If you’ve been struggling to stick with a nutrition plan, consider these five habits of highly successful eaters.
1. Seek Help
Changing the way you eat is a major undertaking, not something to approach halfheartedly.
Those who get the best results seek help for themselves—as opposed to someone who signs up for a nutrition challenge because a friend talked him or her into it.
“In the long run, they are not going to be as successful as somebody that searches a coach out and says, ‘Hey, I’m ready to take it to the next level. Can you help me?’”
If you’re not committed to the process, it’s almost impossible to make healthy decisions at every meal. The motivation to improve your diet must come from within, not from a friend, coworker or relative.
2. Focus on Health and Performance
Which is more motivating: looking good in a bathing suit or improving your health and performance? As much as we think we’re motivated by looking good, the subjective nature of aesthetic goals means it’s difficult to evaluate—or even recognize—progress.
People who are solely focused on aesthetic goals are rarely satisfied. “They are almost too close to the problem and lose sight of when things are actually changing and getting better.”
Even before and after pictures don’t work, because clients’ eyes immediately go to what they consider problem areas. We try to tell these clients how much better they look, and they often reply, “No, I don’t.”
“It’s very hard to actually reach any goal if it’s truly aesthetic based.”
“When it becomes too much about aesthetics, it’s too subjective for them.“ And we are always our own worst critic regarding something like that.
If the goal is improved health and performance, clients can look at blood markers and gym numbers to see evidence of success. Have their blood-sugar levels gone down? Are they running faster and lifting heavier? It’s much easier to motivate people to achieve long-term success with performance or health goals.
3. Log Your Intake
“I can’t stress enough the importance of actually tracking your intake.”
Daily logging helps take the emotion out of eating and puts the focus on data. When clients track nutrition, it’s easy for coaches to help them make connections between what they eat and how they perform.
“‘I eat this, and this is how I perform’ or ‘I eat this much, and this is what I look like,’” clients will realize.
“(People who) track the data behind those things are able to actually see success in the long term because they can change what they consume to meet their goals, versus just ‘I’m going to eat better.” There’s nothing to hold on to there.
Recording intake is more important than following a specific nutrition plan or philosophy.
“I don’t actually care what plan you seem to be on, but if you are tracking the amount of food that goes into your body, and you know those things, then you actually have the information you need to be successful long term. If you aren’t tracking, then it’s all just a guess.”
4. Make a Long-Term Commitment
A healthy diet is a lifelong pursuit, and people who find success share a commitment to the process and an understanding of the time it will take.
It truly is that days turn into weeks turn into months turn into years. Those who look at their diets as a 12-week experience won’t get the results they want.
It’s simply a journey—just like fitness is, just like health is. It has to keep going. … It’s one foot in front of the other, every day, making good choices, and when you make choices that aren’t in line with your goals, (it’s) understanding that tomorrow is another day.
I personally recommend following the 80/20 rule: sticking to your nutrition plan 80 percent of the time and indulging in foods not on the plan 20 percent of the time. This approach makes room for social events and treats and helps people avoid feeling deprived.
I think 80/20 is a really great place to live, where 80 percent of the time you are crushing it and 20 percent of the time you have to go out to dinner because you are taking your kids to sporting events and you weren’t able to pack your food.
Too much restriction often leads to rebellion and isn’t realistic in the long term. Logging your food can help you keep the 20 percent in check so it doesn’t creep up to 30, 40 or 50 percent.
5. Find a Community of Support
Sticking to healthy habits is much easier with a support system. If you’re surrounded by people who drink soda and eat fast food, it’s difficult to forge your own healthy path.
Nutrition coaches even use a nutrition coach to keep themself accountable.
Even a supportive partner or gym friend can provide accountability and encouragement.
If you set yourself up around like-minded people, then—no matter what—when things get rough, you are going to have a little extra help.
