Stop the Snowballs

I'm not perfect, none of of us are. So, stay away from the thought that your diet needs to be. To lead a consistently healthy diet, it's important  to realize it isn’t going to be grilled chicken and broccoli every day. In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle there has to be some flexibility. Lets all take some pressure and stress off of a “diet”. 

With that being said we don’t want those flexible eating habits to turn into consistently eating poorly.

It’s about finding balance.

People commonly opt for the all or nothing philosophy: their “diet” is perfect…until it isn’t.  When we have a bad meal, it tends to snowball to a day of poor eating. That day can easily lead to the wheels completely falling off.  Don't let it happen!

Think about it this way: the healthy, sustainable habits we're building are a foundation.  It's just like a house.  Along the way you may find some leaky pipes, or a damaged roof, but you don't tear the whole thing down and start over.  You fix the problem and finish the house.  You are the house!  So when you have a small leak, like a bad meal or a frustrating day, don't let the whole pipe burst, address that leak right away.  But it all starts with that foundation.  Making small nutritional changes that can be built upon will make your health and fitness goals far more attainable and sustainable.

For example, one of the most common issues, with the simplest solution, is not drinking enough water. If I suggest drinking 11 8-oz glasses of water (the appropriate amount for someone who weighs 180lbs), it seems daunting and will likely result in failure. It's much easier to start by pounding a 12 oz glass of water every day right after waking up. When that becomes habit, add a glass before every meal, then replace soda with water.  These simple changes alone would get most people close to their water goal. Simply making this change will have an effect in reducing cravings, injuries, and headache while increasing energy and focus.

Having a bad day, when the “diet“ "fails" can lead to negative feelings. You might even doubt the goal you set is attainable. When the goal is as simple as getting at least one serving of veggies daily or eating protein at every meal, it is much easier to see the successes everyday. So, start with your foundation, build on those successes, and let's build the best Dads we can.