Challenges
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Quick Win
Self-compassion and flexible thinking can help you reset.
Try This Today
- Be kind. Remind yourself that you’re human and that everyone overdoes it sometimes. Don’t expect yourself to eat healthy 100 percent of the time. Self-compassion is linked to healthier habits.
- Get moving. Go for a walk or do some gentle exercise, like yoga. This can help you feel better and support digestion.
- Start with your next meal. Resist the impulse to think in extremes. The day or week isn’t ruined, and you haven’t “fallen off the wagon.” Just make your next meal or snack a healthy one — prioritize vegetables, fruit and other nutritious, whole foods.
Why
Self-compassion is linked to healthy behaviors such as eating a nutritious diet and getting regular exercise, according to a 2022 review in the Annual Review of Psychology. A flexible approach to healthy eating may be more helpful for weight loss than a rigid diet, according to a study of 61 women in their 60s and 70s, reported in 2018 in the Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics.
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