3 Ways To Make Your Diet Sustainable

A quarter into the new year is when I typically receive an influx of requests to work together. Why? Because the new years resolutions to ‘lose weight’, ‘be healthier’, ‘exercise more’ have worn off and people find themselves back at square one. This time, they want it to work. If this sounds like you, read on and don’t be disheartened…

How to make a nourishing diet work for you is essentially broken up into this:

1. Eating well for your body, your training needs, work and family priorities – basically, your lifestyle

2. Exercising

3. Doing #1 and #2 consistently

Let’s look at these three points closely and where you can make it work for you.

Eating Well

For many, the word ‘diet’ conjures up thoughts such as restriction and deprivation. In fact, the definition of diet (noun) is “food and drink regularly provided or consumed”. If you find what you eat and the process of eating unpleasant, just so that you can reach your health goals, do you think this will be sustainable long term? Probably not.

The same goes for knowledge of how to nourish your body adequately. If you lack knowledge or find it confusing to eat well, it is probable that you won’t be able to keep up the ‘diet’ and may even find that you are increasing weight, losing muscle, or feeling under nourished, leading in nutrient deficiency, fatigue and stress.

Exercising

Some people love to train hard (think triathlons, marathons, 6-7 days per week lifting etc.), some are happy to take a walk around the block, engage in activities that are fun and don’t involve high intensity workouts or a rigid structure. And some are a combination of the two. Which one are you? Once you know what you like to do for movement, you can then do it regularly and with joy. You are in ‘flow’, it feels somewhat easy. It makes regular movement sustainable.

Consistency

We’re not robots. As humans, we naturally become bored, frustrated, fall ill, burnout, and shift priorities. I find the best approach to staying consistent is planning and accountability. Plan what you are going to eat that day or meal plan your week. Book your exercise sessions in your calendar. Recruit a buddy if you need accountability or see me for support with your nutrition.

What to do

As you can also see, all three points above come with behavioural and environmental changes. This is the difficult part, and it does not mean you are weak or incapable! Where can you start with the following?

Have you set clear goals?

Where can you receive support or guidance?

What needs to change about your current diet?

Do you have a meal plan for the week?

What days will you be exercising?

Start slowly, take a couple of these pointers and see how you go. I would love to hear your feedback on where you start and what is working!

If you feel that you are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, or you are ready to take your health goals to the next level, let’s chat. The work we do covers adequate meal planning to reach your health goals, food behaviour changes, setting achievable goals and getting results. The most important element of all of this is that I can help you make your health priorities sustainable. No fad diets, no deprivation.

It’s your time now.

Karen

P.S Here are two resources to help you out with your nutrition. Download 10 High Protein Snacks and The Essential Post Workout Recovery Guide.