One of the main reasons I am sceptical about New Years and dieting resolutions is that they usually revolve around good intentions. I’m much more interested in planning. Healthy eating and, in fact, any healthier lifestyle choice, is not simply about setting yourself goals; it’s about crafting a long-term strategy.
That’s why, when my clients are looking to change their eating habits, one of the first things I tell them is that it’s time to clean the pantry and fridge.
In fact, I have not taken clients on because I have asked them to donate most of their processed and shitty foods to others, or simply throw them in the bin. The reason is not because they wouldn’t follow a simple request, but because it showed me that they themselves were not ready for the commitment required to make any sustainable change, and no matter how many training sessions they did with me, their results would be sabotaged by the fact that they had so many temptations in the house, and they weren’t yet ready to put barriers in place.
Clean Out The Fridge, Pantry & Cupboards.
If you have junk food in the house, you will eat it. Get rid of it. If your cravings become too much, you can drive to the shops to get yourself a treat. But that takes effort and may just be enough to subdue your cravings. We all have domino or trigger foods. These are the foods that we simply can’t control ourselves with, and once opened, we finish the whole packet.
Think of the Pringles slogan, “Once you pop, you can’t stop.” We need to remove these temptations and replace them with something else that we can either control our temptations and intake, or something that is going to provide us with nutrients that will aid in improving our health and optimal system function.
Plan For Flexibility.
Sometimes if you do have cravings for certain food, feed them. But make it the exception rather than the rule. A rule I use when traveling is that I can’t drink alcohol unless I’ve trained that day. Do the same thing with food. If you eat junk food every day, make a rule that you can only have one treat every second day.
This will teach self-control and discipline. Do that for a week, then cut back to every third day. After a while of eating well, you will notice how the junk food makes you feel, and you will be less inclined to have it.
Use The 80/20 Rule.
My mates often ask me how I stay in shape when they see me on a Saturday night after a game of rugby, treating myself to a chicken parmy and chips, as well as a few beers before stopping off at cold rock for an ice cream on the way home. The simple fact of the matter is this; I don’t restrict my food and alcohol intake; I just make it the exception rather than the rule.
They don’t see that I eat well 80% of the time, which allows me to be a little looser with my diet the other 20% of the time.
Plan Ahead.
Another tactic I use is to plan ahead or make adjustments to my intake. If I plan on having a big night out, I will ensure that I eat lower calorie foods throughout the day to cater for the alcohol intake of the night out. This might be a big hearty and healthy breakfast, followed by a salad-based lunch. If I over-consume (as we all do) on a night out, then I will adjust my intake the following day, maybe two. If I have a big Saturday night, I might fast until lunchtime on the Sunday, and then hit a veggie or salad based meal as my first meal of the day to ensure that I am getting some good micro-nutrients in to aid my body in dealing with the alcohol and/or over-consumption.
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