Many of my clients come to me with the same goal: they want to reach their ideal weight/eating habits/lifestyle, and maintain it. They tell me how they’ve followed diets, successfully lost weight, and then something happens to push them off the wagon and they’re back to square one. They tell me they’re tired of spending so much energy thinking about what to eat, because they’re busy and have other things they’d rather focus on. They want the diet that will work this time and last. But while there are any number of diets that can help you lose weight, most of them require restriction and effort, which means they aren’t sustainable.
Here’s the thing: what you do consistently determines your health. Not what you do perfectly for one month straight, and not what you do on occasion either; what you do consistently. There’s one secret key to consistency, one thing that helps get rid of the back and forth, the up and down, the frustration, the throwing up your arms and saying screw it all. And that one thing is, to do what’s easy.
But what about no pain no gain? What about discipline and working hard and willpower? These things are all good, but in the end they will fail you if you rely on them solely. One of my favorite quotes on this topic is by Dan Buettner (of the National Geographic Blue Zones project). He says, “Discipline is a muscle, and muscles fatigue.” Brilliant. The Blue Zones Project took a look at all of the places around the world where people lived the longest, and why. One similarity they found amongst the communities, was that functional exercise was a part of their day, meaning they needed to walk to get water, or go fishing to provide food, or some other thing that got them moving out of necessity. There was no need to drum up motivation to exercise; they got exercise because it was a part of their life. The Blue Zones project has continued, in the form of transforming communities to implement healthy habits into the fabric of their lifestyle; no willpower needed.
If it doesn’t fit into your life, your preferences, your schedule, it’s not sustainable. So why not set yourself up for success, and make it easy?
For instance, maybe cooking a healthy breakfast in the morning doesn’t work for you because mornings are crazy in your house, and you have to rush out before you get a chance to eat. If prioritizing breakfast at home doesn’t work, ask what other options can? What can you keep in the fridge or pantry at your office (perhaps oatmeal or whole grain toast with nut-butter)? Is there somewhere on the way to work where you can grab a green protein smoothie? Can you keep a whole food protein bar (meaning not super processed and not loaded with high glycemic sugar) in the drawer at work, in your purse, or in the glove compartment if you’re on the run? You know from experience that if you’re hungry, you’ll grab whatever’s available, because that’s what’s easy. So do yourself a favor and make the healthy option the easy thing!
When you get home after work, are you too tired to cook? If so, don’t you think you’ll just pick up something on the way home, regardless of whether or not it’s good for you? Do you really think you’ll be able to force yourself on a regular basis to cook a healthy meal at night if you’re exhausted and all you want to do is chill? Be honest with yourself about reality, and figure out an easier option. Maybe you order a meal delivery service if you can afford it. Maybe you cook a big batch of chili (or some other dish you like) on Sunday evenings to last through-out the week. Maybe you stock up on a few quick and easy-to-prepare meals (and prioritize shopping weekly so you always have what you need). Maybe you find healthy restaurant options nearby and order from Postmates. Create a plan that will make things realistic and do-able for the long run.
One more thing to consider: when you like something, it’s easier to do. Don’t force yourself to eat food you hate just because it’s healthy. It won’t last long. Don’t do exercise you don’t enjoy. We all have a rebellious side and we don’t like being told what to do, especially if it feels like punishment or feels restrictive. And definitely don’t make your healthy habits compete with sleep. Your body will fight you, hard.
The bottom line is, be realistic and set yourself up for success. If you’re able to be consistent with healthy habits, you’ll reach your goals. And if you want to make your results last, give up the struggle and do what’s easy!
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