Jumping Over Healthy Eating Obstacles

No more diet hurdles

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This time of year is booby-trapped with obstacles to healthy eating and healthy living. Holiday baking, holiday parties, holiday shopping, lack of time, lack of sleep, lack of energy. The list of healthy eating obstacles goes on. The keys to success are thinking ahead and being creative and flexible. It starts with recognizing the hurdles standing in your way. Notice what they are. Then look for solutions. Winging it is for the naïve or for people who don’t want to make the healthy choice.

I teach my clients my HURDLE method to overcoming obstacles. Download a worksheet for yourself.

Overcoming Healthy Eating Obstacles with the HURDLE Method

H: How is your upcoming schedule different from your usual routine? Look ahead at your week’s calendar and your day’s appointments. Is there something unusual or at a different time?

U: Understand how these events, appointments or obligations could derail you from eating well, exercising or otherwise get in the way of your healthy lifestyle goals. Will they suck time out of your day, or will someone else be in control of your food choices? Will you be forced to miss your favorite spin class, or will you be tempted with a tray of beautiful holiday cookies?

R: Record your options. Brainstorm and write down every possible solution to your problem, no matter how silly it seems.

D: Decide on a solution. Review each option with an open mind. Ask yourself if you can carry it out. Do you have control, or do you need to ask for help? Is it likely to bring about the desired result?

L: List the steps you’ll need to take to put the solution into practice. Know what you will do and when you will do it.

E: Exercise your choice and Evaluate it. Carry out your selected option. Make some notes about how well your plan worked and what you will do differently next time.

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Here’s an example:

How: I need to provide dozens of holiday cookies for a charity event.

Understand: I have several favorite cookie recipes, and all of them are delicious, tempting and not at all healthful. I don’t want to overindulge in cookies or eat unhealthfully.

Record: Here are some options.

  • Buy holiday cookies instead of baking them
  • Pay or cajole one of my daughters into baking them
  • Bake cookies that I don’t find so tempting
  • Bake only after eating a balanced meal and then brush my teeth or chew gum while baking
  • Combine two or more of these potential solutions

Notice that simply winging it and hoping for the best is not an option.

Decide: I decide to combine options. My daughter will bake my favorite holiday cookie. I’ll bake two other kinds after eating a balanced dinner and brushing my teeth.

List: Here is my action plan.

  • Confirm with my daughter that she’ll prepare cookies. Review the recipe with her.
  • Pick out other recipes that I find less tempting.
  • Pick a night to bake the cookies.
  • Plan my balanced dinner to eat before baking.
  • Purchase the ingredients for dinner and for the cookies.

Exercise and Evaluate: Everything went according to plan. I also had my daughter wrap up the cookies and deliver them the day after baking.

Happy, healthy holidays to you and yours. Don’t forget to plan ahead and to get your HURDLE Method worksheet.

Jill-Weisenberger_about-image-2
Jill Weisenberger

I'm Jill, and I believe simple changes in your mindset and health habits can bring life-changing rewards. And I don't believe in willpower. It's waaaay overrated. As a food-loving registered dietitian nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist and certified health and wellness coach, I've helped thousands of people solve their food and nutrition problems. If you're looking for a better way to master this whole healthy eating/healthy living thing or if you're trying to prevent or manage diabetes or heart problems, you'll find plenty of resources right here.

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Welcome to my Blog

Hi there! I'm Jill, a nutrition & diabetes expert and the author of 4 books.

Jill Weisenberger

I believe simple changes in health habits can bring you life-changing rewards.

And I believe willpower is way overrated.

Right here is where you can discover the mindset and habits to stick with healthy lifestyle choices most of the time - and drop the guilt when you don't.

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