Form Lifelong Habits by Starting Slow
“Creating a realistic diet and exercise plan is doable as long as people are ready to make changes, said registered dietitian nutritionist Mary Baun. There isn't a one-size-fits-all plan, and making drastic changes may not work, Baun said, so it is best to start slow and view it as a sustainable lifestyle change instead of a diet with an end point.” -The Beaver County Times (Pa.) (11/19/18)
One of my favorite quotes remains “Strive for progress, not perfection.” So often we are guilty of getting down on ourselves for not being perfect. This may pertain to food, fitness, faith, family…you name it! When failing to achieve perfection, we might give up, halt all efforts temporarily, doubt our abilities, or simply experience unnecessary negative emotion. I find it so important to recognize that there is MIDDLE GROUND between where we are and where we want to be. This is where we find PROGRESS. When aiming to adhere to a long-term nutrition or fitness regimen, ability to focus on progress is crucial. Here’s why I believe this to be true:
If we the expectation we set for ourselves is to be perfect, we are unlikely to feel “ready to make changes”. Without efforts to create change, of course we will not spark any forward progress. However, if we focus on small improvements in our fitness/nutrition practices, we are more likely to feel ready to make such changes.
I could not agree more that neither nutrition nor fitness warrants a “one-size-fits-all plan”. Focusing on any type of “gold standard” wellness model can be overwhelming and discouraging. Rather than putting so much weight on what the media, peers, etc. advertise as the “best” diet or the “best” workout program, think about what is going to be “best” for you. Keep in mind- we want our dietary and fitness practices to be sustainable long-term. 😊
“Drastic changes may not work”- I have witnessed this truth a great number of times. What I have witnessed an even greater number of times is that making small, gradual changes DOES WORK. This goes back to our aim to strive for progress, not perfection. If you are someone who maybeee drinks 1 full glass of water each day, it might not be wise to set an initial goal of increasing your water intake to 1 gallon/day. That is a HUGE sudden increase! Rather, I encourage finding some middle ground where smaller, more gradual changes can be made. Perhaps your first goal is to drink 1 full glass of water with each meal. (Think about it- if you achieve this, you will have TRIPLED your water intake!)
While I do love helping others making positive changes in their dietary and fitness habits, I firmly agree that it is best for most of us to start slow. A more gradual rate of change better lends itself to the development of sustainable, lifelong habits- which I believe should always be the goal. 😊