The fitness industry is swamped with diet plans that promise things that the genie from Aladdin couldn’t grant. Even worse, every single one focuses on a restriction and rules that peg you into a camp of people that are so rabid that different sects and level of following have emerged.
“OH I’m paleo vegan who only eats wheatgrass from the mountains of Machu Pichu, on Tuesdays after it’s been blessed by a shamanic leader of the takanaka tribe”.
Now, I’ll be honest I have no problem with people that follow diet plans or restrictive lifestyles. I, myself, am a strong personality when it comes to approach and lifestyle. I, do, however have experience when it comes to coaching individuals and know that change, as much as we all want it, is hard. We are inherently opposed to change when we feel uncertain about the terms and conditions that come with change. Diet plans, while they work, don’t offer much freedom or choice. Even further, they lack a sense of awareness and fail to teach the people that are half heartedly following the rules of the diet.
Rather than a diet plan, I like concepts. Concepts of habit formation around nutrition. So, today I want to focus on Addition instead of Subtraction or restriction. There are three things we are going to focus on Adding to our current diet to help us make better choices and bring a strong awareness around what you eat.
1st Nutrition add on: Define your why!!!!!
Call it motivation or drive, the fact is you need a reason why you want to get where you want to with your nutrition. If you lack a “Why” you will find yourself switching between practices and thoughts around nutrition more than you can count on both hands. Get clear about your goals and define what results you want to see.
Here’s the formula: Why + questions =goal.
Ask questions like: Why do I want to change my diet? What do I want to look like in x amount of months? How do I know it’s working(e.g. How do I feel?)
Following that take the following formula to refine and define your path for success.
Formula: (Strategy + action step) x consistency=Results
Implement a strategy, focus on a specific action, and keep it consistent and develop a deeper layer once you feel like you can go further or want to do more.
2nd Nutrition add on: Do more of what you are already doing well
This is where we look at what we have really dialed in from a nutritional perspective and develop it further. An example is crucial here for understanding.
For example, I try and focus on getting vegetables every time I have dinner. I can do this with great ease because, I cook dinner and make sure I have an abundance of vegetables with dinner every night. Now, I take this one of two ways. 1st way. I can try and get an extra helping of veggies at dinner each night or select few nights or, 2nd way, I can try and get veggies at a different meal in conjunction with dinner. Essentially, they are the same thing, just two different strategies and action steps I could take to add more veggies into my life, which I know you know are good for you.
The choice would and should be whichever is easier. Complicating an already sound strategy would only hurt my chances of success and deter from going any further. SOOOO, keeping it simple dinner would probably a stronger and more preferred method if I couldn’t guarantee a lunch time veggie.
The idea here is to look at this example and see where you can add in more of the things you are doing well. Even, if all you do is drink water from a nutrition perspective, get more water where you know you can.
3rd Nutrition add on: Take the time to enjoy your meal and find an environment to feel full.
If you haven’t noticed by now, we are not talking about the specific of diet. We are talking about habits. Why, because habits are principles and principles produce techniques instantly when thought about when a person matches themselves to the surround environment and lifestyle. Teaching about food specifically, is only helpful if you have the time and ability to execute the very specific process of that diet. Furthermore, what happens when you go somewhere that doesn’t know you are on that diet? Are you planning on bringing that food or not eating?
Chances not!!!!
So, instead let’s add in time and environmental choice. There are many things that we can’t control in this world but we do have a choice with how fast we eat and where we consume our food. So, when eating, try to slow it down, and take about 15 minutes to consume those precious nutrients. Remember, you environment influences your behavior(ever try and open a chip bag in a silent room, awkward right?!). If you are in a room where no is eating, you will most likely try and scarf down your food, only to be met by belly aches and series in digestive burping or heartburn.
So, try and slow down your consumption and feel out when you begin to get full.
Let’s review:
Add in: 1. The Why (Your Why)
2: Strategies you are already doing well, multiply them.
For more on this, feel free to contact us at info@coreprinciples-sc.com and Facebook Core Principles Strength and Conditioning.
