Planning your day can help you to achieve your nutrition and fitness goals. However, if your plans include “when and then” statements, you are setting yourself on a dangerous path.
When I get my pain under control, then I’ll start back at the gym. When the weather gets a little nicer, then I’ll start walking with a neighbor. When the holiday season is done, then I’ll start working on finding new recipes and cooking more dinners. When I get out of this crazy toddler phase of life, then I’ll work on more me time. Can you hear it? When…. then…. A lot of us come into these statements with true feelings that these moments will pass and life will open back up with additional time for healthy behaviors. This is dangerous thinking because as soon as the first “when and then” comes to pass, it doesn’t take long for another to arise. These statements can become huge barriers to our nutrition and fitness success.
Short term examples:
- When I get the kitchen cleaned up, then I’ll take my walk
- When I get the laundry done, then I’ll go grocery shopping
- When I get the house picked up, then I’ll play with my kids
We tell ourselves these types of things only to find that once we do get the house picked up or the kitchen cleaned, or laundry done… we are exhausted! And anything else on that “when and then” list can wait until tomorrow. When tomorrow comes the same thing happens and our plans for exercise, healthy meal prep and me time never happen.
Long range examples pertaining to a big life change such as moving:
- When the move is over then I’ll focus more on my workouts and healthier food options.
- When I get all of these boxes unpacked and settled in our new house then I’ll take time to fit in walks or go check out the athletic club.
- When I feel like my kids are more settled and everyone is happy, then I’ll cook more, and we’ll stop going out to eat as often.
Fast Forward: house is settled, kids are settled and now its summertime
- When we are done with all of this summer traveling and visiting friends and family, then I’ll get back into a healthy routine of focusing on water intake, 10,000 steps and healthy snacks
Instead of making “when and then” plans, figure out how to make small healthy habits work through all seasons of life… even the crazy hard ones.
Tips on how to get away from the “when and then” mentality:
1. Keep an ABC list. The A list gets done that day… the B list could wait a day or two or possibly even the week… the C list are to-do’s that could be completed throughout the month. Sometimes we feel like everything belongs on the A list, but the reality is we could shift some tasks around and free up moments for workouts, food prep or just good old me time!
2. Knock out the items you don’t necessarily love first or earlier in the day when you have more energy!
3. Pull in accountability, whether this is through a professional or friend. It will give you a fighting chance for some maintenance in life so you don’t come out of the change feeling like you are starting at ground zero and staring up at a mountain top; feeling like you now need an overhaul for your body, mind and overall health.
I have been using those tips to help me through a big transition. We will be making a big, up-root
