Step 2: Identify Your Goal

YW: Why do you want to "go on a diet"? At YourNutriStyle, we don’t believe in the current definition of diet. Because when anyone thinks diet, you think: restrictions based on “scientific” research… unnatural eating patterns… resignation… limited willpower… failure…

disappointment… and yelling at yourself for not being able to stick to it (“other people have done it, why can’t I???”).

It doesn’t sound like healthy. At. All.

The scientific definition of diet is: the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats

Note the word habitually, meaning something you do without thinking too much about it. It’s a lot less painful (after a while), incorporates itself into your routine and leads to the outcomes you want eventually!

Now think again, not about going on a “diet” but… YW: What are your desired outcomes? Looking better in your outfits? Being able to run after your children when you’re playing together? Getting a clean bill of health from your GP? Running a marathon for the charity you feel most indebted to?

Think about it, identify them, give them life.

When there is a record of what we feel and what we intend, it has the powerful effect of helping set it in motion. From the moment you record your desires, they form the start of a plan. You can see where you are and where you want to be and figure out the steps you need to take.

Some tips on identifying your goals

• Try SMART goals Specific (“I want to lose 10kg in 2 months”/”I want to drink 3 liters of water a day”) Measurable (Scales/Measuring cup) Attainable (Non-attainable would be “I want to lose 10kg in 2 weeks”/”I want to drink 6 litres of water a day”) Relevant (“Losing 10kg will help me with my marathon time”/”Drinking more water will help with my dry skin and my irregular digestion”) Time-bound (“The marathon is in 2 months”/”My next dermatologist’s appointment is in a month”)

• Start a diary in a blank notebook to keep all your progress notes in one place

• Get your initial measurements done (weight, circumferences, photos body composition analysis)

• Add pictures, testimonials, encouraging quotes

• Make a mood board or PowerPoint presentation out of it if you want

• Start to quantify it on Excel, so it’s easy to graph your progress

• Unquantify it, put some feelings in it! Make a podcast or audio diary; Use a tune you know and make up relevant lyrics to help you remember your goals; Record a minute video every day on how you feel

When you’re ready with your record, keep it in an easy to access location where you can see it frequently. Update it to reflect anything you’ve learned or any feelings that have changed.

You’ll need a good reminder of why you’re doing all this in the steps to come!