While preparing for this week’s Diet Assessment & Planning class, I noticed that one of the tips given in the section about how to help motivate clients to improve their diet is to emphasize positive behaviors rather than negative behaviors.
In short, focus more on the healthy changes and additions they can make and less on what negative foods and habits to avoid. Patients are more likely to reach for the fruit, vegetables and whole grains if told to do so than they are if the main message they get is “avoid white bread, sugar, and fried food, you fat f***.”
While there has been clinical to back this up, I was already a believer that a little positive action goes a lot further than a whole stream of negatives—that’s part of why I have the word “yes” tattooed on the inside of my right wrist. It may seem cheesy to some, but having a little reminder first thing in the morning gives me the boost I need to get to work on reaching my goals for that day, whatever they may be.