-
Eating healthy for life…a few thoughts on making change stick.
If you’ve been thinking about eating healthier, there are two things that will likely help you move from thinking about it to doing something about it.
1. You might want to grab a pen and paper. Making a small list of your own pros and cons can clarify a lot. Are the pros outweighing the cons yet? Ask a friend or family member, who you know eats healthy, about his/her pros and cons. Post your pros list on the wall or on the bathroom mirror. You can even go as far as making affirmations out of them. Think this is hokie? Some of the most inspiring athletes in history used this powerful little psychological practice. Think Michael Jordan, and many, many more.
2. Don’t skip the preparation. The old saying goes, when you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Preparing to eat healthy regularly can be a big undertaking. What if you don’t have family/friend support? What if your environment isn’t setup for success, e.g. cupboards and fridge are full of unhealthy foods? Skip the prep and those foods will be calling your name every time you open the fridge or get bored and crack open the cupboard. In your moments of weakness (where old habits die hard) they have a good chance of breaking your resolve. So plan! Also, learn the rules of thumbs and success tips.
Bonus tip: finding and joining a community of people who also eat healthy can be a tremendous help.
