1. Add, don’t subtract.

If you’re in a “diet mentality”, each day feels like a new battle to avoid the “bad foods”. So let’s flip that. Add, don’t subtract.

 

Don’t “avoid” your “junk food”.

Don’t “avoid” your prepackaged meals.

Don’t “avoid” dessert.

Just add so much healthy stuff—water, lean protein, fresh fruit and vegetables—that there’s less room or desire left over for food that doesn’t support your goals.

 

And at first, look for what you gain rather than what you lose. Like muscle. Strength. Confidence. Energy. Sanity.

 

2. Measure—and celebrate—your progress.

Look for signs of progress everywhere. Everything counts, no matter how small.

 

Track them.

 

Celebrate them like that first springtime crocus.

 

3. Focus on little things.

Make mini-goals. Nano-goals, if you want.

 

For the day. For the week. For the next five minutes. Whatever you need to stay on track and feeling like you can do this.

 

Each time you hit those tiny goals, reward yourself (in a healthy way).

 

4. Print, use, share.

Print out these effective progress trackers from the newly updated Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification to make it easier to monitor your progress. No scale required.

 

Poster: Initial signs that your nutrition plan is working: Keep this around the house and the gym for a reminder of the things that matter more than the number on the scale on a given day.

The Hunger Game Tracking Sheet: Practice tuning into your physical hunger and fullness cues.

Body Measurements Forms: Measure regularly and accurately to help you track your fitness progress.

Athletic Performance Indicators Food Journal: Track how your dietary intake affects your mood, energy, and more with the same sheet Precision Nutrition gives to athlete clients.

Health and fitness pros: I highly recommend sharing these with your clients.

 

5. Find a coach to support and celebrate your progress.

It’s often a lot easier (and always a lot more fun) to work toward your body transformation goal with help from an experienced nutrition coach. If you’ve been trying to make progress for a while, but just aren’t seeing results, consider getting some extra support.

 

With the right person in your corner, you’ll develop more effective change strategies and be better able to recognize progress markers and maintain the motivation it takes to make it to the finish line.