Progress, Not Perfection

When people find out I’m a dietitian, they typically respond by grinning sheepishly and mumbling something about how unhealthy their diets are. What they don’t know is that I am just like them; I have good days as well as some not-so-good days. Luckily, living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t require being perfect. All that’s needed is some basic knowledge and the motivation to consistently make better choices.

If you want to improve your health, don’t try to be perfect – working out intensely 6 days a week, eating 9 fruits and vegetables every day, and never indulging in your favorite dessert is just not a practical goal for the majority of people. It could even be the fast track to returning to your old way of living – or perhaps prevent you from ever trying to make a change in the first place.

Typically, people don’t make permanent improvements to their health by making drastic lifestyle changes; instead, they focus on making gradual changes over time and learn how to forgive themselves when a day (or week) doesn’t go as planned.

Let’s take the focus off of perfection and redirect that emphasis onto simply making progress towards a healthier lifestyle. Eating one vegetable a day is better than eating no vegetables. Taking three leisurely 10 minute walks a week is better than never taking a walk at all. And yes, it does make a difference! A study by Laaksonen et al (2005) showed a 48% risk reduction of type 2 diabetes in individuals who increased their total leisure-time physical activity by only 30 minutes per week.

Wellness is not a matter of absolutes, but a spectrum comprised of everyday habits.

This blog is meant to help provide you with the information and motivation needed to aim towards a healthier way of living. So let’s do it together, one day at a time.

This week, try instilling one (or more!) of the challenges below into your lifestyle.

·         Drink one glass of water with breakfast every day.

·         Eat one fruit as a mid-morning snack at work.

·         Add a vegetable side to your lunch, like a salad, some baby carrots, or some vegetable soup.

·         Take a walk with your partner, neighbor, or dog around the block after dinner.

·         Use whole-grain bread for sandwiches or toast.

·         Substitute skim milk in your morning latte, or try a sugar-free syrup.

·         Share an entrée with your date Friday night (saves money too!)

·         Take the stairs at work instead of the elevator.

As these changes become part of your daily routine, adopt more healthy habits that fit easily into your everyday life. Come back for more ideas, send me questions, or request topics for future entries!

Thanks for reading!

Anna