Do you get on track for a couple weeks and then “fall off”? Maybe you go out of town, have a busier week or weekend, and then the motivation or devoted time wears off?
That is very common, we not only hear it often, but used to be there too ourselves. And we have found a few things to be a common denominator when it comes to “getting off track”.
Top Causes of Being Inconsistent
- We tend to get into the “all or nothing” mindset. This can look like us planning the entire week out with perfect recipes and spending 5 hours on a Sunday prepping food for the week. And when something gets in the way of that prep time, or you don’t have time to get all the ingredients at the store, you go the opposite direction and say “screw it”, and end up eating out more, or eating the “easy” option that leaves you feeling heavy with shame or guilt, or simply GI upset and frustration.
- We can think of making a quality meal as “too hard”, “not fun”, or “too expensive”. And this goes back to the mindset piece. If we think of a task as being extra work, then we are not going to want to do it. And in Habits 101, we know we need to make a habit more inviting in order for us to want to do it consistently. So no wonder we easily get “off course” and create the opportunity to not make the quality meal.
What You Can Do to Start Being More Consistent
- What are your percentages? (If you haven’t listened to our podcast on this subject, listen here to learn more). How can we get into a frame of mind of “something is better than nothing”? Can you start to prioritize buying more protein? Can you add on a fruit or veggie to one meal a day? Instead of a fancy recipe, can you pick your favorite protein and veggie and call it a meal? And if you have less time, can you still do A meal and simply make more for leftovers the next day?
- How can you look at quality food as easy and worth it? Start to think about all the reasons why you want to eat food that makes you feel your best. If you feel like quality food is too pricey, ask yourself, “Why am I not willing to spend more on my health – present and future health?” If “healthy food” seems boring or tasteless, ask yourself, “How can I make quality foods taste better for me?”. This may mean adding your favorite starch like Siete chips, or tortilla. Maybe it’s adding bacon to all your veggies for a better flavor. Protip: think of what whole foods (animal protein, fruits, veggies) you really love, and how can you replicate that? Could be how the food is chopped, what it’s served with, adding salt or Primal Kitchens mayo, or even how long you cook it (hello fellow crispy veggie lovers out there!). We give you full permission to skip the salad with chicken and order the burger. Simply find ways to enjoy the things you want, AND still have it feel good to you – ex: no bun, add bacon and avocado, grilled veggies on the side, etc.
Staying consistent with new habits may have you feeling like you need to participate in a 30 day challenge, or have it all mapped out perfectly, but know that true sustainability actually comes with starting with the “small things” and finding ways to enjoy it.
Final Words of Advice
Stay aware of how you feel during and after meals – mentally and physically. If you find that some meals have you feeling icky after, learn from it! If you can ask yourself the question, “how do I want to feel?”, you’re more likely to make better choices and it will start to feel a lot easier. Tune in to your body, and learn from each meal! You always have an opportunity to make one better choice at your next meal. Keep it simple, give yourself grace.
If you find that last piece of advice hard to do and feel like you’re on a hamster wheel, book at connection call with us to see if we can help you get out of that cycle – we are passionate about it and it’s what we do!
