Lasting results rarely come from strict dieting. They come from smart eating habits that fit into the ordinary workweek of an ordinary person with an ordinary schedule and ordinary obligations. In this blog, Lisanne Bijnen, club manager at Happy Bodies Schijndel, shares which five habits are shared by almost all members who do maintain their results. No secret recipe, but habits you can implement starting tomorrow.
The athletes who stick with it pay attention to their protein intake. This makes sense, because protein keeps you feeling full longer and protects your muscles. More muscle mass also means more burning of calories, even at rest. Think of eggs or Greek yogurt for breakfast, chicken or fish with your main meal, and a handful of nuts as a snack. You can read exactly how this works in the blog about beautiful muscles.
If you are hungry and don't have the right things at home, you grab whatever is in the cupboard. And that is rarely a salad; usually something from a bag or a packet. Members with lasting results prevent this by thinking ahead. They already know in the morning what they will eat in the evening. That is exactly where BenFit helps, the nutrition and lifestyle program we work with at Happy Bodies: every week you receive a customized meal plan with a ready-made shopping list. You no longer have to figure out what to eat; that is already taken care of for you.
Soft drinks, juices, and those sugary lattes hit harder than most athletes think. Those who stick with it mainly drink water, tea, and coffee without any frills. A simple switch with a big effect, as you can read in the blog about drink water.
Skipping breakfast to save calories sounds smart, but it backfires. You sit down at the table starving in the evening, and the chance of overeating is high. The members who stick with it eat regularly and spread their meals throughout the day. This keeps their hunger manageable and their energy stable.
This is perhaps the most important one. One piece of cake on a birthday ruins nothing. What counts is what you do most days. The athletes who stick with it don't chase perfection; they aim for consistently good. As a result, they keep it up for years, instead of three strict weeks followed by a relapse. That is exactly what prevents the well-known yo-yo effect, which you can read more about in the blog about sustainable weight loss.
On the other hand, I also see patterns in people who continue to struggle. They skip meals during the day and raid the fridge in the evening. They drink their calories without realizing it. They think in terms of ’all or nothing.“ Or they start a strict diet that no one sticks to. Sound familiar? Then you know exactly where the gains are.
You don't have to figure all this out yourself. With the weekly plan, interchangeable recipes, and grocery list for the whole family, healthy eating becomes much simpler. The app keeps you updated and gives you a nudge when things get tough. This way, you build habits that stick.
Choose one habit from this list and stick with it for two weeks. Once you’ve mastered it, add the next one. This way, these five points transform from a New Year's resolution into something that happens naturally. And that is how lasting results are created.