How to Stay Motivated to Eat Healthy

My initial reason for eliminating flour, sugar, and processed foods from my diet was to lose weight. However, my reason had to evolve after I got to the weight that I wanted to be. If I didn’t have a deeper reason for continuing to eat healthy, I’d be back in the food, gaining the weight back.

I knew in my gut that I could not treat my new eating habits like another “diet.” It had to be a lifestyle in order for me to stay at a healthy weight range.  So, I had to decide whether I was going to live my life without eating flour and sugar or was I going to try and eat it in moderation. I know myself well enough to know that I absolutely cannot eat flour and sugar in moderation – been there, done that!

There Are Moments

Of course, there are moments when I want to throw in the towel and say, “forget it!” and just eat my chocolate and cookies. But if I start eating junk food, I won’t stop. My food obsession will return, and I’d be off and running again with eating addictively. My bathroom scale will reflect my out of control eating as well as the tightness of my clothes.

Get Past the Frustration

Once I get past the periodic frustration of not having ice cream, cake or any other food that contains flour or sugar, I’m ok. I accept that this is how it is. This is what I need to do to have control over what I put in my mouth.

Our “why” Must be Greater

Our “why” for eating healthy has to be greater than a quick fix weight loss goal. If it is not, it won’t last. Many times, we’ve lost weight in order to look good at certain events like our high school reunion, family reunion, weddings, and parties. But we have to think about the days, weeks, months, and years after these events. If we don’t develop our “why” for eating healthy, we will be back in the same cycle of gaining and losing weight.

Motivation

Our “why” is simply our motivation for why we do what we do. What are the incentives for eating right on a daily basis? Your why may include many things like:

• Being able to stay at a normal weight
• Fitting in the same size clothes year after year
• Supporting other addictive eaters
• No longer in a “food fog”
• Food obsession is alleviated
• Cravings are under control
• Able to shop at a regular clothing store
• Food is no longer controlling you
• Closer connection with God
• Better connections with others
• Able to be of service to others
• Able to be present, in the moment

Stop the Voices!

Be prepared for when that voice in your head says, “I need a candy bar,” or whatever food that pops into your head.  Stop and think about why you want to eat, especially when you’re not hungry!  What feeling are you trying to soothe or run away from? After the candy bar, what will you eat next? It’s not easy to stop eating, once you start. Flour and sugar are addictive!

Replace those voices with positive affirmations. Commit several to memory so that you will have it as part of your tools to combat those thoughts.

Recovery is Key

The shift from working a diet program to working a recovery program is key. While a diet is temporary, recovery is a lifestyle. The benefit of living in recovery supports our motivation for eating healthy. It allows us to live our lives to the fullest and to the best person that we can be.

Don’t forget to leave a comment. What are your thoughts about this topic? What is your experience with motivating yourself to eat healthy as a lifestyle?

Cynthia