Your Mindset is Key to Successfully Changing Bad Eating Habits.
Changing bad habits, especially unhealthy eating, can be difficult. It isn’t easy to do nowadays, thanks to the fact that much of the food that is readily available is nutritionally poor, sugar-filled and addictive. Who doesn’t love a good potato chip now and then…or a whole bag. Who are we kidding—right? Americans have become mass consumers of junk food…fast food…convenience food. Call it what you will, it’s bad for you. We’re a nation that eats to eat, eats to entertain, and definitely emotionally eats. Some may say the deck is stacked against us when it comes to changing bad dietary habits. Perhaps if we had a better understanding of what kind of mindset is necessary to change our ways, we’d be better equipped for success.
So why do we eat poorly? Food choices are often made because they are convenient, comforting or crave-worthy. Bottom line, ease and convenience have become a perfect recipe for poor nutrition and led us down a path to overweight bodies and ill health. How can we change this? The team at BodyTech has identified four key elements of our mindset that must be addressed in order to break yourself from the shackles of bad eating habits.
Here’s a look at four mindsets that are essential to changing bad eating habits and adopting healthy new ones.
1. Disgust
It sounds bad but the word “disgust” can be used for positive change. Said a different way, people change when they hit rock bottom and find themselves feeling sick and tired of being unhealthy. Disgust can be used as a powerful catalyst for change, so make this negative feeling work to your benefit. Look at what you’re eating and decide if you should be disgusted into changing your ways.
2. Motivation
Motivation can arise from a number of different feelings, or perhaps even an important life event. People can become motivated to make a change after seeing an unattractive photo of themselves, receiving a concerning medical diagnosis, or even preparing for an upcoming wedding. No matter your personal motivator–to realize success, it takes motivation coupled with a positive outlook. So get motived and change your ways of eating now!
3. Decision
When it comes to changing bad eating habits, it’s important to decide exactly what you want to change and how you’ll go about it. It’s also important to quickly come to a decision and not get mired down in a state of procrastination, thus delaying any commitment to action. In other words, if you want to change your bad eating habits, then just start! Often, the key to success is to simply jump in and starting before you are “ready”. Researching or seeking the advice of others in preparation can be helpful, but beware it can also be a stall tactic whether you recognize it or not. Be swift and clear in your decision to change your eating, and then make it happen.
4. Resolve
Sure change can come with struggles, and excuses won’t help anyone achieve success. Perhaps one might view it as a bit of an internal war within yourself. To be successful at ridding yourself of bad eating habits, you must stay true to your goal to change. Adopting an “I can” and “I will” attitude will help your resolve stay strong on. When people adopt a do or die mindset, it becomes much easier to achieve ones goal. Resolve says, “I will”. It does NOT say “I’ll try”. Above all else, don’t let weak minded excuses derail your commitment to change. Don’t fool yourself by saying self-defeating things like, “I couldn’t help it”, “That’s what the waiter brought”, “I didn’t want to be rude”, “I’m too busy to cook”, or “I’m under a lot of stress.” When it comes to changing bad eating habits, resolve means a promise to yourself that you will never give up–so promise yourself you will never give up!
Changing your ways may not be easy, but it certainly is worth it. Commit yourself to a better way of thinking and eating, and if you experience failures at times don’t use them as an excuse to give up.
