Whenever I started on a diet I made a long ‘to do’ list:
- Choose the diet (lots of research required here)
- Get rid of all the ‘bad’ foods and stock the fridge and pantry with all the ‘good’ foods
- Plan menus
- Plan a date to start
- Outline weight loss plan on calendar
- Join a gym or start an exercise program
- Etc. etc.
And the list went on and on.
I actually enjoyed the planning part, but hated the action part!
James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits confirms this is a common mistake. “Motion is all about planning and learning and theorizing. Action is about deliberate practice to deliver an outcome”
When I became a Dieter in Recovery I didn’t make a list, I made an intention.
My intention was to go on a loving and kind journey to make peace with my body and food.
I made decisions that supported this.
According to James Clear ” Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become”.
I needed to change some of my habits to fall in alignment with my values. I had to move my body.
What was one tiny step I could take to do this?
I started by walking for 10 minutes every day. In the past I made a goal to exercise every day for an hour or go to the gym 5 times a week.
I now walk most days for 45 minutes and it has never felt like a ‘should’ or ‘must do’ requirement. I do it because it gives me a wonderful feeling of calmness and I love being outdoors. It is also the time I reflect on my day, practice mindfulness and gratitude. This is known as the ripple effect.
Many diets lure us with guarantees of fast weight loss. James Clear warns about being attached to the outcome of the instant.
When I let go of weight loss as the goal, that changed my life.
Focusing on my intention kept me on a slow and steady path.
A tiny step had a big impact in my life. I approach most things in the same way, asking “what is one thing I could do in 10 minutes that would propel this forward?”
Too often we want a BIG plan as we equate that with a Bigger and faster change.
Often they do produce big results, but they often don’t become the habit you wished to achieve. They fall in to the fad category. These can be overwhelming and we lose momentum. That brings us to the shame and blame game.
Time to try a new strategy?
“All the returns in life, whether in wealth, relationships or knowledge, come from compound interest” Naval Ravikan
Thanks for reading,
Christina