We’ve all been there, diving head first into a commitment with the ‘all or nothing’ mentality. Because we (AIM’s coaches) are passionate about nutrition, we are going to use it as an example. Let’s say you sign up with AIM and decide you are REALLY doing it this time. Cutting out all alcohol, only allowing yourself to eat out once a month, diligently tracking and weighing your food no matter the circumstances, diving into exercise, and cutting out all sugar from your diet to ensure you reach your goals.

First, none of these commitments are necessarily bad, in moderation. Say you want to try these for 30 days just to challenge yourself and set a short-term goal to reach. 30 days is a sustainable amount of time to restrain from these things but anything past that isn’t, nor is it considered a lifestyle, it’s considered a diet. Let’s walk through the difference:

Diet:

Normally includes a short-term objective with unsustainable results, excessive restrictions, and includes an ‘end goal’.

Lifestyle:

An intake that is attainable throughout every season of life, flexible and adjustable, no end goal other than continually working towards a healthy relationship with food and consuming a consistent, reliable intake.

Notice the difference? A diet doesn’t last very long because the systems that are set, aren’t attainable or realistic, but a lifestyle is never ending. We strive for a healthy balance of consistency, routine, discipline, attainability, and enjoyment. When we agree or sign up for a diet, our mindset consists of boundaries and restrictions that lead to an end goal, but what happens after the end goal is reached? Are those restrictions attainable for a long period of time? Do you even want those boundaries long-term in order to have a fulfilling and healthy relationship with food? Looking at lifestyle centered nutrition the systems we put in place are the goal. Our focus, energy, and time are spent on making the system pristine and we eventually hit one milestone after another without even recognizing it because the systems are the foundation for the goals. It’s unfortunate our culture has placed a diet-centered mindset on nutrition, but luckily there are ways to steer away from diets and turn right into a lifestyle centered nutrition.

Here are three tips to help you get there:

1. Strive for attainability: If you are wanting to re-vamp your relationship with food, don’t view it as a start and finish, just view it as a continual journey. You aren’t getting out of your old car and jumping in a new car on a completely different road, you are simply driving that same car but taking a couple of different turns along the way. If you view it as a start, that means you are changing, adding, and taking out multiple things to make it ‘new’, when in reality we want you to continue doing what you are doing and making modifications in moderation. Again, this is a lifestyle we want you to live for years and years to come, so making small tweaks over a period of time that are attainable and realistic for your lifestyle is our only goal. Ask yourself, “Is this attainable long term?” and if it isn’t, ditch the restraint and aim for something more realistic.

2. Ditch the end goal: If you have an end goal in mind, try and rewire your expectations to making the systems the goal. We can’t get to any sort of goal without proper systems in place, so why not pour your energy into what gets you there rather than getting there?

3. Find support: We have seen it all, so don’t be scared to ask for support with something you desire to see change in. Whether it’s that last 15lbs after baby, an unhealthy view of food, or simply wanting to feel better, AIM coaches want to help. It’s never too big or too small, and it’s never too late to reach out for guidance.

We don’t want you to have the ‘all or nothing’ mentality, but we do want you to be all in. See the difference?