Why are small, consistent changes so effective?
Imagine you’ve got a bungee cord tied around your waist and you’re trying to stretch it out as far as you can. If you take a giant running leap, sure, you can get that thing stretched way out there. But it will pull you back to your starting place on the rebound. But if you start out making slow, consistent steps you may feel the strength of its resistance more, but you can get that thing stretched out in a way that it loses its power to snap you back. In fact, the longer and more consistently you hold that resistance, the weaker the bungee gets, rendering it even less powerful to bring you back to your beginning point.
So how does this relate to lifestyle changes, specifically in the areas of nutrition? Small, consistent changes over time will yield you longer lasting benefits here as well. If you’re trying to change a habit of fast food 2-3 nights per week or more, start by replacing only one or two nights with a home-cooked meal. If you need to add more veggies or fruits into your diet, working on just having one extra serving per day until that becomes a habit. Then pick a new small change and get busy being consistent with that one.
And here is how this thought translates to holiday eating as well, eat one plate instead of two.
Have one piece of pie instead of snacking on sweets the entire day.
And no matter what small changes you’re making, give yourself a mental pat on the back every single time you take a step in the right direction. Obsessing about what you did “wrong” or how “bad” you ate will only reinforce the belief that you can’t change and make the change much harder. Focusing on the positive changes you’ve made, however, will reinforce the truth that you can make the changes you need to in order to reach your ultimate goals.
So, make those small changes and be consistent about them. Stretch that bungee out slowly and give yourself a high five. You can do this!
Lindsay from Elevation Nutrition And Fitness
