We can all relate to making big plans and then letting them fall by the wayside. Whether it's nutrition and fitness or a backyard project we are all "gung ho" to start until it becomes overwhelming and starts to feel like a second full time job. I'm here to tell you that the only way the majority of us are going to reach our goals is to be realistic and start small. One person may want to lose 50 pounds while another wants to shave off a percent or two of body fat. No matter where you start the one thing you need to remember is to be realistic. Most of us juggle two or three jobs, school, children, you name it someone out there is busy doing it. When you throw in something like a lifestyle change it can become too much. Let's go over a few ways that it doesn't have to feel like it's impossible to change your eating habits.
Start by writing down why this is important for you to do. Maybe it's because you can't fit in your favorite jeans or maybe it's for something more serious like losing a loved one due to preventable health issues. Either way you need to determine why this is important to you so you will make that commitment and stick to your plan.- -Keep a food journal for 3-7 days. Write down EVERYTHING you take in (even those 2 oreos you HAD to have). You'll look it over and realize what you are actually consuming.
- -Next take one thing from that journal and remove it the first week. Slowly make one to two goals for every new week. (remove soda, reduce portion size, increase veggie intake, try meal prep for the week, etc.)
- -If you haven't been to the gym as much as you want write it into your schedule for the week so there are already times set aside where you know you will be able to make it.
- -If you liked keeping the food journal continue with that but maybe download one of the fitness/nutrition apps; my fitness pal, lost it, etc. These will help you keep track of your food intake and it allows you to log your exercise as well.
- -If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed take a step back, just don’t quit. No one's perfect and one bad day or week won't erase all your hard work, only quiting and going back to old habits will do that.
- -Make a lot of small goals instead of one monstrous goal that could take a year to reach. You need little victories to celebrate which will help you realize why you are working hard in the kitchen, avoiding the sweets, and dragging yourself out of bed to make the gym at 6am!
Everyone's different and you need to determine how much you can handle at once. Making small goals is important because every time you succeed and reach a goal it's an awesome feeling. People too often decide to cut everything bad out of their diet, go to the gym 7 days a week, starve themselves, and get burnt out in 2-4 weeks. That's never good because for one thing your stressing your body way too much, you aren't making any progress towards your goals after you quit, and you feel defeated.. like a failure (enter comfort food). This is a lifelong change your making so if it takes a little longer than you planned that's okay. Doing these things the healthy way is always the smart way. Making changes that can be ingrained and implemented for the rest of your life is a much better plan than trying to go on fad diets that restrict everything you love. You can't follow a diet like that forever, what happens when that diet ends? You go back to old habits and the viscous cycle continues. Be happy, eat healthy and balanced, lift things up and put them down at the gym, and you will reach your goals.
