?

Well, seemingly against all odds, Dr Beck’s son was 100% compliant to his strict diet for 6 years, until his epilepsy was under control and he no longer needed to follow this plan.

How did he do it?

He did it using the “Oh Well” Technique.

You see, after learning which foods were on the plan and which were off the plan, each time he was presented with a food off the plan, instead of debating the merits of the food, instead of justifying “just one bite,” instead of talking himself into a poor decision, he simply repeated the cheesy trigger phrase:
“Oh Well, it’s not on my plan.”

Then, with a shrug of the shoulders, he’d move on and busy himself with something else. An activity. A book. A conversation. His compliant food choices. Etc.

Such a simple phrase. But such a powerful way to take the power back.

Some Additional Examples
Got a friend who easts kosher?

Well, if the food being served doesn’t fit the bill, rather than kicking off a “big deal” internal monologue, instead of cursing the kosher gods, encourage them to use the “oh well technique.”
“Oh well (shrug), it’s not part of my diet.”

What about someone taking a statin drug?

Interestingly, grapefruit juice doesn’t mix with most statin drugs. It can cause major problems. So, if someone offers them a grapefruit mixer at Sunday brunch, then the best strategy is to “oh well it.”
“Oh well (shrug), it’s not part of my diet.”

No biggie.

What about diabetics who need to avoid high sugar foods. Same deal. “Oh well” it.
“Oh well (shrug), it’s not part of my diet.”

Of course, the list of examples goes on and on.

However, the strategy remains the same regardless of your personal cross to bear. You can “oh well” it all.
Someone at the office brings in donuts, “Oh well.”
When friends hit the local fast food joint for a late night snack, “Oh well.”

The next group party offers only junk for snacks, “Oh well.”

When you do it enough times, you won’t think twice. The monologue is silent. The decision has been made. And you get to be in control.

My Clients
Having worked with countless weight management clients at John’s Hopkins and now as part of the PN team, it always amazed me to learn how much time some people will spend debating about whether or not to eat a certain foods.

Of course, we all have our share of internal debates with food choices. But some of these internal struggles amaze me.

Indeed, many clients have explained in graphic detail the internal dialog and bartering they go through over something as simple as the office candy dish.

Out of control isn’t even the phrase for it. Instead, they were under the control of the candy. Or the pizza. Or the donuts. Or the sugar free, artificially sweetened jello. Or the after work beers.

Or the…

Eliminating the Cheese Factor
Now, I’ll be honest with you. When I first read about this technique, I did think it was a bit cheesy.

After all, with all the serious dietary choices people have to make - and all the psychological baggage involved - a simple shrug of the shoulders and an “Oh Well” couldn’t possibly work.

Well, I was dead wrong.

And if you’re thinking the same, you’re dead wrong too.

This is one of the most powerful strategies I’ve ever found for helping folks make the right decisions day in and day out - both in the gym and at the dining table.

It allows folks to avoid the messy mental gymnastics and gives them a touchstone for remaining true to their real intentions and goals. Indeed, it helps us avoid the problem outlined in this quote…
“The reason most people fail instead of succeed is that they trade what they want most for what they want at the moment.”

Now, let’s be clear. You don’t exactly have to use the phrase “oh well.” Instead, you can choose from a host of other phrases.

Some polite:
“Thanks anyway - but that’s not part of my plan.”

“Much appreciated - yet I’ll pass.”

“No thank you.”

Some not so polite:
“I wouldn’t feed that to a sewer rat.”

“I’d rather you pluck out my eyes with a rusty knife.”

“How about a kick in the crotch instead?”

Ok, I’m just kidding about the last few. But I think you get the point.