3 Things You Should Do When You Start a New Eating Plan
May 09, 2018
A fresh start is always exciting, especially when you’ve got a brand-new eating plan personalized for your biology and goals.
But as you might know, changing old habits is easier said than done. That’s because successful change also requires the right mindset, along with a mix of motivation, strategies, and even some experimentation.
So we asked two of Habit’s head dietitians: what are the most impactful actions someone can take to set themselves up for success? Below are three expert strategies courtesy of Lisa Talamini, RD, Habit’s Senior Director of Nutrition, and Jae Berman, RD, Habit’s Head Coach.
To define your motivation, you can ask yourself three questions: Why do I want this outcome? So that I can do what? What else? Here’s an example based on the goal, “I want to lose weight.”
Once you feel like you’ve thought of enough details, you’re ready to record them somewhere, like on paper or in your phone. Consider including images, quotes, or single words that embody your motivation—whatever feels most powerful to you.
Motivation ebbs and flows, so it’s important to have a personal record to reference (more on this in step three).
But also keep in mind that some weeks won’t be so smooth. There will always be bumps in the road that veer you off track. Sometimes you can see them coming, like lots of travel plans on your calendar. In these cases, you can proactively think of strategies to stay on track, like researching restaurant meals that fit your eating plan.
However, you may not always foresee the bumps, and that’s OK too. Setbacks are nearly impossible to prevent. What you can do is make an agreement with yourself that you won’t view them as failure, but as an opportunity to learn what works and what doesn’t. After a setback, you can follow this three-step technique to evaluate what happened and strategize your comeback.
Jae recommends checking in on Thursday, which gives you the weekend to prepare for the next week. This also gives you time to correct course if your week is veering off track. Ask yourself: What’s coming up next week? How much grocery shopping do I need to do? What meals can I prep in advance? How will I manage dining out or eating in social situations?
If your motivation is waning, you can use this time to review your motivation record from step one and add more details to it. If things are going as planned, take a few minutes to choose your next reward.
These strategies will help you reframe your mindset to better support long-term change. You may find that one works better for you than the others, and that’s OK. Different things work for different people, so a bit of experimentation—and patience—are key.
But as you might know, changing old habits is easier said than done. That’s because successful change also requires the right mindset, along with a mix of motivation, strategies, and even some experimentation.
So we asked two of Habit’s head dietitians: what are the most impactful actions someone can take to set themselves up for success? Below are three expert strategies courtesy of Lisa Talamini, RD, Habit’s Senior Director of Nutrition, and Jae Berman, RD, Habit’s Head Coach.
1. Define Your Motivation
Your eating plan is what you’ll do, but why are you doing it? Many people set out to eat healthier because they want to lose weight or lower their cholesterol, but those are outcomes, not motivations.To define your motivation, you can ask yourself three questions: Why do I want this outcome? So that I can do what? What else? Here’s an example based on the goal, “I want to lose weight.”
- Why? I want to feel more comfortable in my skin.
- So that I can do what? Go swimming with my kids at the beach.
- What else? I want to have more energy.
- So that I can do what? Pursue my photography hobby on the weekends.
- Why? I want to spend more time doing creative things.
Once you feel like you’ve thought of enough details, you’re ready to record them somewhere, like on paper or in your phone. Consider including images, quotes, or single words that embody your motivation—whatever feels most powerful to you.
Motivation ebbs and flows, so it’s important to have a personal record to reference (more on this in step three).
2. Plan for the Peaks and Valleys
Many weeks will go exactly as planned, and you’ll feel like your new eating habits have become second nature. Be sure to celebrate your success, as rewards will encourage you to keep the momentum going. You can reward yourself every week, two weeks, or month, whatever feels right to you. Lisa and Jae recommend choosing a non-food reward, like one of these eight ideas.But also keep in mind that some weeks won’t be so smooth. There will always be bumps in the road that veer you off track. Sometimes you can see them coming, like lots of travel plans on your calendar. In these cases, you can proactively think of strategies to stay on track, like researching restaurant meals that fit your eating plan.
However, you may not always foresee the bumps, and that’s OK too. Setbacks are nearly impossible to prevent. What you can do is make an agreement with yourself that you won’t view them as failure, but as an opportunity to learn what works and what doesn’t. After a setback, you can follow this three-step technique to evaluate what happened and strategize your comeback.
3. Schedule a 10-Minute Weekly Check-In
Both to reflect on the previous week and plan for the upcoming one. Ask yourself: What went well this past week? (Really hone in on it so you can do it again next week.) What could have gone better? How can you make a plan to handle it better next time?Jae recommends checking in on Thursday, which gives you the weekend to prepare for the next week. This also gives you time to correct course if your week is veering off track. Ask yourself: What’s coming up next week? How much grocery shopping do I need to do? What meals can I prep in advance? How will I manage dining out or eating in social situations?
If your motivation is waning, you can use this time to review your motivation record from step one and add more details to it. If things are going as planned, take a few minutes to choose your next reward.
These strategies will help you reframe your mindset to better support long-term change. You may find that one works better for you than the others, and that’s OK. Different things work for different people, so a bit of experimentation—and patience—are key.
