5 years ago I took all grains and processed food out of my diet in order to follow an Eat By Design template.
For years I had suffered through ridiculous digestive problems that left me anxious every time I left the house because I could never be sure when I would need a bathroom immediately or when I would get so painfully bloated that the only thing I could do was crawl into bed.
These troubles plagued me from the time I was young, into my late teens (try being out at a bar in a fitting shirt and having your belly grow to about triple it’s normal size…) and they continued to be a problem all the way into my late twenties.
It really was not fun.
But transitioning into a healthier diet was also not a piece of cake either.
There were certain things that I did back then that I realize made the whole lifestyle change even more of a challenge than it needed to be.
There seem to be specific mistakes that are universal when you decide to change your diet and I say that because not only did I make them, but so have most of my clients before they work with me.
So today I am going to show you three of those mistakes and tell you what you can do instead to simplify and accelerate your transition into a healthier lifestyle, weight loss and more satisfaction with your life.
Mistake #1 Not cleaning out your fridge and your cupboards.
Why, oh why do we repeatedly try and trick ourselves to think that we can just decide not to eat the junk that is sitting in our cupboards?
Oh, it’s ok. I just won’t eat those chips anymore! But I wouldn’t want to waste them by throwing them out.
Really? No. I am telling you that this is does not work.
Get a box and go through your fridge and cupboards and get out all the foods that are not healthy. Throw them out, donate them if you prefer or store them in the basement where they are not as convenient to find. But do not just leave them easily accessible.
Then restock with heaps of healthy food like vegetables, nuts, fruit, eggs and meat.
Let’s be honest, if you really want to get your hands on some ice cream, you can just go and buy a single serving and eat it right away rather than polishing off a whole container over a period of time.
If you are not willing to clean the food out I am honestly asking, are you really committed to making a change in your diet?
Mistake #2 Trying too many new recipes.
A change in your diet, especially one that removes staple recipes, usually motivates people to try new ones. And trying new recipes is a lot of fun but it also means spending more on groceries, taking more time to cook and risking being unsatisfied with the result.
Trust me, I have tried up to five new recipes a week and I did it while I had very young children. I do not recommend it. It was disappointing (and exhausting) to have multiple failed recipes in a row. If the recipe does not taste good, I end up with four disappointed people at the table and leftovers of a dish no one wants.
I recommend trying only one new recipe a week.
On the other days you can get away with modifying your usual recipes to include healthier ingredients and excluding any grains. Just keep it simple.
Mistake #3 Defining yourself by your diet success.
You are not a better person because you are able to stick to your healthy diet and you are not a bad person, a failure or a hypocrite if you choose to eat off track occasionally. You are you, regardless of your diet choices.
But I did not know that.
I am not even a perfectionist. I had just read a lot of information about nutrition and I wanted to be healthy so I took the template that described what I should eat and what I should not eat and I tried to follow it like it was a set of rules.
Now, there were certainly benefits to being strict. I started feeling great quickly. Also, my friends and family saw that I was really serious about sticking to my “new plan” so they were more apt to support me.
But I struggled internally.
When I saw apple pie at a family dinner (which is made by my Granny and has always been my favorite) I would feel so pressured to say no because that is what I had committed to…right?
I did not want to fail before my own eyes or in front of my family (who always seemed to be watching me, to see if I would stick with it).
But then I felt unhappy, restricted and sad. And if I did indulge I felt like a hypocrite and a fraud. I admit to even sneaking the food when no one was looking.
And that really was ridiculous. Although it is important to be committed during a lifestyle change, you do not have to be perfect, especially if it is eventually going to lead you to just give up.
As time went on I learned that sometimes, enjoying a small piece of that apple pie is the one thing that makes my healthy lifestyle so sustainable. I choose to eat off track, accept the consequences to my health, enjoy the treat and move on.
And then I make sure that my next meal is awesome and totally on track.
Just to be crystal clear…
I am not saying that you should give in to temptation every time it arises.
You can expect to feel deprived at times and I still want you to do the work to say no and find something healthier to eat. After all, you are trying to make a change and that can be hard and uncomfortable at times.
But I do want you to know that eating off track is a choice that you get to make. Do not love yourself any less because you chose to go off track.
Instead, feel empowered that you got to make a choice. If it was not a choice you feel great about, re-examine what happened and make a better plan for next time.
And one more thing….
Make your home environment as on track as possible. Do your best to bring only the best quality foods into your home. Make it a yes environment, where all foods are fair game. You will have plenty of opportunities to go out and get a treat when you really want one.
Here is a recap of the mistakes that I want you to avoid:
- Not cleaning out your fridge and your cupboards.
- Trying too many new recipes.
- Defining yourself by your diet success.
For more simple By Design recipes why not pick up your copy of the Eat By Design Cookbook. I’ve created it in the form of a 28-day meal plan (plus grocery lists!) so you don’t need to think about what’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner for the next month. Or you can grab the first 7 days FREE by clicking here.