Have you ever taken on rapid, drastic changes in the way you eat, think, and exercise in order to achieve a certain goal by a certain time? How did that work out for you? Were you successful for a little while? Or was it a disaster because it was too unrealistic? Did you resort back to your old familiar habits as soon as possible? Why do we do that?! As a health and fitness coach, I see this happen all the time. We want change to happen NOW! We want results NOW! And then, we want our results to stay that way forever, without much effort to keep them there. If only someone else would just do all the work for us, right?! Which statement best describes a lifestyle with healthy eating habits? Here I describe some long-term fitness goal ideas, which are sustainable, and I talk about my own experience on how to create healthy habits without restrictions.
In my own coaching experience, there tends to be a high failure rate in the long-term habit change (and the results that come with it) when people try to overhaul too many habits or behaviors at once, or when people try to change something that they aren’t really ready to change. If you aren’t really ready to change something, you will resist it the whole way. For example, if someone is an avid soda drinker, is it realistic to go cold turkey and have none? Forever? How long do you think that will last?” And, upon failure, it is so discouraging and frustrating to think about having to start over. Again, I mean, what does that do to your confidence?! So, what if you made your lifestyle changes doable? What if you changed them in a way that felt easy and then made progress from there? And, what would happen if you worked on consistency and built confidence in what you were doing first worrying about details later? People usually know what they need to do, but often don’t know where to start. They may focus on changing ALL of the things, versus just starting with a little “something.”
Which statement best describes a lifestyle with healthy eating habits?
I’ve got six basic habit changes that can lead to big, long-term results in weight loss and a positive mindset shift if followed consistently:
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Take 5 minutes to yourself every day to “get started” with your task. Examples- Start your warmup and watch it lead right into your workout. Or, start chopping veggies and see how much food prep you can get done in a few minutes. Set a timer to get you started.
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Create a supportive environment, both in your kitchen and your social network. If you have treats in your cupboard readily available, you will most likely eat them. That doesn’t really set you up for success, it sets you up for failure. Tell your friends and family what changes you want to make and that you need their support. Having accountability with them may help keep you on track!
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Don’t wait to FEEL like doing something like a workout, just do it whether you feel like it or not. Motivated does not usually happen first. The action happens first and motivation happens after that. So, put your shoes on and head out the door.
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Eat Slowly. I mean, really slowly. This is a game changing habit for portion control, hunger awareness, digestion, and enjoyment of food. This one take time and practice. Take note of how you feel after doing this for a week or more!
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Match your expectations to what is going on in your life. Traveling? Schedule conflicts? Family stress? Still do “something,” but keep it realistic and just keep showing up for yourself. The shorter the derailment, the easier it is to get back to your new-found consistency.
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Practice living as if you are the person you want to be. For example, A fit person eats Whole Foods…so, make sure you have Whole Foods available to eat, and figure out what to do with them to make them taste great. A healthy, fit person exercises regularly, so how can you start moving your body a little more regularly than you have been? Know how to cook!
Changing your habits for the long term takes time, practice, and patience. Start with a change that you are 9 out of 10 confident in and get going. If you are confident, you will do it, and build consistency. When you see and feel results, the motivation comes, and you will keep going. It’s up to you. Create healthy habits, not restrictions! You deserve to be your best, healthiest self!
Kara Short
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