This was my second week coming off of my four week gut microbiome reset. My first week of getting back to a more “normal,” less restricted eating plan. I’ve reintroduced foods and, luckily, have noticed no sensitivities or ill effects of any of the “trigger” foods.
The drawback for me, however, has been gaining back three of the six total pounds I lost on the program. It’s amazing how tiny little changes to my eating plan could have such an impact. But I’ve chosen to reframe my thought process- it’s AMAZING! Little changes in my eating can have a big impact!!
Any of my clients can tell you that I’m not a fan of “cold turkey,” “whole hog,” “quick results” kinds of programs for ANY of the issues they have. Addressing our health in a all-or-nothing way doesn’t work for the vast majority of people. The changes may be initially promising, but they typically don’t last and aren’t sustainable.
I prefer to address changes in a “small swap, smart swap” approach. Choose what changes you can make right now, without a ton of effort, drama, regret, and the like. You’ll see results without trying too hard, and those results will be sustainable. They’ll also fuel your motivation to make additional positive changes. We also focus on being smart in our thinking: what will make the most significant impact of those things you can do right now? Being smart in your choices, and choosing small, do-able goals are the key to long term success.
Years ago, I was WAY too much into coffee. I’ve got a thing for warm, steamy beverages that taste good. My office manager knew that the first item on her to-do list each day was to brew a pot of coffee- just for me, I’d have about 8-10 cups a day, every day, at work. On weekends I’d have 3-4 cups.
After I got married and realized I wanted to have children some day in the distant future, I realized that 10 cups of coffee a day was probably going to be REALLY difficult to kick if I had to completely just stop altogether one day. So I made a series of small, smart swaps. Step one was to cut out just 4 oz of coffee and replace that with water. When I felt it was appropriate- some days in the morning, others later in the afternoon… it didn’t matter when, so long as I finished the day with only 9 ½ cups of coffee and a half cup of water. Gradually, over the course of several months, I got down to just one cup of coffee in the morning. I did that for many years; just 2 years ago I cut down even more and now I thoroughly enjoy one hot cup of coffee about 3 days a week.
That’s not to say everyone has to move so slowly. I just wanted the transition to be easy, and I knew I had no particular time frame. Some of my clients are willing and able to make more drastic changes more quickly. If that’s a smart choice for them, then they’ll do well with it.
The key is to identify what change you want to happen, and the time frame you have to accomplish your goal. Keep it realistic, or it won’t work. Figure out what steps you can take right now to move you closer to your goal. I’ll never forget my client that absolutely could not live without mayonnaise, but was motivated to change many other aspects of her eating habits in order to lose the weight she wanted. Her motivation to keep mayo spurred her to find some creative ways of cutting out other foods, and she did very well at not only losing the weight, but sustain the loss- it’s been about three years now!
I had another client who wanted to reduce her joint pain. She was eating a diet full of processed foods and refined sugars. She had already failed at elimination diets and anti-inflammatory diets, and had found some success with masking her pain with large amounts of NSAIDs. We worked on what non-negotiable items she had to have in her food, and found some things that she was willing to give up and swap out for healthier options. After a few weeks, she felt substantially better, and was willing to change more foods and lifestyle choices because she was enjoying the alleviation of pain much more than her sweet treats and boxed processed foods.
What is it that you’d like to achieve? What is the end goal? What can you do to take a small step toward that end? Nothing big, nothing fancy, nothing extreme. Find a single, do-able step and take it. Once you’ve gone a few steps, reassess. What can you do now? What small, smart step feels “right” from where you are today?
We all know that the journey of many miles begins with one step. Focus on small steps, smart swaps, tiny victories, and you can get there before you know it!
And by now you know that I am here to help. Reach out and we can figure out those steps that will work for you and where you are today.
Blessings,
Melanie
