Small Changes
Who’s put on a few pounds since shelter in place started? I’m raising my hand high and I’m fully acknowledging that it is OK. However, how are we getting back on track? Abbie Spiwak, RD. has 8 effective steps to follow so you can see how small changes make the greatest impact. Whether you’re still working from home or heading back to the office, this process works across the board.
Have you ever tried dieting before? I bet you have...even if you don’t know it. Have you tried the keto-diet, the gluten-free diet, the fasting diet, the juice diet? Have you ever skipped meals in order to fit into your new outfit or to look good when you hit the beach? Have you ever eliminated certain foods or food groups from your diet, hoping to shed a few pounds? If you answer yes to one or more of these...it’s normal. We have all dieted. What’s more important than looking good and fitting in, right?
I am a Registered Dietitian and know how to eat right. I am also a female and sometimes the desire to look my best, to fit in, or to eat the foods I crave pushes my actions in directions I KNOW are not good for my health. I am often asked “what should I be eating”? This question is always the hardest to answer because just like those super inaccurate “one size fits all” products we see on commercials and in the stores, there is no one-diet-fits-all. Everyone has different energy needs, dietary restrictions, eating patterns, etc. However, what I have found to be most effective, no matter who I am working with, is LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION.
Lifestyle modification refers to altering your daily patterns and habits by making changes that can be carried with you through life. Sure you can lose weight by following a fad-diet, however, these diets are often hard to follow long term and when we stop following them, we go right back to eating like we always have. Lifestyle modification focuses on making small, sustainable, effective changes that improve our health status, physical appearance, and our mental state. Making many small changes can have as much or more of an effect on your health as large changes, and small changes are far more manageable.
There are many small changes that we can make that can have lasting positive effects. Making changes can be difficult, so it is imperative to have the right mindset when preparing to make change. Effective steps in making changes in your eating habits often include:
1) Determine what eating habit or food in your diet you believe needs to be modified.
a) Example: I have been eating fast-food for lunch at work every day this month.
2) Assess why you feel this eating habit or food must be modified.
a) Example: I am wasting money buying fast-food every day. Also, I know that this food is not healthy for me and I feel bad when I eat it.
3) Decide on what change(s) you want to make based on what you have identified for modification.
a) Example: I want to eat less fast-food at work.
4) Come up with at least 2 different options for how to make this change.
a) Example: I will pack a lunch at home everyday and bring it with me to work.
b) Example: I will go to the grocery store at lunch each day and buy fresh food to eat.
5) Determine which option you are more likely to try and follow long-term.
a) Example: I will pack a lunch at home everyday and bring it with me to work.
6) Consider how the change may have a positive effect on you and/or your health.
a) Example: If I eat less fast-food, I will save money. And if I make food at home, I can choose healthier foods that are better for me.
7) Brainstorm barriers you may encounter. (What obstacles may stop you from making the change)
a) Example: I am always running late in the morning, I will never have time to pack my lunch.
b) Example: I know that I will be too lazy in the evening to want to pack a lunch for the next day.
8) Establish different ways to overcome the barriers you have projected.
a) Example: As soon as I get home from work every day, I will unpack my lunch box and re-pack it for the next day. This way I will not have to do it later at night or early in the morning.
b) Example: I will stock my office refrigerator with groceries, in order to make healthy lunches at work each day.
9) Determine which way to overcome barriers you are most likely to try.
a) Example: As soon as I get home from work every day, I will unpack my lunch box and re-pack it for the next day. This way I will not have to do it later at night or early in the morning.
10) Take action!
a) Example: This Sunday I will make a list of groceries, go to the store and buy the items, then I will pack my lunch for work on Monday.
Making changes is not always easy and we won’t always adhere to changes the first time around. If your plan for making a change doesn’t work after giving it a few tries, go back to steps 4 and/or 8 and try a different option you came up with. It does not hurt to keep trying new solutions, until you find the one that works best for you.
Changes can be difficult to make and can be even more difficult to follow for some time, however, as we continue to make these changes, they become part of our routine. Take for example getting a new job that requires you to wake up early in the morning. At first waking up early is a struggle, but after doing it 5 days a week, for weeks on end, it eventually becomes natural… or at least manageable. With all changes, it takes time for our mind and our bodies to adjust. Always keep your goals in mind and be aware that positive results take time and patience. Remember that lifestyle modification focuses on feasible, small changes that can be carried with us through life.
Dieting can work as a quick easy fix when you see a problem you want to solve, however, diets are hard to follow and often have negative side effects on health and mental well-being. By putting time, effort, and dedication into lifestyle modification you can make small changes that end in positive results. While looking good at the beach this weekend, on a date this Friday, or at the office on Monday seems important now, remember that what we do to our bodies now has an effect on our bodies in the future. Making small sustainable changes will lead to a long healthy life with you at your best both physically and mentally.
Ideas for small, healthy, sustainable changes:
● As soon as you get home from work, pack your lunch for the following day.
● Include at least 3 different food groups at each meal and at least 2 food groups at each snack
○ 5 Major Food Groups: proteins, vegetables, fruits, dairy, grains
○ Having a source of protein in your snacks can keep you full for longer.
● Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go. Staying hydrated is important and drinking water can keep you full for longer.
● Always place your snacks in portion sized bowls. When you eat directly out of the chip bag, you will not know when you have eaten 1 serving.
● Slow down and enjoy your meals. When you eat quickly, it is harder for your body to let you know when you are full and you will often find yourself eating more than what your body needed.
● If making meals every day is too time consuming, try meal prepping. Find a day each week to plan and prepare foods to eat throughout the week.
-Abbie
