How To Successfully Kick Your Poor Nutrition Habits & Never Look Back
You don't have to take your nutrition to the extreme to be healthy. There is no reason to have a "perfect diet" and there is a toll that having the "perfect body" has on our emotional and physical being.
Nutrition is tricky because it's very emotional. We're meant to celebrate with food, we eat when we're stressed, happy, bored, you name it, food can be tied to what you're feeling in that moment.
Food is also behavioral. You may have had a late lunch and not hungry at dinner time, but eat it anyway because it's the same time we always eat. We're human and this is how we're wired.
Most of us are here because we want to live a better life in one way or another. We want to re-prioritize ourselves a little more in 2016. I know I am!
I've been finding nutrition hard over the past little bit. As you know, it's not easy to find time to prep meals with little ones, work and travel. Most of us will sacrifice our nutrition, opting for drive thrus and take-out. I want you to know that there is no shame in this! When my daughter was first born, frozen pizza was something we ate quite a bit. The last thing I wanted to do was cook. This actually still happens from time to time.
Does this sound familiar?
If you're struggling with trying to eat right, avoid going from one extreme to the other. Instead, start with the habit that you know that will be the hardest first and work your way back. For example, lets say you buy lunch every day but making lunch everyday seems like too much to handle (this is quite common, that's why I'm using it.) Make your lunch Sunday night (or on a day off), and take it with you the next day. Start with one lunch if that's what you can manage without getting stressed until it becomes routine and then add a second lunch, then a third and so on. Then, when you've packed your lunch on a daily basis for a few weeks and it's second nature, start working on another habit you would like to change.
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I use this same technique with my clients who drink a ton of coffee and it works really well. Trust me, it's really hard to give up everything all at once (you really shouldn't have to give up everything anyway smile :) )
So, what we're doing over time, is replacing one behavior with another and over time you will have greater success not reaching your health and wellness goals, but with your mindset as well. This may take up to a year and you will make mistakes along the way, (it's impossible to be perfect!) So be patient with yourself and don't beat yourself up when you have an off day.
Doing anything cold turkey sets most of us up to fail in the long run. That's why many of those detox programs, meal plans and weight loss programs only work in the short term and don't really work in real life.
Are you struggling with trying to eat a little better or getting started on a fitness program that will work long term? Getting practical advice that is suited for your needs can be tricky and I want to help! I now offer individualized lifestyle and fitness coaching online via Skype. Book Your Free 30-Minute Fitness Strategy Session or email terrellbaldock@momsfitnessboutique.com to get started today!
