Raise your hand if you’ve ever had this thought:
“Well, I already had the muffin… might as well write today off and start again Monday.”
Yep. That lovely little mental spiral we all know too well: If it’s not perfect, it’s pointless.
It’s seductive, isn’t it? All-or-nothing thinking gives the illusion of control—but it quietly robs us of consistency, compassion, and progress.
So let’s call it what it is: a clever saboteur disguised as discipline.
And let’s also get real: high-performers (like you) are especially susceptible. You’re wired for goals, excellence, impact. But when that wiring gets tangled with perfectionism and food? Your superpower turns into kryptonite.
But here’s the truth that might set you free:
Change comes from consistency of action, not perfection.
Let’s break this all-or-nothing cycle and build a new one: all-or-something.
Here are 5 practical, doable strategies to shift your mindset and your momentum:
1. Nutrition is a Skill—Not a Set of Rules
When you’re thinking: “Why can’t I just get it right?”
Try this: “Oh right, I’m learning a skill—not taking a test.”
You didn’t learn to type, drive, or even stand without some trial and error. Nutrition is no different.
All-or-nothing thinking treats food like a morality quiz: “You passed or failed. You’re good or bad.” But in reality? You’re practicing a skill. And skill-building includes missteps, do-overs, and learning on the fly.
What if every so-called “mess up” was accepted as part of the process rather than evidence of future failure?
And here’s the best part: Once you’ve practiced a skill long enough, it moves to the back of your brain. No more thinking, second guessing and worrying if you are doing it right. What feels clunky and awkward today will, over time, become as natural as brushing your teeth while mentally running through your to-do list. (More on the benefits of falling off track HERE)
So no, you’re not failing. You’re learning. Keep showing up.
2. Use the “One-Choice Pivot”
When you’re thinking: “Screw it. Today’s ruined.”
Try this: “What’s my next empowered choice?”
This is the golden move. The all-or-nothing brain thinks in days (“Today’s ruined”), but sustainable health happens in moments.
One nourishing choice—right now—gets you back in alignment. Not Monday. Not tomorrow. Not after you “get it together.” Now.
3. Zoom Out
When you’re thinking: “That meal just undid all my progress.”
Try this: “One meal doesn’t erase 20 others.”
Let’s break this down with a little math (don’t worry, no calculator required):
There are 21 meals in a week. In the same way that 1 salad in a week of Super Size Me won’t make you healthy. One off meal in a week of pretty-darn-good won’t make you unhealthy.
It’s what you are doing consistently that matters. So if 18 or so are in alignment with your goals—you’re not off track. You’re perfectly imperfect.
4. Replace “Perfect” with “Possible”
When you’re thinking: “I don’t have time for a full workout/meal plan/meditation, so I’ll just skip it.”
Try this: “What’s the tiniest version I can do right now?”
This is called minimum viable effort. Ten squats. Half a walk. A two taco plate vs a burrito the size of your head. It’s not about shrinking your goals—it’s about shrinking the activation energy. Not to mention quieting that that constant mental chatter Small is still success.
🚨 Pro tip: The brain loves completing things. Once you start small, momentum often follows. Magic.
5. Think Slowing Down & Speeding Up
When you’re thinking: “I need to get back on track.”
Try this: “Things haven’t been perfect but I just need to put my foot on the gas, not start over.”
When we want to make change, you need to be committed to the direction, not chained to the path. Let me explain.
I like to think of committment to direction as driving on a highway. Sometimes you are in the left hand lane and just cruising. Sometimes, there is traffic, or an accident that causes you to switch lanes or slow down.
If you get frustrated that you aren’t going as fast as you want and pull off on the side of the road, you will never get there and now you live at the Chevron. But if you stay on the road keep moving in the right direction, you will get there. 100% of the time.
Bottom line?
You don’t have to be perfect to be powerful.
You don’t need to “start over”—you just need to keep going.
And you’re allowed to be a whole, thriving human who eats muffins and takes care of herself.
If you want some support along the way, contact me directly – I’m here to help!
