How to stay on track when the temptation to indulge arises.
What does it mean to eat healthy? Most people agree that eating healthy means a plate full of vegetables and lean protein. It means avoiding high calorie foods that are full of sugar and fats, and sticking with nutrient dense foods that are going to support your weight loss goals. During your medical weight loss plan you will have plenty of guidance on this very subject. What to eat is at the top of the list of things that your weight loss doctor will talk to you about at the onset of your program, and nutritional experts and even support groups are set up to help you stay on track with these guidelines long term.
However, not even the best weight loss plan on the planet is foolproof. Everyone makes mistakes now and again. In fact, the more strict or unforgiving you are with your diet plan, the more likely you are to make mistakes more often.
Thinking of foods as good or bad creates an unhealthy dichotomy that opens the door to feelings of failure, regret and ultimately leads you down the track to derailment, actually making it more likely that you will fall off of your weight loss plan before reaching your goal. This is because when you think of one misstep as a total failure, then it becomes difficult to get back up and keep going.
One misstep is no reason to abandon your goals
On the contrary, being more open minded with yourself, your progress and your weight loss plan can go a long way in helping you to be more successful long-term. It is true that foods high in fat and sugar are not an ideal component of your weight loss plan. But if it happens that you decide to indulge and eat something that isn’t ideal for your plan, you want to make sure that you are approaching the situation in a way that supports your long-term goals. One misstep is no reason to abandon your progress altogether. Instead, appreciate the food item for what it is, and then move on. Don’t let one piece of cake become an entire cake.
The occasional treat isn’t going to derail your diet plan, but having a fatalistic attitude towards those missteps and thinking of yourself as an ultimate failure in those moments can seriously undermine your ability to stay on track with weight loss success. When these moments of temptation arise, do your best to remove yourself from the situation. If this is not practical and you find that you have succumbed to temptation don’t dwell on it. Prepare yourself for the next moment to bring yourself back on track. If you need help with that last part you can always reach out for support from your weight loss doctor and support team.