How to let go of all or nothing thinking

So many of us are all or nothing people when it comes to behaviours including food, alcohol and exercise, thinking that anything less than ‘perfect’ is perceived as a failure.

How many times have you thought – “I ate that biscuit, I might as well finish the pack and start my diet again tomorrow” or “I don’t have time to do my 5k run, why bother running only 2k?” or “I’m trying to cut out all alcohol, but I caved in and already had a glass – I might as well have the whole bottle”.

But think about it like this: If you get a puncture in one tyre, you don’t say “Oh well, I already have one flat tyre, I might as well slash the rest of them too.” You could have salvaged the car if you only fixed the puncture and moved on.

In other words, you can move on without derailing your progress after one unhealthy meal or binge. But continuing to eat unhealthy foods the rest of the day will make it harder.

All-or-nothing thinking keeps you stuck, unhealthy and unbalanced. You become unable to eat anything in moderation and are constantly yo-yo-ing from one extreme to another, flipping from restriction to binge eating or inactivity to over-doing it at the gym. From feeling motivated and excited to feeling like it’s not even worth trying.

But you are not the problem. All-or-nothing thinking is the problem, and it’s holding you back.

This blog teaches you my top 5 ways to stop the all-or-nothing mentality with food and exercise, allowing you to reach your goals without having to start all over again.

1. Start small

Many of my clients naturally want to make ALL THE CHANGES all at once. This is unrealistic and makes it so much harder than it has to be!

Instead, think about the small changes that you can make and can truly stick with, such as adding more veg to each meal and walking for 20 minutes 3x a week.

Once you become consistent with one habit, then you can move onto the next one. This is the most effective way to build sustainable, healthy habits into your life.

2. Something is always better than nothing

 

Which is better, a 10-minute walk or a 0-minute run? Or, is it better for you to have a side salad with your burger or stick with burger and triple cooked chips?

When you see the choices presented that way, it feels really obvious what the healthier choice is. But in the moment, you might be stuck thinking that if you can’t fit in your 30 minute workout, exercise isn’t worth it at all today. Or if you’re out for dinner, you might as well go all in and have the chips and dessert.

Instead, make at least one healthy choice, even if you can’t be all-in. Every little bit counts!

3. Don’t make foods ‘off-limits’

I advise my clients to follow an 80/20 approach to healthier eating.

This means sticking to a sensible fat loss diet of lean protein, lots of vegetables, whole grains, and lower-calorie foods for 80% of their total calories.

The 20% of calories can be set aside for a treat like a couple of biscuits, a small chocolate bar, a glass of wine and a handful of crisps, a slice of pizza… whatever they want to enjoy.

4. Embrace progress over perfection

Accept that there is no such thing as perfect. It is not humanly possible to be perfect all of the time. Even my most successful clients embrace moments of imperfection.

Recognise that your goals can be met even when you are not perfect. Research shows it’s consistent effort, rather than perfection, that leads to the most weight loss success! Enjoy the journey and focus on the amazing habits you are building.

Coach Joseph Webb.

‘The number one rated Personal Trainer In Henley and Oxfordshire’