Let's Talk About Wagons

The following blog post is a copy of an email I sent out to my subscribers last weekend that resonated with so many people and had such positive feedback that I felt I should share it more widely.

(Want emails like this directly to your inbox every weekend? Click here.)

Last weekend I sent out an email about eating healthily while travelling and it came to me afterwards that one of the biggest reasons people feel they fall off the wagon when on holidays is because they have a wagon at all. What do I mean by "a wagon"?

Picture a wagon (I'm thinking of an Oregon Trail covered wagon pulled by oxen, but you do you). You can get on and off of the wagon. When you're on the wagon, you are moving in the direction you want, providing you follow the well-worn grooves laid into the road to allow the rigid wooden wheels to turn unimpeded. However, if you veer off the grooves, the rigid wheels can’t navigate the bumpy ground and crashes can happen. If you step off of or fall off the wagon, your progress towards your destination stops abruptly. Sometimes it can be an absolute struggle to get back on to the wagon once you fall off because maybe you've injured yourself in the fall or the ox is running (or you got dysentery--seriously, let's bring Oregon Trail back!). When you rely on the wagon to get where you want, if you can't get back on it, you eventually just sit on the ground and go nowhere.

"Sam, where are you going with this?"

If you know me personally, you know there's nothing I love more than a metaphor in the morning (and maybe about an hour of silence before my day begins, but that's a different newsletter).

If you haven't figured it out, "the wagon" is any diet that you feel you need to be on in order to be healthy. They usually have names, I'm sure you can think of a few: Paleo, Keto, Weight Watchers, Whole 30, 21-Day Fix, etc. What these diets all have in common is that certain foods are restricted. The diets don't focus on the foods you can eat, but rather the ones you should avoid in order to be healthy. They can definitely work for weight loss and for feeling better in general at the beginning (so long as you "stay in the grooves" and follow them to a T because they eliminate a lot of the foods that can make you feel unwell if over consumed such as sugary treats or high calorie fast food), but as soon as you veer off a little and your rigid wagon wheels try to traverse the bumpy ditches, things go sideways quickly. The biggest problem with these diets is that they are all-or-nothing. They teach you how to restrict your food for life, not how to live a life with food. You're on the road white-knuckling, trying your best to keep your eyes forward, or you're flipped sideways bemoaning how you need to get back on the wagon to go anywhere.

Or.

You can take one step at a time on your own feet. It may not be as fast, but by allowing yourself to make the journey yourself on your terms, with each small step you take, you're heading in the right direction. And each slip you might make with one foot, you can catch yourself with the other. It's easier to balance on flexible feet that can traverse bumpy terrain than rigid wheels that need to stay directly on course or risk crashing.

Create for yourself a diet that doesn't need a label. It's just called eating to feel good in your body and mind. As I've repeatedly said, focus on what you can add.

When you think about what you're going to eat in your next meal, start with what you want to eat and add from there. Wanting pasta? Make it whole grain for added fiber. Add in chicken for protein. Add colour with roasted vegetables. Add a pesto sauce made with extra virgin olive oil for fat and flavour. Voila. A balanced meal that still satisfies.

Want ice cream, cookies, fries, chocolate? Enjoy them. Then go back to eating nutrient dense ingredients for your next snack or meal.

Left foot: fries.
Right foot: balanced meal.
Left foot: balanced.
Right foot: balanced.
Left, right, left, right, left, right, left: balanced.
Right: cookies.
And so on.

Rigidity leads to falling off and crashing. Small steps and slips and balancing again, taking it all in stride (HAH, pun), will get you where you want to go. Don't go wagon shopping. I understand they're shiny and all the rage and the salesmen make big promises, but in the long term, your own small steps will always benefit you more.

Because here's the biggest secret: health isn't a destination, it's a way of living. Health isn't reached at a certain weight, while following restrictions, or while eating to a prescribed program that brings you zero joy; it's found in balance.

If you need help ditching the wagon and taking your own small steps, let's schedule a call and chat. Did you know that I'm more than happy to discuss your nutritional concerns with you, absolutely free? If you're interested in having a conversation, fill out the information boxes below and let's connect.