We hear the buzzphrase of “make a lifestyle change” all the time in our success stories, but what does it really feel like to make that change? There’s only one surefire way to tell if you’re on track for years of success. Here’s the big question:
Could I eat this way for the rest of my life and feel okay?
The concept is so simple, but the practice can get muddled by plenty of factors: mental, social, and environmental to name a few. In this post, we’ll tackle the mental portion to help identify what might be holding you back from a lifetime of healthy living.
Unsustainable thought patterns to watch out for:
You have thoughts of “just one more week!”
The language you use is “I HAVE to eat this way.”
You think, “I have to be perfect in my diet or it won’t work.”
You tell yourself, “If I don’t lose weight every week, I’m failing.”
If you find yourself in these patterns, don’t fret! There is a way out, and it takes a little flip of the mind to get there.
Helpful thought patterns to practice:
“I’m building healthy habits that will last a lifetime.”
“As I find foods I enjoy, it becomes easier and easier to eat a nutritious diet.”
“It’s okay to slip up, because I know I’m getting better every day.”
“I may not have lost weight this week, but I did make better choices and can reflect on my behavior and logs to learn from it.”
Forcing your beautiful, unique self into a square peg of a short term diet plan is no way to live. Every day you learn a little bit more about what works for you, and no one can ever take that knowledge away. Take it one day at a time, building up on healthy habits so they become second nature. Every little positive change you make is preparing your mind and body for a lifetime of health and happiness. Celebrate your health successes as you start to realize: you ARE making a lifestyle change.
*https://blog.loseit.com/are-you-secretly-fad-dieting-one-question-reveals-all/ via @loseit
