Committing to Your Diet

Committing to your diet and staying on point with your Nutrition Program can be a challenge.

If the diet you’ve chosen is very restrictive and doesn’t allow much flexibility, it can be almost impossible. But even if you are following a more flexible plan, focused on nourishing your body with whole, unprocessed foods in quantities that support your goals, things can still happen that could derail your progress.

How to Navigate 3 Common Challenges

When Committing to Your Diet

Evenings

One of the main reasons we overeat or choose high carb foods in the evenings is we are tired! Our brains run on the glucose found in carbohydrates. When our brains become tired, we seek that boost of sugar to perk us up. Lucky for us, we can get our kicks from healthier options. Your body will thank you for it!

When those cravings start to kick in, head to the kitchen and make yourself a snack. Try to strike a balance of macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat). Carbs will give you the boost you crave, but try a piece of fruit. Fat and protein will deliver feelings of “fullness” and slow the absorption of the glucose into your bloodstream (that’s a good thing!). Try a few nuts, a hard-boiled egg, or some yogurt.

You can also simply try to get yourself to bed before the late-night “snacking” begins. You’ll avoid drifting from your plan, but also wake up feeling refreshed from a great sleep! Committing to your diet in the evenings just takes a little intentional planning.

Holidays and Special Occasions

Birthdays, Christmas, Easter… any family gathering, really, that offers up a host of foods that may not feature on your current Nutrition Program can be a cause for anxiety. BUT! There are ways you can support yourself to stay in alignment with your goals during these times.

Ensure you are eating healthy, balanced meals all day on the day of the event. This is not a good day to skip breakfast or find yourself too busy to eat lunch. Coming into the holiday meal with a solid day of healthy eating behind you will help give you momentum when committing to your diet.

Are you hosting? Create a meal you know will be great for you! Feeding your friends and family a healthy holiday meal is a wonderful gift. No one will leave complaining that you didn’t have dinner rolls. But more importantly, you will have stayed the course on your plan and provided a nutritious meal for your loved ones.

Not hosting? Bring along a dish that is prepared as per your nutrition plan! Then at least you know you will have something delicious to eat. Not appropriate to bring a dish? Focus on visiting with the people, not on eating the meal. Enjoy the company and the ambiance. When it comes time to eat, do the best you can with what you are given. There’s no harm in leaving a few things on your plate that don’t fit into your plan.

Avoiding alcohol at special events and holidays can also be helpful in staying on track. Most drinks are full of empty calories, and once we’ve had a few, we are less likely to feel like committing to our diet.

Social Pressures

Going out for dinner with your friends can be a recipe for disaster if you are trying to stay on top of your Nutrition Program. “Sure, we can share an appy”, turns into “I’ll have a beer with dinner” followed closely by, “Can I see the dessert menu?”

When you feel the itch to head out for a date night with your loved ones or pals, consider who you are meeting up with. Studies show that we are more likely to order something that is healthy if our dinner mates are doing so as well. Surrounding yourself with like-minded friends can have so many positive effects on your life, and successfully navigating a dinner out is just one of them.

If you’re heading to a social gathering where there will be snack food out, eat at home before you leave! This way, you will be arriving with a full belly and be less tempted by the treats. Grab yourself a sparkling, flavoured water to keep your hands busy and find a place to connect with your friends away from the food table.

You may also find it valuable to share your goals with your friends and family and how this may affect your behaviour i.e. what you eat, time you have available to get together, behaviours you will be avoiding or changing etc. This can feel intimidating, but if these people truly care about you, they will likely be glad to support you however they can.

Staying the course with your Nutrition Program won’t always be a breeze, but if you are working with the right people, they will know how to support you to make the best choices you can and achieve your goals!