I was training a client yesterday and we were talking about my post on "Blowing it." She commented that so many people have an "all or nothing" mentality when it comes to eating. I agree, and think that this mentality can apply to many other things too- working out, home projects, volunteering, etc.
Is this you? You either do something at 100% full speed ahead or not at all? There is no "in-between?" Anything else is just half-a**ed? With regards to fitness and nutrition, it's normal to slip. As my friend said in response to that previous post, "You shouldn't just keep sliding."
An "all or nothing" personality may go "all out" 100% and end up hurting themselves because their body wasn't ready to go from 0-100 right away. Everyone should build a base strength and stability and work on form before adding on weights and intensity. If you get hurt, you crash back to 0 and can't do anything until you heal. Same with eating- the "all or nothing" personality may restrict so much in their diet that they are starving and not getting enough nutrients! And then, they are so hungry that there is bingeing on the first thing available! That type of eating is not sustainable and is also detrimental to your body.
The point here is not to deprive yourself or try and impress the world with your abilities on your first workout in a year... everything in moderation. Then, build from there. If you are an "all or nothing" personality, you really need to be okay with this. This doesn't mean NOT doing your best or working your hardest, but take it in stages....in steps. Work up to your goals, not pick the hardest thing you can find and hurt yourself. That is setting yourself up for injury and failure. Challenge your body at an appropriate pace. Change your eating habits at an appropriate pace.
You have the rest of your life to work on things. Even if you want it all right now.
