Generally, for most of us, the first couple of days on a new diet or health challenge, is sort of that honeymoon period. We’re all fired up. We’re committed. We’re good to go. But then, for almost all of us, it gets a bit hard, and it’s harder to stay on the eating plan and we’ll have our ups and downs.

 

Focus on getting the right food into your house and keeping the junk food out.

 

Now, here’s my personal, number one tip because of my own lack of what I call ‘won’t’ power – my inability to resist treats that are lying around the house. Or not treats, just junk food, really. I call this one ‘diligence, not effort’. It’s really about once or twice a week when we do the weekly shopping at the supermarket, or the green grocer or the butcher, focusing on getting the right food into your house and keeping the junk food out.

So let’s just have a look at that in practical reality. I want you to think about these two close but different statements:

  • Statement one. Not eating a packet of chocolate biscuits from your cupboard.
  • Statement two. Not eating a packet of chocolate biscuits, not in your cupboard.

There’s a small but subtle difference. Just one word. And it’s the location of those chocolate biscuits. It’s pretty hard to be bothered going out and getting that sweet treat or junk food that you’ve got the craving for if it’s not in your house. For me, it’s almost impossible to resist it if it’s there.

So my tip is fill up your fridge, empty out your pantry, where that highly processed junk food is. Get the healthy stuff in there, and that way you’re going to succeed.

Willpower’s overrated, but diligence, getting organised, is underrated.

 


Prof Grant Schofield is the lead instructor in the Certificate in Advanced Nutrition.

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