Ugh, finally! Somebody wrote a post on how to have an absolutely perfect week of dieting, amirite?
Well…I hate to break it to you, but this blog title may have been a bit misleading. BUT, don’t exit out just yet.
The Truth…
See, the thing is, you don’t NEED to have a perfect week of dieting to see the results that you want. That stress of wanting to GET to that perfect week of dieting is actually hindering your progress MORE than shooting for progress over perfection.
Stay with me now. A nutrition client of mine recently expressed the fact that she was rather frustrated that she hadn’t nailed a “perfect week” of dieting just yet, and quite frankly, it seemed that she would NEVER get a perfect week of dieting in! She went on further to tell me that she can now fit into her smaller pants and put the bigger ones away. Even with the scale not making a drastic shift.
But, she was still hung up on that “perfect week”.
But, listen. What would happen if you ACTUALLY had a perfect week of dieting? Then what? Would you magically hit your goals? No. You may feel a bit leaner and less bloated, but you probably feel a bit restricted, too. I would guess that most people (including myself) would say, “Wow! I did such an awesome job this week! My calories were perfect, I ate all my vegetables and not ONE sweet or alcohol! Time to treat myself!”
See what I mean? Even, if you DID reach a perfect week of dieting, you would have that pressure to keep that type of eating up, which is often unrealistic. That’s why a “perfect diet” honestly looks a bit more balanced. It factors in real-life scenarios where we simply can’t eat “perfect”.
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Improving Your Dieting Intuition
I personally used to look at sugars and “junk food” as BAD (Just to clear things up, food is not inherently “good” or “bad”, it is just more or less nutrient dense). I acknowledged that I could HAVE it, but I still would restrict myself greatly.
Now that I eat something sweet after dinner almost every day, something that I used to consider “bad”, I actually DON’T get cravings anymore!
There is no fear around the food. No scarcity mindset. I look at it just as…food. Sure, I have some weeks I try to be a bit “better” than others. Fewer desserts and more veggies. But, other weeks, we need to order a pizza out because it’s just too damn busy, or we ruined a homemade dinner so we have to grab something quick. Or maybe, we are out traveling, and we got some gas station grub.
When you are adapting your diet you LEARN. Sometimes you have to do the best with what you have. I don’t eat the pizza until I am stuffed, I eat enough to be satisfied and have a side salad. I grab the healthier option at the gas station. But, sometimes, I still get the tacos and a margarita on the side!
Achieving the “perfect diet” is more about being self-aware of your actions and habits. It’s knowing when you can splurge and when you should make a bit of a healthier option according to your goals and how you feel.
I’m going to be brutally honest for a second, NEWSFLASH: Life will NEVER stop getting in the way. You are going to have a week you feel like shit and just want junk food. Breakups happen. Stress happens. You do overtime at work. You don’t get enough sleep. Your car breaks down. You go to unplanned social events. Shit happens, and it will continue to happen.
The difference this time? You will be more self-aware of the situation and how you should handle it best at any given time!
You won’t be perfect the first time–or the first COUPLE of times. But with each life situation, you will learn and grow, and get a bit better.
So, I challenge you to stop and be more present with yourself. Listen to what your body is telling you, and act accordingly depending on the situation and your goals.
That, my friends, is how you achieve the “perfect week of dieting”.
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