By Michele Tenney
Here’s To Your Health
Michele Tenney
One of the biggest challenges I face in my profession is getting clients to make lifestyle changes that stick.
Teaching them about their bodies and getting them to exercise is the easy part. Nutrition adherence is by far the most difficult hurdle to cross and gets in the way of success time and time again. Food is cultural, social, emotional and can be addicting as well. Economics and geographics also play a role in our success in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
First, there must be a true readiness to change. Many times, people panic when they’ve been given a diagnosis which is not in their favor. Sometimes that creates an openness for lasting changes. However, it’s my desire to inspire you to never get to the diagnosis stage. We need to see and use food as medicine for prevention of disease. People are in general just overwhelmed with what’s good for them and what’s bad for them based on how much we are inundated with media and fad diets. And I certainly don’t blame them. It’s frustrating for me to watch.
So here are a few tips that may help you be better at nutritional adherence – notice I don’t use the word “diet.”
Start with thinking of food in a different manner. Think brain function, joint mobility, heart health, sleep aid, digestive wellness and more. By now we should all know that increasing vegetables and fruits is a great way to boost our health. But there’s more to it than that; it’s also about our behaviors and our beliefs.
Ask yourself some questions, such as: What’s my view on restrictive eating plans? By restrictive, I’m not referring to calorie restriction or “starving” yourself. I’m referring to restricting foods that do not benefit your body.
Another question might be: What factors will make these types of changes easier or more difficult for me? I’ve always said knowing your weakness is actually a strength. If you can identify areas of weakness or difficulty then you can strategize for your success.
What about: How does my current lifestyle help or hurt me in making lasting changes? People who eat out four to five times a week are most definitely going to struggle more than those who don’t. Find more farm-to-table, vegetarian or vegan restaurants that will have healthier options for you to choose from. Meal planning is a huge helper in long-term nutrition adherence and so is knowing how to cook. If you’re not a cook, take a class. You won’t ever regret it. Fitbits and other forms of technology can help keep you accountable and on track.
Finally, what I’d really like to drive home is relapses: they are a normal part of making long-lasting behavior changes. It’s all about balance. If you’re on vacation, you shouldn’t feel guilty for enjoying yourself. But perhaps you could pick one indulgent meal a day, such as dinner or breakfast and not three meals a day for a full week.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I believe in you.