Are You Cognitively Flexible?
- angiewhitenutritio
- Mar 27
- 3 min read
If you know me, you know that I am often reading 2 or 3 books at once. I have piles of books that I want to read. I joke with some of my friends about the STACKS of books we have next to our beds. According to my daughter this is my TBR list - To Be Read list. Or pile.
One of the books I am reading now is called, “I Know I Should Exercise But….” by Diana Hill and Katy Bowman. I love all of Katy Bowman’s books. She is a biomechanist and her approach to movement resonates deeply with what I understand about the body. Her coauthor is a clinical psychologist who also has a lovely approach to movement and how we think. Together, they address the most common reasons people give for not exercising and moving. They reframe these objections and give practical strategies to get people moving, all while keeping the individual in mind.
They talk about being flexible with your thinking. I am a huge proponent of this strategy and it’s something I am personally working on. They suggest that rather than battling your thoughts, getting stuck in rules, shoulds, and excuses try:
-stepping back from your thoughts
-get curious about how your mind works
-choose helpful thoughts
-break your minds rules on purpose
Anyone else have a very rigid idea of how things should look and what the outcome should be? This often leads to all or nothing thinking which often results in just not taking action. Or feeling a deep sense of failure. Over and over again.
“I can’t stick to a 5:00 AM, hour long workout, so… I’m just not going to exercise at all.”
Versus, “Can I fit in a 15 minute workout in the morning, take a walk at lunch, and stretch while hanging out with my kids in the evening?” “Can I do some air squats throughout the day, hold plank position while kids are playing or between meetings, walk up and down the stairs a few times?”
It all adds up and it all matters.
What are some other variations of this?
We can apply this cognitive flexibility to food as well. I see so many people struggle with this rigid thinking.
“If I can’t do it perfectly, I’m not doing it at all.”
Or, “I was so good but then I ate the cookies my daughter baked. Figured I had already blown it, so I decided to order pizza, garlic knots and soda for dinner. And then the rest of the week was shot, so...”
Versus, “I ate the cookies. Damn, were they delicious. My daughter has a future as a pastry chef. Now I’m going to head to the park with my daughter on foot or go enjoy a walk outside with the dog and then prepare and eat the dinner I had planned on making tonight.”
Two very different approaches and two very different outcomes.
In what ways does rigid thinking show up for you? Where do you get stuck? In what areas of your life?
If you want support making meaningful, lasting change, I can help! I am a certified Nutrition Therapist Master and Natural Foods Chef.
I help people feel better in their bodies and more confident in their lives.
We begin where you are. We use food and lifestyle strategies to build a personalized wellness plan that will put you on the right path to accomplishing your goals. Together we create more joy, more clarity, and better health.
While change takes time, starting down multiple paths that were never leading anywhere takes exponentially more time. An experienced guide can make all the difference.
Curious about what results you could get working with a nutrition therapist?
Schedule a consult call today—---or pass this offer on to someone you care about.
With Love,
Angie
AWN
720-205-8481
Comments