I have never been a massive Rugby fan but former Wallabies captain John Eales had my favourite ever sporting nickname. They used to call him Nobody, because he was always so perfect (i.e. nobody's perfect). It is true in all things in life, including our lifestyles. Nobody is going to eat exactly the right things all the time, nobody is going to exercise perfectly, and nobody is free of negative thoughts. And it is how you think about and deal with these occasional imperfections that will decide how healthy you become. Do you treat these moments as an earned reward or a moment of learning?
Some people will see a break from their healthy routine as a reward to be savoured; as a special celebration. The problem with this is that is sets up a connection in your brain. You learn to associate unhealthy behaviours with the best times in your life. This is why some people resort to over-eating or drinking in times of stress. They associate these behaviours with having fun, an escape and a celebration, and they mistakenly believe that it will make them feel better. And in the short term, it often does. If repeated in the longer term though, it will lead to poor health, increased stress, unhappy moods and, often, guilt.
Now as I have already stated, nobody is perfect, so there is absolutely no reason to feel guilty about slipping up - everyone does it. The key is to use it as a tool to help you do better next time. Instead of focusing on how you feel at the time, start to focus on how you feel afterwards. Start to focus on how those actions make you look, feel and act. What you will begin to realise is that whilst unhealthy behaviours may have a short term positive impact on you, they will definitely have a very real, longer term negative impact. And the more you pay attention to it and notice it, the more it will start to impact your future decision making.
You will find that next time you reach for that cream bun you will remember how tired you felt last time you ate too much junk food and how good you were feeling when you started to eat a little healthier. And you will make a healthier choice - not out of guilt or fear, but as a positive choice based around creating a happier healthier life. Best of all, you will feel great for it.
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