Most people want to go balls to the wall. I respect and admire that. Motivation takes hold and we want to blast off to the moon with our actions. Unfortunately, that’s when the rocket falls apart. We load ourselves with too much and one thing slips, that discourages us, and we tend to slowly come apart after that.
So where do we begin? How do we start to fix our Nutritional Circle Of Habits?
The first step I usually do with my people is to have them write down everything they eat for three days. Every little thing. There’s no judgement with this action (so if you decide to do it, don’t judge yourself). They’ve already come to me for help and made that great step, so there’s no need for me to judge anything.
So step one, write down all you eat for 3 – 5 days. Then take time to step back and look it over. What patterns do you see? Lack of veg? Binge eating in the evenings? Too much processed foods?
Again, no judgement. We are all human and we all have and will continue to make mistakes and have shortcomings.
After this exercise, we usually move into an easy direction. Adding water or adding more vegetables is something I love to assign. Notice I didn’t take anything away. Why would I? We can get there in due time, but a positive in the beginning is much more helpful than a subtraction. Once we get that down, this we usually switch into making sure we eat 3 meals a day. Depending on activity levels I may add a snack or two.
Why?
Most people think they are eating too much so they skip a meal. But then they’re starving by the middle or end of the day. So what do they do? They have a little extra because, “well, I didn’t eat breakfast so this little bit won’t hurt, besides, I’m starving.”
Again, no judgement, this is just what I’ve noticed over the years (and in my own personal experience, I did the same thing).
By eating 3 meals, you’re not as hungry near the end of the day and can hold that will power together much more efficiently. This allows you to stay focused and stay on track.
So, long story short, if you’re unsure where to start with your new Nutrition Circle Of Habits, start simply:
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Gain an awareness of your habits by writing down all you eat / drink for 3 – 5 days
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Make small POSITIVE adjustments to your habits for a couple of weeks
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Transition into 3 meals (and possibly a healthy snack or two depending on activity level) each day