Reader,

If the intense, restrictive diets haven’t worked for you in the past…

If they ultimately make you feel worse about yourself, you lose your progress immediately afterward, and you never maintain those habits…

Then why do you keep going back to them?

Isn't all the starting over getting exhausting?

If you’re looking for lasting change, then it’s time to do something different.

It’s time to create habits and practices and ultimately, a lifestyle that you enjoy showing up to.

One full of all the outings and foods you like the most.

One full of abundance and enjoyment.

One that you can actually keep.

I promise you, you will get results and you will learn to love yourself and your body and your life again and you will feel strong and confident and good in your skin when you STOP pursuing intensity and pursue consistency instead.

If you're tired of feeling like your work through each program or diet is never enough because you always blow it and end up frustrated, disappointed, and lacking even more confidence than when you started...

Here are some things you should pursue with gentle, imperfect consistency instead of that fad diet that caught your eye for your New Years resolution.

Here are some things that can help you feel best for the long term, not just for the month of January.

1. In a perfect world, I'd love if you ate .7-1g of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. But if that seems to difficult to start, try starting your day with a protein-powered breakfast. Get in 30g and watch how you feel more full, satiated, energized, focused, and how your cravings will fall away.
2. Practice gentle nutrition additions instead of restrictions. Rather than cutting out food groups, ask "What could I add to this meal to make it more satisfying and nourishing?" Maybe it's adding protein to your breakfast (!!!), having an extra serving of vegetables with dinner, increasing your protein portion, adding greens, etc.
3. Find movement that feels good and that you enjoy. If you really don't like moving your body, then I hate to break it to you, but you have to find movement that you dislike less than other types, and start there (movement is a requirement for a long, healthy life in a strong and confident body). I spent years punishing myself with workouts I hated because I thought that's what I "should" do and I thought that's what would get me to look like so-and-so from my Instagram feed. But these days? Some days I lift weights. Other days I might just walk and listen to my favorite podcast. The goal is to move because it makes me feel strong and energized, not because I'm trying to burn off last night's dinner.
4. Drink water. Your body needs it and you'll feel better and reduce your mindless snacking if you drink more water.
5. Keep your body moving and aim to get 7-10k steps daily. Go on walks when you wake up, after meals, when you're on the phone, in meetings, sending emails, listening to podcasts, take the stairs, etc. If you evaluate your schedule I guarantee you can find more opportunities for steps and make movement a regular staple in your days.
6. Celebrate non-scale victories daily. Notice how much more energy you have, how your clothes feel comfortable rather than restrictive, how you can focus on conversations instead of counting calories in your head. These are the real measures of health and happiness, and they can help un-learn all the depending on the scale you may have previously done.
7. Limit your alcohol intake, stop relying on it socially, and start making non-alcoholic drinks a staple in your routine (sparkling water with lemon juice is my recent fave). You will feel better in every way (mentally, emotionally, physically) when you do this. Trust me.
8. Give yourself grace and compassion. When you overeat, skip a workout, or don't drink enough water, notice how you talk to yourself. Would you speak to a friend that way? You're human. You're learning. You're growing. And you're imperfect. That's okay and you will be too, so cheer yourself on and just keep going.
9. Practice gratitude for yourself and your body daily. Try to find little things every single day that you love about yourself, write them down, and cultivate more positive, loving feelings toward yourself. This will change your mindset about fitness and wellness to be more positive overall. And positively helps cultivate longevity in your routine.

Remember, this is about creating lasting change. Lasting strength and confidence and resilience that will carry you through all of life's ups and downs.

And all the diets and challenges that have come before, well, they've failed you. While they may work for some, many of these diets and fads and challenges are designed to be unsustainable, which keep you trapped in a cycle of guilt and shame.

But you have the power to choose differently.

To choose consistency over intensity. To choose self-compassion over self-criticism. To choose a life where food is a source of joy and nourishment, not anxiety and rules. To approach fitness and wellness with positivity and longevity, not shame and brevity.

You deserve that freedom. And I'm here to help you find it, one small, sustainable step at a time.

I'd love to know, which tip are you going to try first? Which one do you think will help you grow the most? Hit reply and let me know - I'm here to support you!

💕 Morgan