7 Ways to Avoid Diet Failure!
At Elevate, we work with people just like you to create better lifestyle habits. In fact, when it comes to our nutrition coaching clients the problem is never the food itself — the problem is sticking to the plan! And we understand, change is freakin’ hard!
So here are 7 easy strategies to set yourself up for long-term success with your new approach to nutrition and health:
1) CLEAR YOUR ENVIRONMENT
You ever hear the saying “you are what you eat?” Well, your diet consists of what’s in your kitchen. Start by clearing out the crap from your home and workplace. This way you won’t be tempted to make poor decisions when you need something quick to eat. Replace the junk with healthy options.
2) COMMUNICATE YOUR WHY
It’s easy to blame the people around you for de-railing your mission, but it often comes down to clear communication. Talk to the people who you spend the most time with about the changes you are making and WHY it’s important to you. Be relatable, be honest and remember it’s not your job to make them change or join in.
3) BE PRACTICAL
Take an honest look at your lifestyle (your work hours, schedule, family, etc) when planning out your nutrition. If you are busy and forget to eat, let’s not go to the “eat 10 meals per day” plan (that isn’t any more effective than 3 big meals, by the way). Ask yourself, “What will I actually stick with for the long term?”
4) PLAN YOUR MEALS
Just like you plan out your work week or family time, plan out all your meals as well. Going into the week with a plan takes out the on-the-fly decision making. The bad stuff happens when you are tired AND hungry!
5) DO THE BORING STUFF
Sounds sexy, right? Sorry to break it to you, but consistency over time is what gets results. And that is true for any endeavor. You don’t need to eat Pinterest worthy meals every time you sit down and it’s not always going to be super exciting. Find things you like that make your life easy and stick with them.
6) DO YOUR RESEARCH
Going out to eat? Traveling? Plan ahead and scope out menus in advance so you can decide the best options before you get to your destination. Just about any restaurant can strip down the menu and give you some grilled chicken 🙂
7) FOOD PREP FOR THE WEEKEND
The weekend (even as early as Thursday) is the danger zone for sticking to your diet. Re-up on your food prep towards the end of the week so you have good things to eat on the weekend! It’s too easy to deviate when you are out of the normal week routine.
And remember, these tips are only as valuable as your ability to apply them! Need a coach in your corner to improve your fitness & nutrition game? Get in touch with Elevate so we can help!