Being healthy is about putting in the effort, no matter how big or small it is. Break free from the ‘all or nothing’ mentality with this reminder from nutrition Expert Marissa Campanella.
“I have all the time in the world to get healthy and do all the things I want to do.”
…Said no one ever.
When we see people who seemingly have it all when it comes to living a healthy, balanced life, how do they do it all? How is it possible to juggle work, family, school, eating right, and fitting in a workout?
Prioritize, and start.
It might sound simple, but it emphasizes that the secret to ‘doing it all’ is just simply about making an effort, no matter how big or small.
It’s also about letting go of the perfectionism doesn’t exist. Let go of the fact that you need to be a superhuman to do superhuman things. ‘All or nothing’ thinking may be exactly what’s preventing you from getting healthier.
So what is an ‘all or nothing’ thinker? They are people who find themselves in situations like:
“Well, if I can’t go to the gym for at least 45 minutes, I might as well not even bother.”
“I already ate poorly for lunch, so I’ll just continue to eat bad the rest of the day.”
This type of thinking process is precisely what holds people back from living a healthier life. The failure is in their lack of recognition that even the smallest steps are healthy victories.
That at-home fitness routine for 15 minutes? Yup, you worked out for 15 minutes!
You took the effort to cut up and eat one extra serving greens with dinner? Pat yourself on the back, you just got in more nutrient-dense veggies, which you typically don’t get!
‘Falling off the wagon’ is part of living a normal life.
If all you’re doing is striving to make time for eating healthy foods, working out, and staying on a routine, are you really living at all?
This black and white way of thinking is what makes healthy living difficult to sustain for some people…because our lives are anything but black and white.
Yes, routines are great, but giving yourself the flexibility to enjoy your life is even more important.
Make time for your health where and when you can, and simply work on being more consistent and OK with little bits of effort everyday. This is the balance that will bring you happiness and health.
What can you tell yourself the next time you feel like you’ve messed up?
Do the next right thing.
Marissa Campanella, RDN, LDN is a private practice Registered Dietitian based in Scranton, PA helping people find the balance between healthy and happy. As a ‘food peace promoter’, Marissa specializes in helping those with food struggles and disordered eating in learning how to enjoy food while leaving guilt and self criticisms behind. Connect with Marissa at Thrive Nutrition.
Good article worth to read and easy to understand .. my coincidence again search reference articles like this. Many thanks to the author, useful for many people.