Overcoming barriers to lifestyle change
Mothers are wise and always right. True or False? When I was a child, my mother would always make sure we eat very well before going to anyone’s house or to a party. It was a hard and fast rule in our house.
Advertisement
No going anywhere on an empty stomach. According to her, if we didn’t eat before going, we would end up embarrassing ourselves by eating as if we hadn’t been fed for days. An embarrassment for ourselves or for her is a question I would have liked to ask.
We all grew up with nuggets of advice from our mothers which, at the time they were given, didn't seem that profound or memorable, but as we grow older we begin to think that “perhaps my mother was right after all.”
Well, today is one of those days when I should have heeded my mother’s advice. I went to a friend’s daughter’s 6th birthday party on an empty stomach. That to my mother is a big ‘faux pas.’
It was so easy to forget all I knew about nutrition when the pizza and cake was served. I couldn’t ignore the hunger pangs even though I knew it would do my cholesterol level more harm than good.
Good thing I have no ‘New Year Resolutions’, I thought to myself. I would have broken it today and maybe fallen into the world record category of people who break their resolutions in the first month of the year.
This scenario is all too real for many of us who are attempting to change certain areas in our lives. We fixate on the perceived problems in our lives instead of identifying the true source of our challenges. But the fact is unless we get to the root of the problem and deal with it honestly, we’re going to continue stumbling.
The basics of lifestyle modifications like healthy eating are easy to understand, yet many people struggle to take the steps towards improving their diet and taking care of themselves. There are plenty of potential hindrances but these issues don’t need to stand in the way.
What are the barriers undermining your ability to make positive changes in your life? A barrier is anything that causes you to slip up in your goal to make lifestyle changes, such as changing your eating habits. Finding your barriers and learning how to get around them can help you reach your healthy lifestyle goals.
After reading this column, I hope you will take the time to stop and reflect on this question. What are the barriers on your way? The answer could ultimately help to create the right strategies to overcome them.
Whether you overeat, do not exercise or overspend, the rules are pretty much the same. By having a plan you can make smart choices in every situation. Failing to plan is setting yourself up to fail.
Begin by identifying one repetitive problem in your life and make a decision about what you could do to work through it.
Please note that anytime I talk about a healthy lifestyle, I am not only referring to physical (diet & exercise). For me, a healthy lifestyle involves wellbeing in every area of life. Look into your life to identify the barriers.
Once you identify the barriers, consider practical strategies. For example, if a relationship with a family member or colleague is fraught with tension, you might decide that you will no longer engage in arguments with the person.
If its challenges with your finances, you might have to reconsider the choices you make that are contributing to the problem.
Let's face it, the real causes of overspending are your personal habits and attitudes. In other words, the true solution to the financial problem is personal, not financial.
Mine is saying “I’ll pass” when I am presented with food that I know won’t help me attain my dietary goals. The mind can be a tough thing to control, especially when it comes to hunger.
Lesson learnt – my mother was right, after all. “Never go to a party on an empty stomach”. Amazing that it took a little girl’s birthday party to make me realise that. To healthy living!
The writer is a Lifestyle Coach & Author of The Seduction of food’[email protected]