I recently took a weekend trip to New York City and as I was trying to figure out what I would eat for dinner one night the person I was traveling with said to me, "Come on, just have cheesecake. You're on vacation!" Now while I am by no means a person who cuts out something I love dearly from my diet, I didn't feel like splurging on a giant piece of cheesecake just because I was in a different city.
I think that too many of us make the mistake of thinking that the way we eat is something we do temporarily as a means to an end. Take a minute to think about why you eat healthy or why you exercise. Is it to lose weight for a special occasion that is coming up? Maybe it's to lose the 5 pounds you gained in the last few months. I know that I eat healthy and exercise because I want to always feel good about myself and I want to ensure that I feel that way for the rest of my life.
You're bound to be more successful if you think about your habits in the long-term. If you're ready to change your lifestyle for the better, start by setting small goals each week and rewarding yourself for achieving those. When you set your goals, try to make them things that you can do for the rest of your life - such as switching to low-fat dairy, eating smaller portions, or exercising a little more each week.
Being healthy is a way of life, not a quick fix. You didn't develop your habits overnight and they're not going to change in a week. Start developing a better way of life today by instilling habits that will last forever.
