Everyone starts with a goal: loose weight, build muscle, recomposition, etc.
At the end of the day you have to break that down into skills in order to achieve that goal. So next step would be to make a smart goal: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.
Then what?
Goals are not achieved through merely force of will.
You have to create environments, situations, and circumstances that keep you on track. Habits.
Goal achievement happens reliably when you do two things:
1. Break down your goals into specific skill sets that you need to develop.
a. For example softball: I want to be a better softball player. I need to perfect my swing, fielding form, etc.
2. Build those skills through strategic daily actions
a. Daily practice: ground balls, hitting - repetition
You have to do the same thing with nutrition. It’s not about willpower, it’s about skill power.
Practice daily to build skills that will help you achieve your goal. I call these mini goals. I have my clients set 2 mini goals at the start of each week.
You can set your macros and calories, but after that you need to establish daily goals to achieve those things. This will help you build long lasting habits that will help you reach your goals faster and maintain them longer.
OK so now let’s take weight loss into account.
I want to loose 20 lbs. So my goal is to eat better, consistently.. how? What skills are required to do that?
Hunger and appetite awareness is huge.
So how do you do that? Eating slowly, chewing for 20 bites, smaller plates, put your fork down in between each bite.
It takes about 20 min for your brain to pick up your satiety - being aware of that is the start.
Do that for a couple weeks, consistently.
We can apply that to protein: if you have a certain amount of macros you want to hit each day, break it up into each meal. Protein will increase satiety, and it has a high thermic effect of food.
Do that for a couple of weeks, consistently.
Then you ask yourself have you been compliant with it. If you have, then maybe we can add another goal. If you haven’t, then maybe we need to adjust and make the goal easier to stick to.
Both of those goals will build the skill of better hunger and appetite awareness. Necessary skills to eating better, consistently.
You can use this formula for anything:
Set a goal, figure out the skills you need, break them down into daily practices then break that down into how long you’re going to be doing it for.
If you’re only 60% compliant then we need to work on reaching at least to 80%. If it’s not there, then what can get you there? Adjust the goal. This is the start of behavior change.
Keep it simple. Be strategic. Find support.
The best practices are ones you can build and do every day.
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