Hi, FitFam! Happy Father’s Day to all the great dads out there! You are appreciated, and I hope this finds you having a great day full of relaxation and good vibes.
And now onto today’s topic…
Confession time: I’m as guilty as the next person of ignoring my nutrition goals.
It’s easy to think ‘just this one time I’ll have a cookie’ or ‘just this one time I’ll eat these chips’ or ‘just this one time I’ll eat whatever I want because I deserve it.’ Basically, if you’re justifying a food choice to yourself with the phrase ‘just this one time…’ you might want to keep these three unavoidable diet realities in mind
One: Calories matter whether you count them or not.
Look, I know keeping a food log can be a pain in the ass, but If you say ‘just this one time’ to yourself often enough, you’ve ceased enjoying an occasional treat. At some point your ‘just one time’ food decisions become ‘your diet.’ I don’t know about you, but it’s almost impossible for me to remember what I ate yesterday, let alone a week ago. A food log will help you spot patterns you couldn’t see without a written record.
Two: The modern food environment is not going away (temptations will always be there).
I totally get it. It’s hot, you’re poolside, and an adult beverage (or three) sounds lovely. But what do you do once you’ve had those adult beverages? If you’re anything like me you’ll make your way over to the snack table where you’ll probably find chips and cheese dip and sweets and and and…
There might be one obligatory vegetable tray with a questionable container of ranch left to congeal in the sun. Is anyone touching that? Of course not. It’s just there to make everyone feel better – as if the mere presence of vegetables can offset the days’ worth of fat and carbs piled on your plate.
Temptations are everywhere. Best to learn how to navigate them.
Three: If you wait for more time to work on nutrition, that time will never come.
Whether you like it or not, you have a diet. You have a calorie budget. You have a point where you tip over from sensible food choices into a three-day gluttony binge.
Your body can only take in and burn so many calories before you start to see changes (and you might not like what you see). The uncomfortable truth is: you have complete control over your choices.
Note that I didn’t say you have complete control over your health. There are health factors that are out of our control. But your choices? Oh yeah. Those are 100% on you.
If you want to make lasting changes, that might mean seeking help to learn new skills. And that’s okay. That’s what Erica is here for. If you take that first step, she’ll help you with the rest.
Happy sweating!
Meghan
Ps. Reach out for a nutrition consult today! [email protected].