Are you in the all or nothing mentality with your diet and nutrition?
Ever found yourself saying, "I blew my diet today, so I might as well start over next week?"
Or have you said "I ate unhealthy today so I might as well give up?" You're not alone!
This is classic all or nothing mentality. By the time midlife women come to me for weight loss help, they have tried so many diets and nutritionists, but are frustrated with their results, lack of control with food and are tired of thinking about dieting and food so much.
These midlife women have a mindset that is accustomed to following strict diet rules. Either on or off the diet. Either succeeding or failing. Perfect or a failure. Never in between. They have no peace with food because they feel guilty eating a cookie or enjoying pizza with their family.
Because these midlife women have followed these strict diet rules on and off for much of their lives (sometimes even reinforced by parents or family members who also struggled with food and their weight), these women struggle navigating their busy lives with families and jobs while balancing their nutrition, exercise with snacks, treats and pizza.
They believe they have to be 100% perfect and if they can't be perfect, they backslide and do nothing to take care of their health. This is a classic all or nothing mentality and it is a common mindset hurdle I see many midlife women who want to lose weight trapped in.
This all or nothing mindset is the exact mindset preventing them from reaching their goals because they are never consistent with their health habits and weight loss goals.
Most people are not all or nothing in real life. Think about it, if you get a flat tire do you slash your other three tires because you're angry you got a flat tire? Do you buy a dozen eggs, find two eggs broken and throw out all the eggs? No! You throw out the two bad eggs and move on with the others.
The same applies to nutrition, but most individuals have only ever practiced being an all or nothing person with nutrition. Ironically, it's the only area of life where people act all or nothing.
For my clients, I coach them on living in the grey zone. Instead, of focusing on the less nutritious foods they are eating and beating themselves up, I help them change the focus. Focusing more on what healthy habits they can add, focusing more on doing something versus nothing, focusing on staying on the path the best they can versus sliding into nothing, focusing on what they can add versus take away.
Embracing the grey zone, is about letting go of strict diet rules and doing the best you can with your nutrition each day. Over time, consistency with your weight loss goals soar because doing something is always better than nothing mentality keeps you more consistent then playing the game of being on and off and starting over.
I've seen it over and over again with clients who work with me in my sustainable weight loss program. They make progress towards their goals without being perfect!
Listen to this Dish On Ditching Diets podcast episode on all or nothing mentality for how to break this mindset of being on and off with your diet once and for all!
In this Dish On Ditching Diets podcast episode, you'll hear:
- Why Your All Or Nothing Mindset Needs To Shift For Successful Weight Loss
- Why You Don't Need To Cut Carbs, Pizza or Do A Sugar Detox
- What It Means To Be In The Gray Zone
- Two Things You Need To Lose Weight
Never Miss An Episode! Subscribe to the Dish On Ditching Diets Podcast on Apple, Stitcher, Spotify or Amazon Music
Related Dish On Ditching Diets Podcast Episodes
- How To Stick To A Diet Mentally
- How Do You Stop Emotional Eating
- How Do I Stay Motivated To Lose Weight
- How To Control Hunger For Weight Loss - Elaine's Story
- Perfectionism and Weight Loss - Karrie's Story
Leave a Comment