setting sustainable nutrition goals

I feel like it offers the opportunity for a celebration of self-reflection and healthy improvements.

When it comes to nutrition, most of us have luxuriated in delightful treats in the festive season and are eager to recommit to taking care of our wellbeing in January. Our trousers may not zip up as easily, we may be feeling sluggish and bloated. We might want to reinstate our fitness routine, trim the treats, or perk up our flagging energy.

But how can we help ourselves to achieve our goals in a healthy, sustainable, and self-compassionate way?

In my opinion, the best way to set goals is to focus on what we want to increase, rather than what we want to reduce, what we want to improve, rather than what we want to fix.

If we berate ourselves for gaining weight, or not sticking to our exercise routine in the holidays; if we focus on getting thinner or eating less, we can get into trouble. If we see ourselves as flawed and try to fix ourselves with exercise or nutrition, we may pursue extreme or unsustainable goals in an attempt to bolster our self-esteem.

However, if we start from a place of loving and accepting ourselves as we are, even if we gained half a stone, or feel bloated or tired, we can eat healthily or get back on track with our exercise regime from a place of self-care rather than self-punishment, which is much more sustainable.

Rather than telling yourself off in an attempt to shame yourself into exercising, or forcing yourself to reduce what you eat in order to get thinner, could you do the opposite and encourage yourself to eat more healthy foods to improve your nutrition, or include exercise that makes you happy to boost your fitness?

Rather than tearing yourself down, try to build yourself up. Your physical and mental wellbeing will thank you for it.