A common problem we find that people face while on a nutritional plan is the struggle to adhere to it - especially on the weekends. You may have meal prepped and stuck to the plan all week but then Friday and Saturday came and maybe you went out and indulged on dinner. Maybe there was a party and you had a couple of drinks and a bunch of snacks. Now it’s Sunday and you are feeling discouraged because you feel like your nutritional plans have now gone off the rails and you aren’t going to meet your goals.
Coming back from falling off the wagon can seem like a daunting task, but it shouldn’t be. One of the most important parts of making lifestyle changes is learning how to persevere in the face of adversity. Here are 4 tips for a Sunday restart that help you jump back on track when you fall off the rails.
1. Reflect and identify
Take a hard look back on the whole week and determine which habits were helpful or harmful to your health goals. Keeping a record of helpful habits is an easy way to boost confidence and have a good starting point to get back on track. Look at your list and identify 3 habits that are effective and easy to do. It’s all about building momentum and starting off easy will help you tackle harder challenges in the future.
2. Prepare a meal for tomorrow
Nothing builds momentum like being prepared. Turn the negative Sunday energy into a positive by prepping food for the first day of the week. Not only are you going to feel better about the end of your weekend, but you are setting yourself up for success for the rest of the week.
3. Develop a plan
Don’t just say you are going to do something the next day. Get specific and set yourself up to follow through with a plan. Instead of lying in bed saying “I’m going to go to the gym tomorrow morning”, try planning everything around that idea. What will breakfast be? What clothes will you wear? What time will your alarm go off? Don’t make loose promises that will fall apart the next day at the first sign of resistance.
4. Be grateful for the fun weekend
Guilt is what makes us feel the way we do on those Sundays after we fell off the wagon. Why should that be the case? It’s okay to enjoy your life! Whether your weekend was out drinking with friends or staying home eating junk food, reflect on the positives from those experiences. Be thankful for the wonderful memories you made or the relaxing time you got to enjoy.
People often forget the mental toll that comes with making these nutritional lifestyle changes. There are no negative health effects or any chronic diseases that are caused by one weekend of eating however you want. In fact, these breaks from the rigors of maintaining a healthy diet are actually very important. Weight loss plateaus can be caused by too much stress. A weekend of worry-free eating may reduce stress hormones enough to continue weight loss in the following weeks.
If you like these tips and are interested in more nutritional help, schedule a nutrition consultation with your Rochester chiropractor. At Rush-Henrietta Family Chiropractic, we have been helping patients develop plans to modify existing diets and create healthy lifestyle changes that are easy to adhere to. Learn more about nutrition and make all of your health goals a reality by scheduling an appointment with your chiropractor in Rochester.
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