Maybe not.
You may have figured this out by now, but you can have all the right ingredients, but your psychological approach or behavior tendencies can throw everything out the window.
In this article, they make a goal to revamp how we look at dieting and becoming healthy. In fact, they give a new equation. Here's a recap of their tips, but be sure to read the whole article:
1. Determine Your Why
If you simply focus on your 'why' for getting into shape, that will be the
first step to overcoming the overwhelming feeling of being judged or falling
back into old, bad habits, says LIVESTRONG.COM fitness advisor
Jim Smith, C.S.C.S., founder of Dieselsc.com. The "why" could be anything: Maybe you want to
lead a healthier life, spend more time with your kids, move better, feel better,
have more energy, or to just have a better quality of life.
"As you discover your why, you must make sure there's a strong enough trigger to drop the hammer and launch the missile far enough to make an impact, says LIVESTRONG.COM advisor and nutritionist," Alan Aragon. In many cases, people 'think' they’re ready to make distinct, permanent changes in daily habits, but they soon find out that this desire to make changes lasts only a week or two, and the reason is that the motivating trigger was not strong enough, says Aragon.
Here's how to make it happen: Your why is all about you and not other people's judgment of you, says Smith. "Someone once told me that they stopped worrying about what others thought of them when they realized people rarely thought of anyone but themselves," says Smith. That's not to say that you shouldn't care for others. It just means that sometimes you need to prioritize your own goals--especially when it comes to your health--in spite of what others think, because odds are they aren't thinking about what you're doing.
"As you discover your why, you must make sure there's a strong enough trigger to drop the hammer and launch the missile far enough to make an impact, says LIVESTRONG.COM advisor and nutritionist," Alan Aragon. In many cases, people 'think' they’re ready to make distinct, permanent changes in daily habits, but they soon find out that this desire to make changes lasts only a week or two, and the reason is that the motivating trigger was not strong enough, says Aragon.
Here's how to make it happen: Your why is all about you and not other people's judgment of you, says Smith. "Someone once told me that they stopped worrying about what others thought of them when they realized people rarely thought of anyone but themselves," says Smith. That's not to say that you shouldn't care for others. It just means that sometimes you need to prioritize your own goals--especially when it comes to your health--in spite of what others think, because odds are they aren't thinking about what you're doing.
2. Establish Clarity
“I’m going to lose some weight,” “I’m going to start eating healthy,” “I’m
going to give up junk food.”
All of these are fine goals, but they’re nebulous at best. They still leave too many questions and ambiguity that can cause you to fall off track. Lose how much weight? When do you want to lose it by? Define eating healthy? What constitutes junk food?
If you come at a lifestyle change without a clear, focused idea of the things you need to do, chances are you won’t do them. When you have too big of a picture and not enough specific action steps, it makes you feel like you're taking on too much, adds Ashley Borden, a fitness and life coach. "This is the first step that leads to defeat," says Borden.
The solution? "People should write down their goals in the form of a list, and then, write out sublists consisting of definitions of those goals, and the action steps needed to be successful," says Romaniello.
3. Take a Step Back
All of these are fine goals, but they’re nebulous at best. They still leave too many questions and ambiguity that can cause you to fall off track. Lose how much weight? When do you want to lose it by? Define eating healthy? What constitutes junk food?
If you come at a lifestyle change without a clear, focused idea of the things you need to do, chances are you won’t do them. When you have too big of a picture and not enough specific action steps, it makes you feel like you're taking on too much, adds Ashley Borden, a fitness and life coach. "This is the first step that leads to defeat," says Borden.
The solution? "People should write down their goals in the form of a list, and then, write out sublists consisting of definitions of those goals, and the action steps needed to be successful," says Romaniello.
3. Take a Step Back
Once
you have your focus, the next step is teaching yourself patience. "The biggest
mistake I typically see is people diving into things head first and
overreaching," says Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, M.D., founder of the Bariatric Medical
Institute.
It's been said many times, but it can't be stated enough: "Healthy living is the world’s longest ultra-marathon," adds Freedhoff. "Sprint out of the gates and chances are you’re not going to be hitting any finish lines."
4. Focus on Progress, Not Perfection
It's been said many times, but it can't be stated enough: "Healthy living is the world’s longest ultra-marathon," adds Freedhoff. "Sprint out of the gates and chances are you’re not going to be hitting any finish lines."
4. Focus on Progress, Not Perfection
Finally, always think "progress, not perfection."
You
have to think of the amount of time it took you to get out of shape and realize
that it will take a comparable amount of time to get you back where you want to
be. You don't have to be perfect or have the perfect program.
Instead, you need to focus on sustainable changes that you can replicate over
time. This can be anything from consistently exercising three times per week to
even logging what you eat--even if those meals still aren't health. Success is
built in habits.
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