I Already Know What to do…
…a phrase I hear over and over again in passing conversations once people learn I’m a dietitian. I can say from experience that many nutrition clients come in with plenty of knowledge but continue to struggle with applying it, at least over the long haul. A lot of this comes down to the “how” of applying said knowledge and problem solving the barriers that inevitably arise.
Here, I’ve compiled a list of some of the strategies that have helped clients overcome long periods of stagnation in their health and wellness journeys:
1. Set Realistic Expectations
I’ll be honest, one of the reasons I have set up my coaching programs to have a little bit of a time simmer before starting is because I don’t particularly love working with someone when they are at their peak motivation level. You know that moment where you feel so frustrated with eating and your body that you immediately jump into “fix it mode” and are ready to take action? That motivation tends to be hot and heavy and dissipates as quickly as it comes on.
This often leads to unrealistic expectations of what can be accomplished day-to-day over the long haul because most people don’t expect motivation to ebb and flow. A prompt I often give clients is “what is something you would be able to do on your worst day?”. This helps to create the expectation that change should be unbelievably doable and relatively low-effort. Yes, things that are difficult are worth doing. I also think most people have big goals in life and nutrition may still need to be a priority. However, you have to eat for the rest of your life! Starting to make your nutrition a priority takes baby steps.
Baby steps require buy-in to the future and having a clear sense as to where you’re going, which requires you to….
2. Establish Clear Goals
Acting on the impulse to fix also doesn’t give you time to think about where you’re heading. It doesn’t give you the time to question how this aligns with your values. I find it helpful to work with clients to visualize how they see their lives being different 6 months to a year in the future while actively working on improving their nutrition and self-care. What’s different? From there, we can work backwards. Having that vision in mind tends to be more supportive in “righting” the path versus reacting on impulse.
Regularly checking in on goals not only gives you a chance to make adjustments, but reminds you that you’re working towards something values-aligned.
3. Challenge Your All or Nothing Mindset
This one tends to overlap with setting overly aggressive goals, but I see it by itself even with well-planned goals. I blame, at least in part, the “more extreme the better” takes on eating. You know, the diets that tend to have phases, “detox” in the description, and invite you to eliminate food groups? All or nothing thinking tends to exist in extremes- “either I eat something, or I don’t”. “Either I’m good, or I’m bad”. “I can only follow this diet if I do it to the letter”.
The solution? Incorporating self-compassion (read: not taking it easy on yourself but recognizing your human-ness) means giving yourself permission to do a good enough job. Something is better than nothing. If it doesn’t work out today, it doesn’t mean that I’ve failed and I can try again next time. It allows nutrition to become a work in progress, not a representation of who you are.
I particularly find it helpful to view nutrition as a skill, which makes sense because a lot of the practical aspects of eating do require learning. If you’re wondering why you’re not “doing it right”, have you considered that you’ve never given yourself a chance to practice, learn, and make mistakes, or even to try it a different way?
4. Plan for Setbacks
Let’s be honest, a lot of eating plans don’t plan for real life, and this is one of the reasons that as a dietitian, I stay away from writing meal plans.
Busy, stressful weeks may even require a different approach to meal planning than is typical. Food will always be more than just food- it’s a source of cultural identity, a way to connect, and has deep ties with memories of our younger selves. Further, even balanced eaters eat in response to emotions and for other reasons aside from hunger.
I don’t say this because I want you to feel like you’ve failed before you’ve started, but to consider that your eating plan being derailed is not a failure at all. Eating is supposed to be flexible and responsive to life’s demands. Are you considering that when setting nutrition goals?
I find it particularly helpful to look ahead into coming weeks and try to anticipate challenges. Travelling? Upcoming big project at work? Let’s tackle and trial some potential strategies. Even if you don’t need it, you’ve already told your brain “I got this”, which makes navigating setbacks in real time feel more natural and intuitive. Tend to reach for food when feeling stressed? Let’s talk about some other ways we can work with and respond to stress. Snacking mindlessly at night? Let’s plan to practice some mindfulness skills and what’s going on in your environment.
There’s plenty more to be said about useful strategies and customizing these approaches for where you’re at in life. If you’d like to explore these ideas and start applying them to your life in 2025, I have just the group for you!
Over 6 weeks, we’ll be focusing on incorporating mindfulness, self-compassion, and intentionality into eating as part of a group program for added support and accountability. Join my email list to be the first in the know!
