Have you ever followed a diet or workout program perfectly, only to go right back to your old ways the second it was over? If so, you’re not alone. Transitioning from a plan with a strict set of rules back to “normal” life is very difficult and can pose many challenges. It’s easy to fall back into old habits, let one cheat meal turn into weeks of unhealthy choices, and end up feeling guilty and upset with ourselves, like all of the hard work we put in was for nothing. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be this way. Let’s talk about how we can help ourselves transition out of a diet or strict program.

Most diets or programs geared toward improving health in some way aren’t meant to be followed endlessly. Even plans meant to improve our spiritual health, such as Lent, are followed for a season. It’s important we recognize this from the beginning, prepare ourselves mentally for the end of the program, and avoid labeling being on the plan as “good” and being off of it as “bad.” 

Your favorite athlete doesn’t compete in their sport at the highest level every single day for years on end. They have seasons of intense training, strict programs to follow, and high levels of focus during competition, followed by seasons of lower intensity and increased rest. You wouldn’t tell them they are a horrible person because they have an off-season and aren’t competing every single day of their lives, and we can’t hold ourselves to this standard either. Accepting from the beginning that this intense season will come to an end will help you tremendously when that time comes.

Let’s say you’re about to start a strict diet to help you lose weight. In order to lose weight, we must be in a calorie deficit, meaning we are eating less calories than we burn throughout the day. Although losing weight will improve the health of most people, being in a calorie deficit puts large amounts of stress on our bodies and it is not something we should be doing forever. 

Eventually, we are going to have to increase our calorie intake back to maintenance, and this may need to happen even before we reach our weight loss goal. We can make this transition back to maintenance easier by having a plan to gradually increase calorie intake again, and by having a new goal to focus on. 

Having a plan to come off of the diet will help us avoid falling back into our old habits and will help us carry over new habits we have created. Having a new goal to focus on will help us continue moving forward while giving our bodies the break they need. 

An example of a new goal we could focus on while off of our diet is getting stronger through strength training, as increased calorie intake will provide us with more energy for our workouts. Shifting our focus to a new goal that supplements the previous one can be very powerful, as it can help keep us going on the right track, ease the stress of having to take a break, and also help us reach the original goal from a different angle. 

Shifting from one season to another doesn’t always feel as easy as spring changing to summer. Know that you’ll get better at it each time you do it, bringing with you little nuggets of wisdom you’ve learned along the way. Give yourself permission to make gradual changes and move between seasons slowly. It doesn’t always have to be a race to the next thing.

Xoxo

Coach Maggi