How Often Should You Reflect
Reflection is the one thing that can make or break your progress or lack of it.
Oftentimes people think change only comes in taking action and while that’s HUGE (you can’t have change without taking action and making it happen) reflection is the thing that will get you clear on what actions to take, how to adjust instead of giving up, and how to stay consistent through the process.
That’s where real change happens.
As a nutritionist that focuses on our habits and behaviors around food, eating, movement, and overall health, reflection does matter.
It’s not all about what you do or don’t do or don’t eat, but often about why you’re doing it. Reflection will help you get clear on that.
It’s no secret that my clients use the Ate App to log their food and reflect on how their meals and snacks are making them feel. That means at the beginning of their “journey” to building a better relationship with food and healthy habits, they’re reflecting basically every single time they eat.
That’s a lot.
But it’s a short-term way to truly understand our habits. To get clear in the moment about how something makes you feel so you can adjust accordingly at the next meal or movement opportunity.
After a while, our reflection at each and every meal gets faster and we get better at it. We start to understand our bodies more and do not need to sit down and analyze every physical feeling of fullness and mental notes of satisfaction.
Those are the healthy habits you build. The reflection becomes autopilot in the best way.
At this point, I still recommend reflection either every morning or every evening. As our habits around food become more consistent and we’re more confident in them, daily reflection turns into more than just food. It encompasses looking back on everything you did that day, if you liked it or not, what you want to adjust the following day, and how you’ll make that adjustment.
I like to use the prompt: “What went right? What went wrong? What do I want to adjust next time?”
I remind my clients all the time, our relationship with food and healthy habits is not a linear journey that gets better every day. It ebbs and flows. And so does the amount in which you reflect, especially as your habits become your new normal. And that is okay! Be ready to start your journey reflecting several times a day, maybe even every time you eat (the Ate App is a great tool for this). Then adjust, set time aside every morning or evening to look back on your day and ask yourself some questions about it and make a realistic plan for the next day. One day you might get to a point where you’re reflecting on food choices once a week, then once a month. That’s what progress looks like and that’s a great thing. Remember, the goal isn’t to be perfect right away, but to take small steps every day to get you to be that “naturally” healthy and happy person you’ve always wanted to be that doesn’t overthink food.
You’ll get there, but reflection has to be at the base of your journey.
With my clients, I focus on shifting habits without restricting or counting calories to achieve sustainable weight loss or weight maintenance. We use practical nutrition so we can live life and feel our best!
Follow me on Instagram @Practical.Nutritionist and TikTok, or subscribe to my YouTube channel to stay up to date on the latest health tips and recipes! Or find me here: livingwithleena.com
If you’re ready to dive deep into your habits and feel confident about your choices surrounding food again, book a free consultation with me here!
