I know we’ve heard time and time again: Start small, make
SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) goals, it just
takes willpower, etc. But why don’t these logical tips help us stay on the
path? I can’t speak about all goals, but as far as weight loss goals go, I am a
bit of an expert (see the RD, LD after my name J).
As a registered dietitian, I have heard all of these tips and tricks and then
some, as well as advised others on them. Over time, however, I’ve noticed a
constant: We, as humans, lose weight, and we’re happy; we don’t lose weight, or
possibly even gain weight, and we feel like we failed and, consequently, give
up.
What if I told you it doesn’t have to be like that? You
don’t have to feel like you failed because you haven’t lost weight. You don’t
have to feel like you’re doing something wrong if the scale doesn’t say what
you want it to. In fact, it actually would be good for our health, physically
and mentally, if we stopped letting something so small dictate how we feel
about ourselves. I know this may go against most things you may have heard
before, but you actually don’t need to focus on your weight. I have something
better.
This year, instead of focusing on the scale, a more
beneficial use of your time would be to focus on healthful BEHAVIORS. When we
focus on the scale, we end up feeling either good or bad about ourselves, and
then let that feeling make or break our entire day/week/year. However, when we
focus on behaviors, we can learn from things other than the scale, including
how we feel, how much energy we have, how clearly we are able to think and
focus, how happy we are and how well we are sleeping.
Here are my Top 5 Healthful Behaviors to focus on in 2018:
1. Stop weighing yourself first thing in the
morning (or any time). Your day does not need to revolve around what a tiny
plastic/metal/glass square tells you. You are worth so much more than that.
2. Enjoy wholesome foods that YOU ACTUALLY LIKE.
Eat a variety of fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, beans/legumes,
etc. This will ensure you are getting the nutrients your body needs, and eating
healthfully won’t feel like a chore because you won’t be forcing yourself to
eat things you don’t truly enjoy. You can even dress up your vegetables and put
olive oil, butter, spices or cheese on them if that allows your taste buds to
enjoy them. J
3. Let go of guilt surrounding foods that aren’t so
“wholesome.” All foods really are allowed. If you love ice cream and can’t live
without it, why restrict it? It’s OK to enjoy it. Food does not have moral
value. It is not “good” or “bad.” Just be mindful of your choices, and work on
nourishing your body (and mind).
4. Get in touch with your body - specifically, its
hunger and fullness signals. If you’ve never heard of intuitive eating, I
encourage you to look it up on the Google (or your search engine of choice). In
a nutshell, intuitive eating is eating in a way in which you respect your body
by listening to it and eating the foods it is craving. Our bodies were born
with the wisdom to know what we need to eat to survive and thrive. We just
stopped listening to it along the way. There’s even a whole book about it
called “Intuitive Eating” by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch that is a great
read.
5. Finally, move your body in ways you enjoy and
that feel good to you. Physical activity is so important to our health and well-being,
both physically and mentally. It doesn’t have to be “exercise,” and I don’t
want it to feel like a chore that you despise but feel you “should” do.
Anything from walking to yoga to spin class (the list is infinite) can be a
great healthful behavior to adopt this year. I challenge you to find some form
of movement - joyful movement - that you enjoy so much you actually look
forward to doing it!
Give these 5 behaviors a try, and
let me know what you think, and how you feel! I wish you all the happiness and
health in the world in 2018. J
-Dietitian Melissa
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