How To Keep A Resolution

Cutting sugar? Quitting carbs? Going vegan? Whatever your foodie resolution is, getting your ‘head-game’ sorted is the key to keeping your resolve and making changes stick…

So here are our top tips to keep you on the straight and narrow!

Change The Record!

To last a week on any new routine, you’ll need to think about the change you’re making. With your mind on board, your body will follow.

So re-frame the story! Think of what you’re doing as a choice rather than a chore. Think of opportunities, not temptations. It’s a little change, but could make all the difference… not least because it keeps you mindful of the reasoning behind your choice.

What you’re doing is a choice, it’s not a chore… You’ll have to talk the talk to walk the walk!

What Makes You Snack?

It’s normal to reach for chocolate when we’re stressed. When you want a sugar high, you want it fast. But typically, the feeling only lasts three minutes… and who’s stress is that short-lived?

It’s almost always true that what we really need is something with a bit more staying power! If you can’t tackle your stress head-on, try distracting yourself with exercise or socialising. But food is rarely the answer!

Savour it!

Celebrating with a delicious dinner feast is fun, it’s natural and it’s fine! We all did plenty of it over Christmas, after all. But that’s different to eating ‘on the hoof’ or snacking for the sake of it…

So our tip is to try giving everything you eat proper attention – taste it, slow down and savour it! You’ll have a lot more fun if you’re not stuffed!

Are Really You Hungry?

Hunger is a need, cravings are a suggestion!

Someone once said, Think of your body as a baby monitor… Pay attention to it, but don’t stop what you’re doing every time your belly rumbles.

No dietician would tell you to go hungry, but our bodies give a lot of signals all at once… and we hear what we want to hear! Sometimes we really are hunger, but it’ll often just be thirst or boredom.

So here’s a great question to ask yourself: do you feel picky? The less you care about specific foods, the more you need to eat. For example, if you’d murder a pastry but could pass on a piece of fruit… guess what? You’re not hungry! Try a big drink and some distraction instead!

Routine Not Rewards

If you don’t want to fall off a wagon, remember that what you’re doing as a new routine and not something that’ll earn you a reward. Psychologically, mile-stone rewards suggest you’re finishing a task!… and this year, you’re not.

You feel brilliant, you have more energy and your clothes are fitting better… That’s because you’ve made some changes to your diet, so don’t change back! Instead, try to really focus on how different you feel and let that feeling of pride produce its own endorphins… which should be reward enough!