Just Quit It

I have a confession to make.  I went completely against my own advice recently.  For all of my career as a Health Coach, I have discouraged people to “go on a diet” for a limited amount of time.  There are so many variations, but generally what I hear is something along the lines of “I can do anything for (insert length of time here)” and “I’ll just do this until I get to my goal weight and then re-evaluate.”  My concern has always been, if you just go back to your normal after the extreme change that you know isn’t sustainable, you will end up back at your normal weight too.

But then I saw my husband do a version of this every February for the past few years.  He chooses a relatively long list of pretty extreme health “rules” that he sticks to for the entire month.  And while he doesn’t continue with those rules for the rest of the year, I have seen the benefits it gives him.  Even if it is just one month of the year, those healthy actions that he takes are better than if he didn’t do them at all!  And, while he doesn’t adhere to the strict rules all year, some of those actions do carry over to a lesser degree even after February ends.  

So, I did a mini version in April.  For the month I committed to no pop, no alcohol, and no processed deserts.  For example, I could have oatmeal raisin cookies that I made, but I couldn’t stop at a gas station on a long drive and get a candy bar.  

I wasn’t as good as my husband is and I did make a few exceptions … Easter was in April this year … but for the most part I adhered to my “rules.”  And it felt great.  It felt good to actually be in control of some areas of my life that I felt like I had lost control of.  I did loose some extra weight I haven’t been able to stay on top of.  I learned some other ways to stay awake on long drives without resorting to stopping and getting a Coke.  

And, now more than halfway through May, I would say that I am in a place about 75% better than I had been before April in each of those areas even though I removed the “rules.”  I just learned that I didn’t need those habits the way I thought I did!  

Live and learn, I guess.  Maybe some of those “diets” that you think aren’t sustainable long-term, are more sustainable than you realize.  And you won’t realize it until you try it.  I’d still caution against anything too crazy, but there are plenty of things (like candy bars at gas stations) that it doesn’t hurt to try to eliminate completely even for a short time, just to see what happens.  

​In my private coaching practice, I guide busy Christian women who do ALL.THE.THINGS ... but then end up feeling used up and exhausted by dinnertime as they decide what health habit changes will work in their worlds. And then I walk along-side them as they put those changes into practice. Through developing new health habits they have the energy after the have-to-dos to actually enjoy and be present for their people and to pursue their passions.

If that sounds like you, enter your contact information on the right side of this page to request my complimentary Loving the Body God Gave Me Workbook.  This workbook will walk you through exploring some of what scripture says on this topic. By the end you will have developed a simple first step towards caring for your body so that you can best care for the people who mean the most to you. 

Or, if you want to learn more about what it would look like to work with a coach, click on the button below to schedule a 15 minute complimentary strategy session with yours truly!

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