Top Tips for Sticking to a Healthy Diet
When it comes to starting a new health/fitness plan,
getting started is the easy part. It’s sticking to it for the long haul that tends to be the challenge. Whether it’s a vacation, night out with friends, or you just can’t resist your favorite take out for one more day, we tend to adopt an ALL OR NOTHING mentality. “Well, if I messed up last night, I might as well quit all together!” Sound familiar? But what if you could do all those things I just mentioned and STILL make progress and achieve your goals (it’s possible, I promise). Well, I have created a list of tips that I use for my clients, but I am sharing them with YOU. This is the real deal, and these tips will help you stay the course so you can (finally) get the results you’ve been dying for.
Have realistic expectations: of yourself, of the changes you plan to make, of the outcome and of the challenges that doing an overhaul on your habits might create in your life. If you plan to lose 20 lbs in one month, or completely eliminate carbs from your diet you are likely going to find yourself sick, tired, and frustrated rather than basking in sweet success.
Choose an approach that works for YOU: Just because your cousin is trying keto and your neighbor swears by intermittent fasting doesn’t mean either one of those nutrition approaches is going to lead you to ultimate success. The best “diet” is the one you can stick to and easily sustain with the demands of your current lifestyle and personal needs. Eating well looks different for everyone and there are a million ways to fold “health” into your life. Not sure which route is going to be best? Reach out to me or the nutrition coach of your choice to discuss the best nutrition strategy for you.
As tempting as it might be, DON’T do a complete makeover on your entire life: take it one step at a time (aka don’t rush the process by changing too much too soon). Getting results comes down to changing / improving your habits (and sustaining those changes). Changing the way you do things takes time and you will be more successful if those changes feel easy and manageable vs. nearly impossible to maintain. Make sure to start SMALL. Example: Make a goal to drink an additional 10-20 oz of water every day for two weeks. Once you have that habit down and can do it in your sleep, you can add on more!
Slow and steady is actually what yields FAST results: it’s easy to feel like you have to take an “all or nothing” approach to your health and fitness goals in order to get some serious progress. More often than not, taking what might feel like the slower route will actually get you much better results. Adjust your mindset away from the things you’ve done in the past or the ways you’ve tried to previously do things. They didn’t work! Instead, take the approach that small changes and improvements each day ARE EVERYTHING, especially the key to your long term success.
Create an environment you can thrive in: if your kitchen is filled with cheese-puffs and donut holes, chances are you might struggle to opt for the colorful fruit you just added to your fridge. Set yourself up for success by purging any food that is expired, no longer in alignment with your goals or that you feel won’t serve your next chapter! Make sure you have things on hand like food storage containers, spices and herbs to make meals you truly enjoy, and the snacks on hand that will allow you to be successful and stay on track even on the busiest days.
Keep things interesting: Don’t fall into the trap of eating the same things all the time just because you think they are “healthy!” It is important to eat foods you enjoy and truly be satisfied by your meals. Keep your grocery haul exciting by challenging yourself to buy a new fruit or veggie each week, different types of protein, or even try a new recipe. Always reaching for the same loaf of bread because it’s easy and what you always have on hand? Try a wrap, pita or bagel instead!
Use your support system: Even if you live alone, getting friends and family onboard with your goals is imperative for your long-term success. If you take your goals and health seriously, so will they. Verbalize what you are doing, why it’s important to you and include them in your process! They can help keep you on track and make it easier for you to stay the course during meals out, family functions, or social gatherings simply because you spoke up and made your goals known.
Have a strong WHY: not everyday is going to be a walk in the park. You will have days you want to throw in the towel, feel tired or even defeated. That’s normal and makes you HUMAN, not a failure! When that happens it is important to think about why you started, what made you change your habits in the first place and where you want to go in the future. What does success look like to you? What motivates you to keep going? You will need a clear picture of your why on both the good days and the bad. Visualizing it each day in the morning is helpful for starting your day off right and keeping your goals front and center!
Get comfortable being uncomfortable: change and growth are hard. There’s no easy way around it. If you want results, you’re going to have to know that it won’t always be a walk in the park. If you expect some discomfort and challenges along the way, you will be far more successful at overcoming them rather than letting them derail you. Plan to succeed and you WILL!