"Yeah, I really want to lose 20 more pounds. I need to start eating better, but after this weekend."
Anyone else ever say anything like that?
It's the idea that eating healthy has to happen all the bad eating is over. It holds the view that eating healthy is eating perfectly clean all the time.
Usually this perspective leads to a few things:
If you "mess up" and don't eat perfectly clean, you feel you've ruined your diet.
You feel overly restricted and end up binging on "cheat days"
You end up with weight loss results, but eventually grow tired of the restrictive nature of this process and end up gaining back the weight you lost in the first place plus a little extra.
Sound familiar?
I'm here to tell you - WHEN (and I say when, because it WILL happen) you deviate from your intended health habits, you haven't ruined anything!
You've actually just created an opportunity to solidify your healthy habits.
How?
Every time you "mess up", you have the chance to learn from that choice.
What were the circumstances surrounding that choice?
Did you forget to plan?
Did you not pack enough food?
Were you stressed?
Did you not set an intention for the day?
Were you tired?
When you get clear on what happened you can brainstorm - what can I do in the future to set myself up for success?
Once you come up with a solution for next time, act on it. That way, you're prepared for next time!
As easy as this sounds, it can be quite difficult if you aren't giving yourself grace in the process.
As much as you must practice being able to stop and view mistakes as learning opportunities, you must also practice giving yourself grace for making the mistake in the first place.
The thing is, they're going to happen.
It's a matter of having more healthy choices than unhealthy choices.
It's increasing healthy choices and decreasing unhealthy choices.
All of this happens over time.
So before you throw in the towel over a piece of cake, know that you are on the right path. Cake happens. Sometimes accidentally. Sometimes intentionally.
Just keep going!