HELPING YOU LIVE YOUR HEALTHIEST LIFE
What if I told you that you didn’t need another diet? You don’t need to find another cleanse of count another macro.
Does that sound too good to be true?
Well, it’s not.
Every day on social media and on TV we’re advertised the Next Big Thing to shave off fat, tone our muscles in 30-days-or-less, and help us detox. “Just do this and you’ll discover a New You in no time!”
But, how many times have you tried this approach and failed to see results? Or, if you did see results during your one-month routine, you found yourself struggling to keep them up after you went back to your regular habits.
If that sounds familiar, this is why:
No diet, cleanse, or nutrition fad will teach you how to make nutrition a sustainable, everyday part of your life.
So, I’m going to outline for you how to develop a mindful approach to nutrition that will help you see the results you most want by answering three questions.
1. WHat is the focus of your goals?
Most of our goals are outcome-oriented. Coach Crissy covered this in one of our last blog posts. “I want to lose 20 pounds,” or “I want to bench 200 pounds” are great goals. But they’re focused only on the end result—something you have no control over.
But, you know what you can control? Your behavior.
Behaviors are based around daily actions. In the end, action is what drives results.
2. what steps are you taking to get there?
Often when we set a new goal there may not be a clear path ahead. If only it were as simple as repeating the same action over and over. Usually, there are small and big obstacles that may get in the way and hinder your progress. For example, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds, you know you’ll need to eat healthier. But, what if you don’t know how to cook? You try to teach yourself to cook every meal, but wind up exhausted and frustrated. That’s okay! Start simple. Focus on breakfast.
You can try this sweet potato hash egg muffin for an easy on-the-go breakfast prepped in advance. If you have the time to cook at home, then try these 4-ingredient protein pancakes. If you like these options, work them into your daily routine, whether or not you’re working out.
This process will develop new habits that will push you toward your goal. It may seem slow at first, but stay focused. Small actions can make a big difference.
3. how dedicated are you?
There’s a concept John Berardi, author of the book “Change Maker: Turn Your Passion for Health and Fitness Into a Powerful Purpose and a Wildly Successful Career,” outlines as essential to meeting your goals. It’s called mastery. The idea is that you dedicate yourself to increasing your knowledge and developing your skills to get to where you want to be.
Start by writing down your goal. Next, write a list of skills required to reach that goal. After finishing your list, start working on one skill until you feel proficient or it has become a habit. Then, move on down the list.
Here’s an example of what this looks like:
Goal: Lose 20 pounds
Skills required: Eat balanced meals 3-4 times a day. Learn to cook. Time management habits for buying, preparing, and tracking meals. Slowing down and chewing food.
Approach: Focus on one new skill for at least two weeks or until I am 90 percent confident I’ve mastered it. Move on to the next skill.
In the end, the key to mastering a nutrition mindset is focusing less on quick results and digging in your heels for the long haul. Slowing down, building self-awareness, and creating small, actionable steps are what will help you ultimately reach your goals.
If you have any nutrition goals you’d like to focus on this year, or you just want to talk about nutrition in general, email me at dylan@southlandingfitness.com.
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