What if you didn’t have to be perfect with your diet to see results?
Researchers have looked at what happens to your mental health when you go on a restrictive diet plan. They found that people who went on extremely restrictive plans had higher levels of binge eating, more food cravings, less control, more preoccupation with food, and more guilt when they ate foods that they enjoyed.
In fact, according to the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), a list of more than 10,000 people who have lost weight – and kept it off for years – tend to eat carbs, enjoy breakfast, and avoid extreme restrictions and gimmicks. All of this is exactly the opposite of what you’re told to do on most diets.
As we all know, sometimes life will send your perfect plan to the winds, which is why programs that require 100 percent compliance tend to fail. Because, when life happens, anything less than perfection is considered a failure, punishable by extra workouts, fasting, or dramatically cutting calories.
But now here’s science to the rescue! Scientific studies suggest you don’t need to stick to that grueling 100% perfection to see amazing results. Long-term success – the type seen by those who lose weight and keep it off (without losing their minds) – is found when you steer clear of zero percent weeks.
A “zero percent week” is when one bad day of eating results in your abandoning all healthy habits completely, promising to start eating healthy again tomorrow, no wait, next week, um, next month…. That’s a 0% week. And if you really want to win at the game of health, you have to step away from those manipulative plans, and build a new mindset that’s proven to work.
So, instead of chasing after 100% weeks, which can result in the dreaded 0% week, try to hit somewhere in the grey zone. Instead of every decision having to be black and white, every day being make or break, step back and look at the bigger picture. Enjoy some flexibility, and give yourself space to build better habits.
Think about it: successfully healthy people don’t say, “I really screwed up at dinner, or, I bailed on my workout this morning, so I should just take the rest of the week off.” Eliminating 0% weeks is the true path to success. You’ll see you don’t need to adhere to that super strict 100% perfection in order to feel better, look better, and be healthier.
If you stack consistent 50% and 75% weeks one on top of the other, you’ll end up reaching your goals – and without the crippling stress or desire to quit. Success isn’t built by doing something great for a very short period – it’s accomplished by consistently sticking to your long-term goals over time.
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