Behavioural Changes For Success
Despite our best intentions, without the right tools, weight loss, health changes and finding motivation can be difficult.
Below are some of my top tips on how to stay on track during your journey.
1. Don’t forget your limits – As the old saying goes, “you always want what you can’t have.” There’s nothing sustainable about going ‘cold turkey’. Eg. when we commit to giving up carbs, all we can think about is pasta, muffins, croissants and go weak at the knees at the very sight of some bread and butter.
We’re here to make changes that are sustainable for the rest of our lives, and denying yourself of your favourite foods is the easiest way to set yourself up for failure. Think more balance, healthy relationships with food, controlled indulgences; and less deprivation, feeling hangry and relapsing into a binge.
2. Monitor your snacking –
Eating within set time frames helps us to monitor our snacking, limiting it to pre-portioned morning and afternoon tea rather than having an open jar of trail mix on your desk at all times.
3. Store everything away –
While it sounds like a no-brainer for preserving food, many of us still leave our treats out in the open. If we see unsealed packets of chips or chocolate sitting on the table, we are tempted to take *just one* every time we walk past. Put them in a jar, close the lid and keep them away on their shelf – ‘out of sight, out of mind’ works well here.
4. Take the reigns at social events –
Going to a barbeque or picnic with friends? Regain some control over what you eat by bringing a dish. You will not only look like a superstar friend with basic manners, but you will also know exactly what you are eating, what to track, and that it will be delicious.
5. Get active –
Don’t sit at home trying everything in your willpower to avoid the fridge. As soon as you start getting antsy in between meals, get up and move. Call a friend, go for a walk, take a bath or even action a household chore you’ve been putting off for weeks. Watch how quickly your mind will move on when you’re distracted by something else.
6. As long as you love the process, the result will follow –
Put your heart into your cooking, savour your meals and enjoy your exercise every day. Don’t get too caught up in the final destination, it will come. Instead, enjoy the small steps that will lead you there.
