Is an all or nothing attitude about healthy food choices holding you back?

As a dietitian, I have the privilege of helping people work towards their nutrition goals. Have you ever been disappointed that you didn't lose 5 pounds in a week? Often times my clients make great improvements with their food choices but are disappointed with their progress. Sometimes clients focus on the few things they did "wrong" since our previous appointment. When people are ready to make a change, initially they are all in and expect immediate results. If those expectations are not met, it is very discouraging and people tend to go back to their old habits. It's an all or nothing way of thinking about healthy food choices and weight loss, and it's a problem for a lot of people. Really think about your expectations and if they are realistic. Having unrealistic goals can set you up for disappointment and failure. Making sure that your nutrition goals are realistic for your lifestyle is the first step in moving past an all or nothing frame of mind. You may be undermining your success and not even realize it.

People tend to give up a new health plan when they don't see quick results. They begin looking for the newest and greatest thing out there that promises an immediate result. As a dietitian, it is hard for me to watch people go through this cycle. A person will come to an initial nutrition appointment with optimism and excitement and go back out into the world armed with their personalized meal plan and goals. I do encourage clients to e-mail me between appointments. I also strongly encourage clients to meet with me regularly until they feel comfortable with their nutrition plan and feel that they are making good progress. However, all of those tools do not stop life from happening. A week or two into healthy eating and a stressful project comes up at work. There was a birthday party with cake and ice cream. A loved one passed away. The weekend ended and they forgot to go to the grocery store so they ordered pizza for dinner, again. If a person has an all or nothing attitude - this can backfire. You might slip up one time and the whole plan goes out the window. Perhaps you caved in and ate a doughnut for breakfast and the whole rest of the day is shot, too. Even if you order a margarita with dinner - you might add on dessert since the meal is already "ruined". After a person goes "off plan" they sometimes feel guilty and believe they can't follow through with anything. People will come in for an appointment and tell me they were "bad" on Friday and that the whole weekend was destroyed.

As a way to combat this negative cycle, I often ask clients: What went well since I saw you last? Sometimes it takes a person a while to answer this question. They are so ready to confess their "bad behavior" that they have a difficult time recounting small successes. Once they name one thing, they often think of a few other things that also went well: "I kept a food journal, even when it wasn't all foods I was proud of. . . and I walked the dogs every other day. . . and I packed my lunch for work". Focusing on the positive changes can improve your confidence level. Higher confidence can lead to better management of "off" situations. For example, if you go off of your meal plan at lunch, acknowledge that it was an action that moved you away from your goals, but always refocus on making healthier choices for dinner. This way the whole day is not a wash. Whatever your successes are, recognize them. Focus on the positive. Every choice that you make that moves you closer to your goals is extremely valuable progress.

Written by Jenna Murphy, MS, RD.