A question came in to me which is something I know many of us can probably relate to, which is why I thought it would be a great topic to write about in this week’s blog.
The question:
“My biggest struggle is getting out of the mindset of starting over every Monday. Every week I think I am going to get back on track on Monday. Then something slips me up on Monday and it ruins the rest of the week. Sometimes I also have this problem when going through my day. If I don’t start off my day with the good food I planned, the rest of the day is down the tubes.”
Can you relate?
DO YOU SUFFER FROM THE “START OVER ON MONDAY” CYCLE?
First of all, if you struggle with “start over on Monday syndrome,” you are not alone. I struggled with it as well, and so have many new clients who first start working with me.
Here’s 4 reasons why many of us struggle with the “start over on Monday cycle,” and what we can do to fix this once and for all.
1) You’re trying to change too much at once, or the diet methods you are trying are too extreme to maintain long term.
Action Step: Choose 1-2 healthy habits to work on each week instead of starting a complete diet overhaul. For example, aim to add more lean protein or vegetables to your diet. Master that habit before adding another habit to work on. In addition, make sure you aren’t trying to adhere to a diet that is so extreme you can’t see yourself maintaining eating the same way 5 years from now. Sustainability is key!
2) Use “Built-In Treats” to build diet relief into your week.
Action Step: One technique I use with my clients (and for myself) is something called “Built-In Treats.” These are foods I strategically add into my daily diet to keep me satisfied. Built-in treats may be foods like dark chocolate, a few Hershey’s Kisses after dinner, light popcorn, baked chips or other treats. These treats typically aren’t as high calorie as other snack choices, but these treats built into our daily diets on a regular basis help take the edge off and keep us feeling satisfied.
3) Start to practice the eventual goal of making weekday and weekend eating look the same.
Action Step: Ideally, we want weekday and weekend eating to look exactly the same. This takes practice, though. Start small by adding one food you eat on weekends to your weekday food routine. In addition, try adding a food you’d typically have weekdays to your weekend eating.
4) Practice, and have patience and self-compassion.
Action Step: Have patience with yourself and practice self-compassion if you feel like you mess up. Some of the methods I mention above may seem quite foreign to you, especially if you’re a lifelong dieter. I felt the same way when I was first introduced to some of these methods as well. Stick with it and have patience with yourself as you practice these methods. The payoff is so worth it.
And if you feel like you “mess up” and fall off track during the week, don’t wait until next Monday to try these techniques again. Start right away. You know you’re on the right track when you can begin practicing these techniques on a Wednesday or Saturday instead waiting until next Monday!
Can you relate to today’s blog? CONTACT ME and let me know.
❤,
Barb