First, big bouquets of bok choy and kale kisses to readers of the Daily Beet here at Engine 2 Diet for the huge number of responses to Guest Post by Lani: Fire Cadet or Firefighter? Giveaway! PLUS Advanced Nutrition Study Weekend. You know how to roll up our sleeves and get down and dirty with dietary change while having fun at the same time. My first rule of plant-strong fitness is never lose your sense of humor and yours is securely in place.
The responses were ‘firefighter’ over ‘cadet’ approach at a ratio of about 6:1. Maybe that’s just because the ‘firefighters’ were more likely to speak out? We’ll never know. A small number of responders said they did “a little of both”. For example , if they had been a vegetarian for a few years before their diet became vegan, it was considered a ‘jump’ followed by another ‘jump’. And there were even a few who said whole-heartedly “jump right in” a la firefighter, yet in the next sentence shared about what they were including in their diets that were “off plan”. These I guess we would refer to as ‘jumpers’ with a little bit of tiptoe?
At any rate, you inspired more than you know with your responses, and thanks everyone. Your posts drew many follow-ups from me, and I hope you got a chance to read them.
And some I’ve earmarked for future reference. as with Katy’s post. Katy talked about diet ‘boredom’. But that isn’t inherently a bad thing. Here’s what I mean.
Katy said:
I’m more of a cadet in my approach to dieting. I have tried the “all or nothing” approach and what seems to always happen is after a few weeks in, I get bored so I revert back to my old ways. I think that can also be a result of not varying the foods I eat while on a particular diet. For someone who isn’t the greatest cook, I tend to stick to routine and convenience, so I end up eating the same thing every day. I would love to go “all-in” and finally be able to say I eat only a plant-based diet, so this is a good assessment for me to determine why I don’t stick to plans I’ve tried before! Some people just have to let things happen gradually and naturally, and that has been a better approach for me overall! ~ Katy
Katy, maybe it is all about the variety as you suggest, yet it could be something else as well – a sign of progress! Hear me out.
I’m really glad you posted this because it makes a huge point. When we first get started, on any endeavor as big as a diet-lifestyle change, there is what I call the honeymoon phase. It’s all so new and exciting! Motivation comes easy!
Then, you get into a rhythm – the changes get easier – and it becomes more commonplace for you. This is actually what you want, because it means habits are changing! The excitement and pleasure of your changing body and health are wonderful. Yet perhaps a little of the honeymoon thrill is gone. You can read more about this interesting phenomenon in 1 step forward, 2 steps back: How to keep your diet & fitness progress from being hijacked by your inner slacker. In that article I address some of the psychology of self-sabotage. Sheds some light and offers some solutions, too.
So that’s one possible explanation for ‘diet boredom’. But what if it’s variety that you need, as Katy suggests?
Today in comments, please share 1 or 2 of your top tips for shaking things up in your plant-strong progress to offset what’s-on-your-plate boredom, as opposed to “these are my new habits!” rhythm.
Lani Muelrath is a plant-strong fitness expert! Lani is the creator of The Body Transformation Formula and Fit Quickies™ 5 Minute Workouts. She has a Master’s Degree in Physical Education and over 30 years of experience as a teacher, coach, and trainer. She has received awards for her instruction, created and starred in her own CBS TV Show, and her expertise in the area of health and fitness is called upon by examiner.com, as Fitness Expert for Dr. John McDougall’s Health and Medical Center, coach, Dr. Neal Barnard’s 21-Day Kickstart program, and Health and Fitness Lifestyle Expert for Vegan Mainstream.com. She is Certified in Plant-Based Nutrition through Cornell University. She and her husband also built their house with their own hands!
