Small gradual changes = Huge long term changes

So I have seen myself sliding back into some old habits for awhile now and keep trying to remember how I got so good in the first place (and how I fell off the wagon!) -not nearly as bad as my old habits which are now unimaginable and atrocious, but still not nearly as good as I want to be and have been and trying to get this back on track because it has become unconscious eating. Eating out of habit, not hunger, not savouring what I am eating and truly enjoying it, giving into cravings etc. The other bad habit I have, not eating regular meals. Skipping meals was one of my first changes I had to make, and noticed cravings stopped when I did eat regularly, probably because my body wasn’t screaming for that instant hit to give me energy anymore!

I was speaking with my girlfriend on the weekend who has also made some pretty significant changes and is much healthier (and thinner!) as a result. She had some vegemite toast which was a treat to her as she had not eaten bread in 6 months, funny what are considered treats when you are more health conscious and aware! Old normal, natural habits we would have once not given a second thought, are now treats. I find when making choices in my treats, they are no longer the worst possible option because I can’t stomach the high in sugar, creamy and rich, oily and fatty foods. Even looking at it makes me sick! However, I can’t lie and say that opinion of chocolate lasted! I did go through a phase where even that had no taste and could just taste the fat in it!

We got to talking about the different diets such as the no carbs & high protein, which seems to be a common thread in most “diets”. I was recommended by a trainer to follow these principals also eliminating fruit and yoghurt (which I had finally managed to introduce into my diet for morning and afternoon snacks so I would stop bingeing on the bickies in the kitchen work so kindly provide next to the fruit basket). I understand the concept and why it was recommended (because I drilled her to explain this), however I now realise banishing of any food group is ridiculous, not only for long term effects, but mentally. Banish processed foods and all the poisonous rubbish sure, but anything natural even if it is only in moderation, I will never give up.

The reason I can say this is, because I did do the no carb, high protein thing for one week including all fruits and any vegies high in carbs and tried to get my carb intake as low to zero as I possibly could. I could see myself becoming obsessed, and this mentally is just the other side of the spectrum of where I started. Oh that’s right, and it was coming off this diet I lost my way, as eating was no longer natural (habit wise), and I was viewing even good foods such as an apple to snack on as “bad”. So I started to slide back to old ways of eating, giving up because I had done a good job of confusing my mind and my body of what was right. I want to be in the middle. Normal.

It is a lot of pressure when you give up all bad habits in one go, and I wonder what the percentage of people that really do maintain these changes over a lifetime, or even transition into a normal eating plan that is maintainable. I am trying to find a new way of living, something that feels natural to me, where I don’t have to over think if I am eating the right foods, or decline an invitation to the occasional lunches or dinners in fear of not having steamed vegetables and grilled fish or chicken on the menu.

So after thinking about it, I went back to basics of how I started. I made one significant change at a time. (First time round) My first step was to stop eating ice cream every night which is what I once did. This naturally flowed onto me making other decisions unconsciously such as stopping myself from allowing Maccas to be a staple in my diet -which by the way almost made me want to join my mother in hospital last week. Grabbed it on the fly on the way to see her straight from work and boy was I ill!

The idea can be applied to any aspect of your life really. If you look at what your pain points are in your diet/exercise regime/life and decide on changing one single thing that can make a difference. Just one. Focus on that and allow it to become a natural part of your life/routine. Sometimes you will find by making one small change, unknowingly you actually make several small changes because you are shifting your mindset. Make these changes habits before you start adding new changes. It is a slow and steady process, but in 6 months time when you have made some solid changes gradually, you will be grateful that you didn’t take the quick and easy road of quick fads, that you have already failed and gained back any of the kilos lost as a result. I am talking from my experience here, and I am sure I am not alone on that one!

I guess I am posting this in case it helps anyone, as much as a reminder to myself of how I lost the first 20kg! Exercise is also a huge part of my life, and I am now very active, but I want to get back to where I was eating clean, naturally 