Anyone, and I mean literally anyone can do a fad/crash diet and likely have it be successful. But very few people can carry that on long term to see results; and sometimes you actually shouldn’t do them long term. Creating nutrition habits is what will make you successful. I always say that the best diet/meal plan for you is the one you can stick to. If you are constantly starting and stopping meal plans, then you haven’t found something that is every going to be a long term thing. And yes, this could be due to you being unable to follow through with things..even in your everyday life, but it could also be because that type of eating isn’t something you really LIKE. We should choose a nutrition plan based off of what makes us feel good and what we know is fueling our bodies. Some people like intermittent fasting, and if you can stick to that long term, have at it! But don’t make yourself miserable waiting until 1p to eat your first meal because someone told you it will make you lose weight. I wanted to share with you 3 tips today that are going to help you figure out what nutrition habits will make you the most successful, so you can stop getting on and off the health wagon!
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You know that time your friend begged you to do yoga with her, so you did it even though you really didn’t want to. And so you paid upfront for 10 classes, went to 2 and then fell off because you didn’t actually want to be there? That is how most weight loss journeys go. People feel like they HAVE to lose weight to look good, feel good, be good…when in reality you can be happy just as you are with a mindset adjustment? Now, I do not recommend gaining 60 lbs and being ok because “self love.” I am all for self love, but at the same time you want to make sure you are the healthiest version of yourself, for the sake of life span and body function. But I do believe you HAVE to love yourself at all shapes, at all sizes, and at all seasons. If you come from a place of punishment and try to lose weight, you will likely not make it very far because everyday you wake up with the HAVE to attitude. I HAVE to workout, I HAVE to eat chicken, I HAVE to restrict myself.
That mindset has to shift to WANT to. You have to WANT it so bad that you will do anything to change it. I always say if it’s not a “HELL YES” it’s a no. If you don’t want up everyday excited for what is to come and the progress you can make, your goals will slowly start to slip away. And yes, we all have days where we lack motivation and disciple (that’s called life) but for the most part, our goals are still set in stone!
So make a nutrition habit change because you WANT to be healthier, not because society, your doctor, your husband told you to.
And why don’t fad diets and restrictions work? Because you count down the days until its over. So many people convince themselves to do something because “it’s only 30 days.” But if that is the case, you aren’t actually changing any of your nutrition habits or getting better. Yes, that might help you lose some weight in the short term, but it is all going to come back, and typically more, once you go back to your regular eating habits!
Think of it like dance lessons. You don’t take dance lessons because you want to be good for 1 dance, and then go back to your old way of horribly dancing after it’s over. You carry it through because you know it’s less embarrassing that way…haha. You have to find a habit that you are able to just carry on with, that makes you feel good, and allows you to grow!
We are always evolving and changing, and we should do that in every aspect of our lives. We can’t get better at something if we don’t practice, and if we don’t get better…we become stagnant and unhappy. So make sure when you are making a change you want to last, you are thinking about the longterm benefits and not the immediate results.
A 6 week restrictive meal plan will help you lose weight, but if no one teaches you how to create habits that will stick after the 6 weeks..you might as well not even start.
You can’t have a successful, long term habit change without chocolate. Seriously. If you don’t allow yourself your favorite foods in moderation, you for sure are not going to stick to it. I mean, if I wasn’t “allowed” to eat donuts, then I definitely don’t belong on that “diet.” You feel me?
All things in moderation. Even healthy foods. Because yes, you can over eat on fruits and vegetables. I know first hand the digestive issues that can come from too many vegetables. Not to mention the fact that certain bodies aren’t cut out for certain foods. Like those with gallbladder issues need a diet low in fat to feel their best, so they have to consume those in moderation. If you are someone who gets a lot of stomach acid and acid reflux, then you likely need to moderate spicy and fried foods. I say this only because eating foods that your body doesn’t do well with also causes internal inflammation which can lead to a whole lot of health problems. So moderation is key.
This also goes for your favorite foods that might not be very good for you. Like, donuts and chocolate and alcohol. Your body isn’t going to thrive off of those, but they are good for the soul. So eat them in moderation.
You have to be fully ready to dive into a lifestyle change, especially one as big as nutrition habits. We spent a lot of our lives creating the nutrition habits we have now, so breaking them isn’t going to happen overnight. So get the right mindset, remind yourself why you are doing it and pick a program that is going to work with your goals. There is no end in sight or finish line. Yes, we will reach goals, but we set new ones. We are always changing, change is good. Moderate all foods, even healthy ones. Too much vegetables (fiber) can cause digestive distress, too much sugar can lead to skin irritations and processed foods suck the life out of your gut. But eating those things in moderation make us happy and help us live day to day. So use these guidelines to form new nutrition habits and START today!
