Breaking old habits
My evolving relationship with food & 11 strategies for creating positive behaviour change
It has taken me many years to bring about positive changes to my eating habits. I have made slow but lasting progress.
In this post I will share with you some behaviour change strategies that have helped me. You can look at applying them into your life in case you are looking for ways to change or improve your relationship with food.
1. Figure out what works for you :
When I was on my weight loss journey, the first thing I did, was to study nutrition. I wanted to lose weight the right way without compromising on my health.
I know, if you have just met me, you might think that I have been lean all my life. That's not true. I have had to work hard to lose over 20 kgs.
At the time, I used myplate.gov extensively, devised a meal plan for myself based on my learnings, stuck it to my refrigerator and followed it diligently. I used measuring cups to eat the right portions, and ofcourse complimented the diet with exercise. I lost about 15 kgs in 4 months.
I still follow the same plan of eating, with some minor changes here and there. That's how sustainable the meal plan proved for me. And I haven't gained any weight since then.
So if you are looking to change the way you eat, then a sensible approach would be to choose a plan that fits into your lifestyle and something you can stick to long term.
2. Examine past conditioning and how they may be influencing your current behaviour :
I have a major sweet tooth. Thanks to my mom who loved and still loves making sweets. Everyday I got back from school, I would demand a sweet. And get it. I carried forward fulfilling this need for sweets even in my adult life by stocking my house with them . Once I drew consciousness to where this habit was coming from, I got a chance to break free from it. It's not like I have stopped eating sweets. But I don't need to have it everyday.
Maybe some of your current food habits that don't serve you are a result of some past conditioning. Investigate, identify & then break free from them.
3. Strengthen your why :
Ask yourself why you want to lose weight or improve your health? How will your life change once you achieve your goal? Spend sometime reflecting on the things that will be accessible to you with better health and fitness. Let this visioning fuel your drive to stay consistent with the positive lifestyle changes you are endeavouring to make.
4. Make one small change at a time :
You need to first accept that you are in this 'health improvement' thing for life and it's not just a few month's of lifestyle modification. There will always be room to grow in this journey.
So get started by focusing on one thing that you would like to change about your diet. Maybe it's adding a fruit as a snack or eating greens twice a week or whatever else thats relevant for you and try to ingrain it into your lifestyle. Make it a habit.
Some habits take longer to cultivate. Accept that and just be patient & consistent.
5. Create behaviour changes with prompts :
B = MxAxP
I learnt this formula from B.G. Fogg's book, "Tiny habits". It stands for :
Behaviour change = Motivation x Ability x Prompt.
Most of us have the motivation as well as the ability but miss out on the prompts. For example, if you want to make mindful eating a habit, then put a post it note that reads, "just eat" on your dining table or wherever else you usually eat.
If you want to ensure 2 liters of water consumption a day. Then fill that bottle and place it where you can see.
Having prompts can make a big difference to successful accomplishment of your goals.
6. Increase Activity level :
After a strength training or an interval training workout, I am naturally heading for something nutritious to fuel lost energy. There is no effort involved.
Even something as simple as adding a brisk walk or a run into your routine, can help stir you in the direction of "eating to nourish".
7. Be part of communities that support healthy living :
I have a "Daily Meal log" group for my students, where they pre plan their meals, share their plates and in general motivate each other to not only eat healthy but also enjoy the process.
I am also part of a what's app group run by a company called Daily9 that helps people create sustainable lifestyle changes in the area of exercise, nutrition and sleep. They hold monthly health challenges and are constantly sending out health prompts to participants. I was able to reduce my sugar consumption by participating in their 21 day no sugar challenge. You can check them out on www.thedaily9.in
Being supported on your journey to well being can play a big role in helping you stay commited.
So I encourage you to be part of these communities & groups that support a healthy lifestyle. If you can't find one then create one & get like minded people to join it🙂
8. Stock up & Pre plan :
Adhering to good nutrition, boils down to 3 things :
Stocking up : If you don't have those fruits or vegetables or quality proteins stocked in your pantry, you are obviously not going to be eating them. So make sure you are always stocked up on the good stuff. Pick a day in the week to take stock of your pantry and replenish. Involve family members to make the process more enjoyable.
Pre planning : Even having a rough idea of what your main meals will look like can help. When I have planned my meal in advance, I end up sticking to it atleast 80 percent of the time, and this also helps take off the mental stress of thinking what to prepare.
Execution : A no brainer once the above two are met.
9. Enjoy the process :
It will get increasingly difficult for you to stay consistent with your positive eating habits, if you find the process too challenging or tiresome. So look to add some enthusiasm into the process.
Personally, I love the act of plating and sharing it with my community. As one of my community group members put it, sharing a food plate, makes you want to make the plate look colorful & to do that you end up adding more vegetables or fruits to the plate. When you share, you subconsciously want to inspire.
You could also look at involving family members in food preparation, atleast once a week, if not everyday. Create something healthy you haven't tried before - one new recipe a week, with the entire family involved can be a joyful experience.
These are just two ideas, off my head. I am sure you can think of many more creative ways to make your journey of eating healthy enjoyable.
10. Practice conscious eating :
Most times, we eat just to fulfill an emotional need. Drawing consciousness to what need we are trying to fulfil can help us seek solution that is not in food. And if it just feels too much to say 'no' to food at the time a craving hits, we can still practice moderation with whatever we are compelled to eat.
Healthy eating does not mean you say no to your favourite foods. Make sure you have something on your plate that you enjoy and that fulfils you emotionally. Just eat mindfully so you can be sensible about the portions.
11. Don't lose the big picture :
The other day I had my comfort food on my plate, and my mind went, "where is the protein on this?”. I had to tell myself, that it's ok, to not have a balanced plate, every single meal. And that it's ok to take a little break from thinking on the lines of "protein, carb, fat, vegetables". What's important, is that we learn to strike a balance and not get too obsessive with healthy eating.
The reason we follow strategies like creating a balanced plate or ensuring right portions is because we love our body and what it can do for us. It is not to get mentally stressed or suffer. So be easy on yourself. And allow yourself times to enjoy meals without agenda.
I hope you got some value from reading my 'life's learning' in the area of nutrition and creating positive behavior change 😀
If you found this post useful then please do share with your family and friends so they can benefit too.
Let me know in comments or drop me a mail on what strategies you apply to maintain high standards of nutrition and how you enjoy the process of healthy eating. I would love to learn something from you 💕
Good one Poornima. The main thing from this that stands out for me right now is something that you always say – mindfulness!
Noticing and asking myself "why are you eating this?" should bring out past conditioning, show me my 'why?', and shine light on my stocking patterns.
And going by another that you keep reminding us of – gratitude, let me just say here I'm so happy to be a part of this group :-)