Three Steps for Making Diet and Lifestyle Changes That Last

I didn’t know it at the time, but this flatbread (err … pizza, pictured above) is the last gluten and dairy-laden meal I would eat. My husband and I were celebrating our 1 year anniversary in Napa this past March. I had been feeling a little low on energy and not my absolute best, which brought to the forefront the desire to make sure my body was as healthy as possible and functioning as optimally as it could. I knew deep down the best way to do that is by making diet and lifestyle changes.  

I made an appointment with a functional doctor who could help me up-level my health and balance my hormones in a holistic way. The first order of business was 4 weeks of no gluten, dairy, sugar or wine. Honestly, I didn’t see it coming. In my mind, I saw myself marching in and hearing that I was doing everything right.

Not the case.

I reminded myself that the elimination period was only 4 weeks and after that I could go back to eating all the foods I had been, just with more moderation.  

However, during the course of those 4 weeks, I made some shocking discoveries. 

• The first few weeks were challenging and to be honest, I didn’t notice much of a difference in how I looked or felt.
• By weeks three and four, something shifted and I felt clear and energized. My digestion drastically improved and my skin looked better than it had in years.
• Removing highly addictive foods like bread and cheese helped me experience freedom from food; my cravings disappeared.
• I realized I had been relying on food and wine in ways I hadn’t considered – when I was relaxing, celebrating or traveling, the walls came down and I indulged. 

What became clear to me is that my weekend and vacation indulgences had taken a toll on me. What started as once-in-awhile splurges seeped into my everyday life and made me lazy with my healthy eating habits. With so many mini-indulgences scattered throughout each month, it was always difficult to get back on track and into a consistent routine of eating only high-energy, nutritious foods that made me feel good. 

Now, six months later, my “new normal” is a dairy-free, gluten-free and sugar-free lifestyle. I still enjoy 85% dark chocolate almost daily and an occasional glass of wine (usually red, sometimes rose). 

Now, I’ve never been the kind of health coach that’s a big proponent of eliminating food groups – and I’m still not when it’s blindly and for weight loss purposes. I’m also not the type of person who likes deprivation so I want to be clear that this isn’t what this post is about. In fact, I struggled with whether I would write this post at all, but the message isn’t about what I eliminated. It’s about making diet and lifestyle changes that last, creating healthy eating habits that I could carry with me forever, how I did it and why this time was different. 

Here’s what worked for me when it came to making diet and lifestyle changes that last:

One. Having a strong “why” to which I felt deeply connected. This had nothing to do with weights loss. In fact, I hardly lost any weight. For me, it was important to be as healthy as possible because I wanted to start planning for a family. When things got frustrating or felt challenging, I clung to my Why as motivation to continue. 

Two. Setting boundaries that felt reasonable. There were no cheat days with this. After the 4 week elimination period, I decided on what I would need so that I didn’t feel deprived, but could maintain the energy levels and vibrancy I had reclaimed. For me, that was dark chocolate and an occasional glass of wine on weekends. 

Three. Enlisting support. I had the support of my husband but I also had my own health coach. Getting my husband on the same page was key. He understood and respected my goals and my boundaries and while he wasn’t on the same plan, he eventually cut out sugar himself on his own time.  

This Summer we took a 2 week trip to Italy and Greece. I was nervous about maintaining my new healthy habits and even contemplated whether I would take a hiatus from them before I left. 

But really, why would I? This had become my lifestyle and I felt better than I ever had – and still do. 

Instead, I successfully navigated Italy and Greece sans dairy, gluten and sugar. I loaded up on fresh fish and vegetables and I politely asked questions. In Italy, many restaurants even serve gluten-free pasta so I ordered accordingly once or twice. 

All the Tiramisu in the world, can’t compare to how it feels to finally be giving my body exactly what it needs.