Our most successful nutrition clients have adopted several healthy habits that our other clients have not. As a nutrition coach, I can tell you that it’s definitely behooving to see some clients struggle to reach their goals while others are hitting every target they set out to. On the surface these struggling clients appear to be doing everything right, but deep down, something is missing.
Did you know that more than 45 million Americans will go on a diet this year but only 20% will have long term success? People want things to happen NOW, kind of like when you put your food in a microwave, it’s ready in 30seconds. They want their fat to fall off in 30 seconds just like a microwave. When it doesn’t, people move on to the next “best” diet. One where you eat only potatoes that promises fast weight loss, the all or nothing approach and instant gratification.
It’s no wonder the diet and weight loss industry is expected to hit 33.6 billion dollars by the year 2027. And considering that 36% of Americans have obesity, a nutrition coaches role is more important than it has ever been.
Although there is no such thing as an “ideal client”, there is certainly differences in the success of some versus the success of others. After taking time to research why some of our clients are way more successful than others, the differences between our most successful clients, and the ones who seem to struggle became very clear. The healthy habits the most successful nutrition clients took the time to learn in the beginning of their program have stuck.
If you are a nutrition client struggling to find success and wanting real change, then this blog post is for you!
Read on to find out what our most successful nutrition clients are doing in order to reach their nutrition, health and wellness goals.
Who Are Successful Nutrition Clients?
Simply put, successful nutrition clients are ones that meet their goals.
Keep in mind that every client’s life is different and one person has different goals than the other. A good nutrition coach will help you pinpoint your goals. Additionally they will help create a linear path with steps to progress based on milestones and ideas that are important to you so you can achieve success.
Before you meet with your nutrition coach nutrition coach ask yourself these things…
What is a long term and short term goal?
Why are they important to you?
How will your life improve once you reach these goals?
Will reaching these goals impact the people you love? If so how?
Knowing the answers to these ahead of time will help your nutrition coach support you best during this process. If you don’t know the answers, don’t worry! Your nutrition professional will help you find the answers by asking some insightful questions.
As a nutrition client, you may think you want to be told what to do. And, in some situations your nutrition coach may simply say “do this”. However, being told what to do without you, the client providing reflection and insight during your journey will only lead to failure. There is so much value in you reflecting and having a “say” in the strategies used to help you find success.
5 Habits The Most Successful Clients Have Nailed Down
Loosing weight, gaining muscle and working on your health and wellness takes a lot of time and dedication. Health professionals all over the world would love to have a magic pill that would help all of their nutrition coaching clients be successful. Unfortunately, that’s not how things work.
Our most successful nutrition clients got to where they are today because of their dedication and commitment to the journey. Notice I said “journey” and not “quick fix”.
No more hints – let’s get right to it!
Habit #1 - Focus on the long term
Our most successful nutrition clients focus on the long term. That’s right, no quick fix fad diets! Despite the fact “long term” isn’t super shiny, indicates there may be some hard work involved, and does’t promise immediate results, these clients are sticking it out for the long run.
They didn’t bypass learning habits for short term gain. Some of them may have been down the fad diet route in the past experiencing the let down and lack of motivation after just a few short weeks. Or, maybe they just trusted the process their nutrition coach was suggesting. Regardless, their willingness to ride it out, long term success has been found.
Realizing that the fundamental habit of developing long term mindset has been the key to many of their success.
Habit #2 - Don't let the weekend be their weak end
You heard it! Clients who are mindful of their intake on the weekend vs being perfect during the week then letting it fly on the weekend are more successful than those who are not.
Do your days look like the graphic below??? If so, you could benefit from focusing on balance rather than restriction then extremes.
Habit #3 - Prioritize whole foods
Focusing on whole foods can have many health benefits. Whole foods are foods that are minimally processed or not processed at all, and are typically free from additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients.
Additionally whole foods are often more nutrient-dense than processed foods. They contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients that are essential for good health. This doesn’t mean that you can never eat something that is processed, however when the majority of your meals are pre packaged or fast foods, it’s very hard to reach your goals. There are a variety of processed foods that are good for you, for example black beans.
This being said make sure to read food labels when eating processed foods and understand exactly what is in the food you are eating.
Processed foods can be high in added sugars and unhealthy fats, which can contribute to inflammation in the body. Whole foods, on the other hand, are typically anti-inflammatory.
Habit #4 - Eat balanced meals
Wether you are making recipes or eating ala cart, balance is extremely important. Have you ever heard of the plate method? It’s extremely helpful when learning to balance your meals.
What we mean by balance is consuming a protein, a carb and a fat every time you eat. A few different methods to measure your portion sizes are acceptable:
The plate method
The hand portion guide
Counting the macros
There are many different beliefs when it comes to measuring portion sizes and assessing how much food is eaten in a day. Some say counting macros is the only way to go, others state that counting calories is the best. Many say that not counting any of it will help you be more successful. The best way to keep track of your food in our mind is the way that works best for you.
At HSN we suggest most people use the plate method or the hand portion guide to balance their meals. Our reasoning behind this is that counting macros is very time consuming and sometimes difficult. In order for your food log to be accurate when counting macros a person has to weigh and measure all of their food. This works for some people, but for many it does not.
Just like counting macros, using the plate method or the hand portion guide guarantees you are consuming a balance of proteins, carbs and fats at every meal and snack. Skipping out on one throws off the balance. Missing protein on a regular basis is very detrimental to muscle gain which further inhibits weight loss.
Habit #5 - Consistently hit the gym
Clients who are successful with weight gain or weight loss goals are consistently hitting the gym and they prioritize strength days. Often times experience our clients doing hours of cardio on a weekly basis but never lifting weights. Not including some type of weight training at least three times per week is detrimental to your progress.
Weightlifting is just as, if not more important than cardio, and here are some reasons why:
Increased muscle mass: Weightlifting helps to build and maintain muscle mass, which is important for overall strength and function. As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass, so weightlifting can help slow down this process and improve quality of life.
Increased metabolism: Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, meaning it burns more calories at rest. So, by increasing muscle mass through weightlifting, you can boost your metabolism and burn more calories throughout the day.
Improved bone health: Weightlifting is a weight-bearing exercise, which means it helps to stimulate bone growth and prevent bone loss. This is especially important for women, who are at a higher risk for osteoporosis as they age.
Improved insulin sensitivity: Weightlifting has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, which can help lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and improve overall blood sugar control.
Better body composition: Weightlifting helps to decrease body fat and increase muscle mass, which can lead to a more toned and defined physique.
Weightlifting offers unique benefits that cannot be achieved through cardio alone. It is recommended to include both types of exercise in your routine for optimal health and fitness.
Conclusion
What are your thoughts after reading these 5 habits? Are they something that you think you could commit to? At Healthy Steps Nutrition, we are big proponents of only implementing one habit at a time. It is 35% less likely for a new habit to stick if you try to implement more than one at at time.
If you were to implement one of these habits every month for 5 months, you would be well on your way towards reaching your goals. Another point to remember is the most successful clients were not just practicing these habits randomly. They were consistently doing these things on a weekly, monthly basis.
Consistency equals results. Every now and then we will hear about a true overnight success, but not often. If you want to nourish and care for yourself 365 days out of the year, you have to be willing to let go of things designed for 30 days.
Commit to creating a lifestyle of simple healthy habits stacked up over time.
If you think you may be interested in finding a nutrition coach to help you live a healthy lifestyle, we can help! We have nutrition coaches all over the world running our program.
To find one that may be close to you, click the link below.
