Let’s talk about moderation and cutting yourself some slack.
When you try to form new habits, you want to believe you’ll have the determination and motivation to stick with them. You want to believe you have the ability to jump in head first and have this new you come out on top.
You may tell yourself “I won’t need any cheat days” or “It won’t be that hard to stick with this workout program”. In reality, it’s tough to do. It’s not easy to change your habits and stick with new ones, especially if you have no intention of ever cheating or taking a day off.
What works for me is moderation – allowing myself to cheat here and there. When it comes to my diet, my goal is to eat plant-based most of the time. I’ve always known there were going to be times when life got in the way or I was simply too lazy to stick with it. So when I am feeling lazy, I’m out with friends, I’m traveling, or whatever it may be, I don’t force anything. I’m happy to allow myself to eat animal products once in a while.
Same with alcohol – after college, I cut back on my consumption. I don’t feel the need to drink a beer with dinner or every weekend. I prefer to save it for when my friend group gets together for a weekend. It allows me to “cut loose” and have a fun time without worrying about my diet and the effect it’ll have on my weight training.
It’s incredibly difficult to stick with healthy habits day in and day out when you never give yourself a break. When the inevitable craving for candy or a greasy cheeseburger arises, it’s easier to tell yourself “I can cheat this weekend” versus saying “Stop craving that! That shit isn’t healthy!”
It’s like if I tell you “Don’t think of a purple kangaroo.” It’s impossible for your brain to not form an image in your mind. The more you tell yourself to stop craving something, the harder it’ll be to stop.
So how can you apply this to your own life? What healthy habit are you trying to form and how can you cut yourself some slack?
March 28, 2022
