Plan and Prep

Why do people typically give up their nutrition goals after only a couple weeks?
We've all seen it, 3 weeks into the new year and everyone's back to their good ol' soda sippin', candy eatin', Big Mac lovin' selves. And it comes with a whole lot of excuses. "It's just too hard" "I didn't have the time" "My sweet tooth just got the best of me" "I just want to enjoy myself"... the list goes on. But they seemed so determined just last week! What happened??

Unfortunately, our societal "diet culture" has taught us that eating right is painful. You must starve yourself and eat all the nasty vegetables you hate, it should be awful or you're not doing it right. Oh, and if you mess up, it's over. You're a failure. NO. This is all wrong. Eating right is rewarding and satisfying, but so many have learned to ignore their bodies needs by trying to overpower hunger and cravings with sheer willpower. They deprive themselves, and that, my friends, is why so many set the same weight loss and nutrition goals year after year without any improvement.

All to often we allow ourselves to be placed in vulnerable situations where our will power just isn't enough. We give in, then we give up...at least that's how it usually goes. Our weaknesses are exposed most frequently when we are tired, hungry, stressed, depressed or overcome with other strong emotions. As many of us have regrettably experienced, this results in sugar binges, overeating, and ultimately guilt and self-hate. So here's the secret: keep your body satisfied and fueled with the right foods! Those Monday morning Krispy Kreme doughnuts at work are going to be so much more tempting if you skipped breakfast and already have a rumbling tummy, but if you had a filling breakfast of yogurt, fruit and eggs, it's not quite so hard to say no. (And yes, I experienced this predicament first hand yesterday). But with busy schedules and being constantly on the-go, that's easier said than done. So here are a few tricks to keep you going strong:

• Listen to your body-- just like our cars have gauges to tell you when you need to fuel up, our bodies have gauges too! When you begin to think about food, that's your body's first warning that it needs some fuel soon. Mood changes and a feeling of hunger is a sign that you're nearing empty, and a rumbling stomach is that warning light that comes on once you've entered the danger zone of running out. So listen to your instinct, and when you're hungry EAT and when you're full STOP. It's as easy as that. 
• Keep snacks on hand-- So your body is telling you that it wants food... there are options: ignore your hunger and just keep going (bad idea), grab some overly priced, sugar packed candy bar from the vending machine (also bad idea), or eat some of your pre-cut fruits and veggies you brought from home (good idea). Personally, after my weekly grocery trips, I like to immediately cut and package small snack bags that include nuts, veggies, fruits, and yogurt to carry with me throughout the day to snack on when needed. Try it and let me know how it goes!  
• Plan your meals-- the phrase "meal plan" can seem intimidating to some, but it doesn't have to be that way. A simple outline of what you are planning to eat for the week can help you stay on track. It is also a great way to avoid spontaneous, unnecessary purchases at the grocery store. Saving money and your health at the same time...doesn't get better than that.

So I guess what I'm getting at here is YOU CAN DO IT! Enjoy treating your body right, don't punish yourself with food. Give yourself a break and recognize that even if you do mess up, you can get right back on it. Health is not achieved with perfectionism, but rather consistency.