Well, the campaign is over, we have voted, and we have a result. Now we can all breathe a sigh of relief. No more campaign ads on TV and no more calls to the house reminding us to go vote. Now, in case you are concerned that this is a political post, relax, it is not. So, what do political campaigns have to do with healthy eating? They serve as distractions from our personal nutrition and fitness goals. And distractions are the focus of this post.
Whenever we set healthy eating goals and start down a path to achieving them we run into distractions. Distractions can take many forms. A child home from school, scheduled or unscheduled, an unexpected storm, a family trip, and many other events. We cannot prevent distractions from occurring, but we can control how we respond to them.
For starters, have a plan. If you don’t have a plan you will find the distractions dictating your response instead of you controlling your response. Once you have a plan you can stock the house with healthy foods so they are easy to grab for quick meals when the schedule does not go smoothly.
Secondly, involve the family in the plan. If everyone in the house has a stake in the plan, they can help when the schedule changes. If there are healthy snacks in the house, then hungry kids can find them for snacks. When everyone in the house is on board with the healthy eating plan you can all encourage each other to stay on track as a team.
Finally, remember the plan is a goal and sometimes it will slip. It is ok to slip for a day, then get back on track the next day. When a distraction is an event that has been building for a while, for example the election, there may be a let down when it is over. Whether your candidate was successful or not there is a bit of a let down. Allow yourself to feel that let down and then move forward. Give yourself a little treat to boost your spirits, like a brisk outside walk or your favorite snack. Focus on how to achieve your goal of healthy eating and remember that you are in control of your results.
How do you bounce back from distractions? Would love to hear from you in the comments below or join our conversation on facebook.
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