WHY YOUR NUTRITION NEEDS AN OFF-SEASON: PERIODIZING OUR APPROACH TO NUTRITION FOR LONG TERM FAT LOSS, PERFORMANCE, AND HEALTH GOALS
I talk a lot with my clients about meeting themselves where they’re at, rather than feeling the pressure to be perfect. This happens a lot when they are just getting started and learning some new skills and developing new habits, but also if they have some kind of stressful life-related curveball. It’s just as important to develop strategies for times when you don’t have the capacity for laser focus as it is to maintain consistency when you’re aggressively pursuing a goal. Maybe even more so, because you will have times in your life where your nutrition-related goals have to take a back seat.
And you know what? That’s how it should be.
One of the best ways to reduce friction and frustration with your nutrition goals is to be really honest with yourself about when you have the most capacity to put in your best work. It’s much more comfortable to plan around the seasons of your life than to beat yourself up about your inability to put in your best work when the other areas of your life take up more of your attention than it is to try to add on to an already full schedule. Even if you feel like you should have enough time, you may still lack the capacity to make big strides.
So -- how can you tell when it’s time to switch gears?
“SCHEDULING” YOUR WORK PERIODS
You can feel things out as you go and respond to those periods of higher stress as they happen. Whether it’s deadlines at work, sick kids in the house, or a full social schedule, plan to take a rest when you need to. However, if you’re the kind of person who needs a plan or needs to be able to make concrete commitments because it feels like there’s always something in the way, you can also think about scheduling your work periods (rather than your rest periods) in advance.
Think about which times during the year you have the least life-related stressors and plan to make those the times where you really focus on those nutrition-related goals. Plan to put in your best effort for 6-12 weeks, at the most. It can also make it easier to give that higher level of effort consistently because you know it’s not going to last forever.
HAVING A NUTRITION “OFF-SEASON”
It can feel counterintuitive to plan time away from your goals, but all things (and people!) need an off-season. In practice, here is what some differences may look like:
“ON” SEASON
Using a tracking app
Having a specific macronutrient goals
Sticking to a training plan
Planning/prepping your meals to reach your goals
“OFF” SEASON
Eating mindfully and relying on hunger/satiety cues
Including fruits, veggies, and protein at each meal
Getting regular physical movement
Planning/prepping your meals because it makes your week easier
You don’t have to be on your A-game all the time, even if you have big nutrition-related goals that may take a long time to pursue. Having an off-season will allow you to get mental rest and truly learn to meet yourself where you’re at. And you’ll be better for it if and when you do decide you’re ready to focus again.
Our lives and our bodies are not static.
We were not made to always be at our leanest or our strongest.
We don’t always have the capacity to put our nutrition or fitness goals near the top of our priority list, and that’s okay. You’re allowed to have off-seasons in everything, including your nutrition.
We believe that the best way to achieve your fat loss goals is working with a coach who creates a plan specific to you - your needs, your preferences, and your goals. A sustainable approach to our nutrition is essential to long-term habits and success. For high support coaching and guidance, apply for our 1:1 Nutrition Coaching here.