Progress, NOT Perfection.
Progress, NOT Perfection.
All-or-nothing thinking refers to thinking in extremes. We are either a success or a failure. Our performance was totally good or totally bad. If we are not perfect, then we are a failure. This way of thinking does not allow for shades of gray and is often responsible for negative feelings, self doubt, disappointment, depression and lack of adherence when things don’t go the way we hoped, planned or anticipated.
With all-or-nothing thinking, if you’re “all in” and perfection is 100%, that means anything less than that is 0%, usually resulting in “all out”. If we are trying to adhere to a program 100%, it is often difficult to maintain, however anything less is considered unacceptable so we give up entirely. This is typically followed by guilt, shame and lower self-esteem.
With nutrition, I can’t keep certain items in the house because I cannot control myself. Chips are my biggest weakness. Remember when Lays came out with that clever campaign years ago? “Betcha can’t eat just one?” Dang right, Lays. One bag, maybe.
In the end, post-binge session, we feel like crap. Physically. Emotionally. Mentally. Crap. We feel remorse, because, well, was it really worth it? And then the anxiety sets in, because the idea of being extra restrictive for the remainder of the week is intimidating. Finally, to add insult to injury, if you’re an emotional eater, all of these post-binge emotions can only be soothed by more food, obviously. It’s a vicious cycle.
Totally counter productive.
This is similar to breaking a shoe lace and throwing out the shoes.
The antidote?
Screw perfection.
Focus on consistency. Progress, not perfection.
Realizing that there is no such thing as perfection can be extremely freeing, but also very daunting for those new to the concept. After all, what do we strive for, if not perfection? How will we know if we’ve been successful?
Instead of eating well throughout the week, going off the rails on the weekend and then trying to compensate on Monday with a guilt-ridden gym session, focus on consistently eating healthy with little indulgences. Craving for sweets? Eat a little dark chocolate! Get the benefits of the healthy fat while satisfying a craving. Small indulgences scattered throughout a healthy diet keeps us sane and prevents us from those weekend binge-eating sessions.
Instead of beating yourself up when you can’t make it to the gym, focus on the movements you already make. Put some intention behind your actions and you’ll find that some of your daily tasks can easily become your back-up workout, or Plan B. Being mindful of your movements and keeping yourself consistent with intentional movement will help solidify these daily habits while making them conducive to your lifestyle.
Check out this Plan B for an example of how to make the most of your daily activities while staying consistent!
If you are looking for more ideas like this or would like like to make some positive, healthier changes to your life and don’t know where to start, join the TrainingLife Tribe and let’s work together to help you reach your goals!
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