One of the absolute hardest things as a coach is getting our clients to change their diets. For whatever reason—lack of time, motivation, willpower, or a massive sugar-addiction — it’s much easier for people to commit to a gym routine than it is for them to stop eating processed foods, or to break their overeating habit.
I’m not suggesting there’s a magic-bullet solution; we believe in different strokes for different folks, but here is some FOOD for thought—and various options and resources — if you’re struggling to change your diet. Hopefully one will resonate with you.
1. The WholeLife Challenge!
Check out their website here: https://www.wholelifechallenge.com
We are excited to take part and represent Notch 8 in this challenge! Don’t forget to take advantage of the opportunity in having access to the IN-Body testing before (Saturday Sept.17th, and after the challenge as well). This body measurement testing will give you a baseline of data before and at the completion of the Whole Life Challenge. Sign-up is at the front desk, follow the Facebook event page that was posted, or check out www.vitruviancomposition.com for more details.
Three things we like about the WLC:
TEAM ENVIRONMENT:
The WholeLife Challenge can be turned into a team competition. Having teammates to lean on, who are going through the same thing as you are—as well as having support and people to hold you accountable—really resonates with many WholeLife Challengers, who have had great success improving their diet and body composition.
MORE THAN NUTRITION:
When you sign up for the WLC, you will be asked to track not just your diet, but also things like your hydration, fitness, mobility and sleep. The idea is this challenge is meant to improve your entire lifestyle, not just your body composition.
VARIOUS LEVELS:
Not everyone is looking to follow the same diet, and not everyone is ready to eliminate everything all at once. The WLC offer various levels, so to speak, that allow you to choose how extreme you want to be with your changes.
2. Develop a healthy relationship with food
As a registered dietician and professor at the University of Western Ontario, Jennifer Broxterman, who also owns NutritionRx (http://www.nutritionrx.ca), reiterates the importance of developing a healthy relationship with food.
But what does that even mean?
“If you’re questioning whether you have a good relationship with food, think about your relationship with water. You drink water throughout the day, but there’s no pressure about how much to drink or when to drink. You drink when you’re thirsty,” Broxterman said. “Most people have a natural relationship with water.”
She added: “If you’re thinking about food every 5 minutes, if it’s always on your mind, and you’ve lost that natural ability to listen to your body, then you probably don’t have a healthy relationship with food.”
One way to help become healthier is to stop labelling foods as good foods and bad foods, and to stop beating yourself up when you mess up, she explained.
“One of the things I often tell people is it’s a lot like brushing your teeth. Everyone has forgotten to brush their teeth here or there, but you normally don’t beat yourself up about it. Not brushing your teeth once does not lead to a spiral effect of not brushing your teeth for a week. But that often happens with food. Someone ‘cheats,’ and then this spirals into a week of bad eating,” she said.
While Broxterman believes it is important to eat whole, unprocessed foods most of the time, she believes it’s equally as important to indulge guilt-free here and there. The guilt-free part is the key, she said.
It is the wanting what you can’t have philosophy, she explained. Preventing yourself from ever having a cheat meal will only lead to obsessing about all the food you can’t eat more than you should.
The point is, if you mess up, forget about it and move on.
3. Nutrition Coaching with your personal Coach!
If you’re the type who needs one-on-one in-person coaching and someone to hold you accountable, then maybe it’s worth considering working with your coach.
If this is you, reach out to your coach and ask how he or she can help you reach your dietary goals.
