How do you cope with situations like travel, visiting relatives, events that “pop up,” and even occasional emergencies such as having to take a sick kid to the doctor or the ER, or in one lady’s case–being subpoenaed to court! Let’s talk.

FIRST, it’s tempting to just make a blog like this all about TIPS and TECHNIQUES. Some of this will be that, but there’s one over-arching principle we need to discuss first! I think all of you are smart enough to come up with solutions, but some of you just aren’t CONFIDENT enough to make the appropriate responses. BFL newbies begin with two emotions–excitement and FEAR! Neither will carry you through. You need more than emotion–you need a major character trait called COURAGE. Here’s what I mean.

STOP worrying about what others think about you! It’s not their job! The lady who was subpoenaed to court asked if it was appropriate to take a ready to drink in her purse and mentioned that court witnesses had their purses searched! She was afraid she would have to EXPLAIN why she had a shake in her purse and didn’t want to deal with that! Why? Fear! Look, I know lots of court guards, and there is NOTHING that they haven’t seen in a lady’s purse and these people have way too much to do than grill somebody about their Myoplex Lite! Get over it!

It’s the same way at work, though, isn’t it? You’re afraid somebody will see your drink and say, “Ohhh, another diet, huh?” Develop the “I can’t believe you had the nerve to ask me that” look, use it, and get on with it.

When you travel, do you take your overnight supplies, deodorant, toothbrush, shampoo, etc.? Of course! Are you embarrassed? No. Do you take little packets of tuna or chicken, Myoplex and a shake cup or a blender? Well, most of you don’t! You’d rather worry about what to do when you get there, right? For most of us, it’s just getting over that awkward feeling about following this routine. When I travel, I take a gym bag that has NO gym clothes–that’s another bag. Instead, this bag is filled with a full-sized blender, lots of MRPs, some tuna, chicken and salmon packets (individual sizes), some baggies with brown rice or whole wheat tortillas in them, baggies with supplements, my journal, and disposable drink cups. It weighs 15 pounds. I never miss a meal while traveling, and I have never “had to” resort to something that wasn’t appropriate. That bag is always stored in my car trunk. There’s a bottle of drinking water in there too, so I just have no excuse for missing a meal. I even have a device in my trunk that will run a blender in a pinch.

What if someone sees my bag and all my goofy things? Look, it’s a GREAT OPPORTUNITY to tell them about Body for Life! Deana Langham has said several times that when she met me at Knoxville and saw that I was hauling “the bag” with blender and Myoplex to my room, she KNEW I was going to be a champion some day!

How about the “conference menu?” You know, the hotel tables filled with muffins, bagels, and other sweet treats during a conference break. Take a ready to drink instead and put it right in your purse or briefcase. More than once someone has asked me why I am not eating the “goodies.” I just plainly say “I NEVER eat crap like that!” They never ask a second time.

Courage! Those without it end up fat, dumb and unhappy! How do you get courage? You just act courageous, even if you’re scared! You’ll get there. Don’t worry about losing “friends.” Worry about making the right ones, people who care more about you than what you’re eating at the moment.