One of the hardest things when it comes to nutrition is that it’s usually a really LONG process. Reaching your goals with nutrition can take time, and consistency is one of the biggest factors that can determine success. So, it’s no wonder that it is so common that people feel like they ‘fall off the wagon’ or lose momentum with their nutrition from time to time.
After helping clients with their nutrition for almost 10 years, I wanted to share with you my biggest tips for firstly, regaining momentum (the New Year is fast approaching and is a wonderful time to set your focus) and then maintaining that momentum when it comes to your nutrition goals.
1. Set your goals
Set your goals for the year (this could be at any time of the year by the way) – this is where you are really thinking about your long-term goals and what you ultimately want to achieve in a significant period of time. BUT ALSO (caps required because this is really important!) set smaller goals for each month or a shorter period of time to really break things down and make them achievable.
One of the most effective strategies I talk about all the time is trying to focus on just one or two habits/behaviours at a time to change. Once you nail these, you can move on and progress to the next.
2. Take the time to reflect
One of the most effective ways to maintain momentum once you have set your goals is to take the time to reflect (as often as you can) on how you are going. Ask yourself the following questions…
- What has been going well?
- What feels easy now that didn’t a few weeks ago?
- What feels hard at the moment or isn’t happening yet?
- Where to from here? (Do you need to readjust your goal or continue to work on your habit/behaviour a little longer)
It may help to set reminders for yourself (either in your phone or in your calendar) to make sure you take time to come back to your goals and reflect on your progress regularly. Life gets busy so this just eliminates one extra thing you need to try and remember to do!
3. Accountability
For many people, having someone to be accountable to really helps them to maintain their momentum with nutrition. If you have someone who has similar goals to you or you feel comfortable to talk with, you might set up an ‘accountability buddy’ that you can have a chat with every month or so and keep each other on track.
This can be a friend or colleague for example and doesn’t need to be a formal arrangement, but if you know that you struggle when having to hold yourself accountable, this could be a great option!
4. Get help if you need it
And finally, you might look to have professional help with this to take the pressure off and really lead you with your reflection and guide you with your progress. One on one consultations are a great way to keep accountable and for many people, are a great way to prioritise yourself and your goals when you are chatting to someone regularly in a more formal and structured way.
Remembering that sessions can be set up any way that suits you! I have clients who see me every week for sessions and other that see me every 6-8 weeks purely for the accountability factor. If this is something you are interested in, get in touch to see how I can help you.
So, if you are someone who is struggling to get started (and I get it – changing your habits and behaviours around food can be really hard!) or is struggling to stay accountable, then try the tips above to see if you can break down some of those barriers that have made it tricky in the past.