So, does this mean I can’t change my habits?
Absolutely not! But it does require the right process and time. At certain times of the year or in life, we may fall into vicious cycles of unhealthy, uncontrolled eating and little or no physical activity. To break out of this cycle, we often try drastic “do-it-yourself” diets, which very often fail after a short time. Getting out of the cycle of bad habits is a process that requires time, commitment, and effort—but with the support of a team of professionals, it can become much more sustainable.
Why Diets Often Fail
Diets often fail because I lose motivation and find no gratification in what I’m doing. As a result, I give up and return to my previous unhealthy habits. Diet and exercise must be sustainable, and above all, enjoyable in the long term.
I need to learn to appreciate the activities, results, and goals over time—even small goals that give me satisfaction.
To break free from this vicious cycle of bad habits, I must find gratification in new positive habits. To achieve this, I need to give myself time, as the body should not perceive a complete shift from its comfort zone. Otherwise, I risk not finding the right gratification with the new approach, gradually slipping back into old habits.
The primary goal of a diet and a nutritional plan must be to make me feel better—both physically and psychologically. We cannot view diet as an additional source of stress in our daily lives.
Diet and Motivation
Every year we set many resolutions to improve our lifestyle and get back in shape! But how long does our motivation really last? Unfortunately, it often happens that we start a diet or a nutritional program and, after just a few weeks, we abandon everything and return to our old habits. Why does this happen?
One of the main reasons lies in the way we begin the nutritional program. Too often, we approach a diet drastically, eating very little and completely overturning our habits. By doing so, we don’t give our body and mind time to adapt, so motivation decreases as the effort increases, and we end up quitting.
Another reason may be linked to awareness of food and our relationship with nutrition. This often occurs in those who have tried many diets unsuccessfully—so at the first difficulty with a new plan, they give up. This is a “psychological bias”: if I’ve failed 99 diets, I’ll fail the hundredth as well. In truth, I’m not even giving it a real try, because my mindset and motivation are already starting out negatively.
A diet must begin with motivation, but it must continue with lifestyle and discipline.
Solution for Building Better Habits and a Balanced Diet
First of all, I need to set intermediate and achievable goals to monitor my progress and keep motivation high—thanks to both the goals already achieved, which give me confidence, and the ones not yet reached, which push me to do better.
Of course, doing it alone is more complex and difficult. Planning a personalized program with one or more professionals makes everything easier.
A nutritional plan should be structured gradually, aiming to change poor habits with achievable goals over the weeks, and above all, allowing enough time to reach the result.
Relying on nutrition professionals is certainly fundamental in creating the right plan tailored to my needs and habits. Combining physical activity with another health professional and the support of motivational coaching can be an extra step to achieve the result while keeping motivation and focus on the goal.
This approach is offered at our Polispecialistico Paradiso center through the LIFESTYLE PROGRAM: a 6-MONTH program in which you will be supported nutritionally by a Nutritionist, who will set a dietary strategy and continuous goals based on your habits and lifestyle to improve your nutrition. You will also be followed by a Personal Trainer in a Pilates program, and by a Wellness Coach who will continuously work on your motivation to help you achieve your goal.
Would you like to begin a journey to improve your lifestyle?
