Good news! You’ve already overcome the first and most difficult obstacle of the Eat At Home Challenge – committing to try it! Unfortunately, there are many more obstacles yet to come. You may already be hearing that pesky little voice instead your head, trying to talk you out of attempting the Eat-at-home Challenge. It’s filling your head with lies by saying it’s impossible, or that it’s going to be too much work. But by being aware of the roadblocks you might face before beginning your Eat-at-home journey you can prepare yourself and quiet that voice once and for all.
Here are some of the biggest obstacles you might face and some tips for overcoming them.
Day 3 –> How to Overcome the Obstacles Eating at Home (Sometimes) Creates
Obstacle #1: Eating at home requires TIME.
Living in such a fast-paced society we are programmed to want things FAST, and this is especially true when it comes to our food. And when we compare the amount of time it takes to cook a meal versus the amount of time it takes to order and wait for our food in a restaurant, we often believe the latter is a more time-effective option. However, this may not always be the case. To overcome this mental block about time and cooking, it might help to compare cooking to the other things in your life that you put time into. For example, it takes a lot of your time to go to school and receive an education, but it becomes worth it when you realize how much having an education has enriched your life. In the same way, cooking at home is going to require time and effort, but it’s going to become worth it when you feel how it is nourishing your body and enriching your life in a way that fast food can not.
Obstacle #2: Eating at home requires PLANNING.
If you are one of those people who likes spontaneity and rarely plans ahead, this challenge is going to be especially difficult to you. Despite this, I can guarantee that eating at home will be more successful and less stressful the better your planning technique. Sit down and plan out 5 days worth of meals at a time (including breakfast, lunch and dinner), and then make a corresponding shopping list so you have everything you need to begin your journey.
Obstacle #3: Eating at home requires WILLPOWER.
Let’s face it, we live in a world that is overflowing with advertisements. You’ve got people on the radio, television, billboards, and Twitter all telling you about how magical their sandwiches are, and how euphoric you will feel after you try their new latte. The key is finding the willpower to say “No” and stay strong. It might be difficult to block out all the advertising you encounter; however, you can significantly limit temptation by listening to a CD or iPod on your daily commute instead of the radio, or having something like a crossword puzzle on hand to distract you during television commercials.
Obstacle #4: Eating at home requires TEAMWORK.
Making sure that you’ve got your friends and family on your side throughout the challenge is key to overcoming the last and maybe most difficult obstacle – friendly sabotage! From co-workers who try and persuade you to go out to lunch with them to a family member bringing home pizza for dinner, well-intentioned loved ones are often the hardest challenge we face when we want to change our eating behaviors. Instead, try to get your friends, coworkers, and family members to do the challenge with you. That way you have a support group in place for when the challenge get’s tough, and you can all help and encourage each other along the way.
I hope after reading and considering these tips you feel prepared to face these obstacles, and ready to tell that little voice inside your head that You CAN and WILL cook at home for 10 days!
Day 3 homework –> Make a list of your personal eating-at-home obstacles and brainstorm how you will overcome them.
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An Intern Behind the Plate,
~Hallie
Thanks a lot for posting “Day 3: How To Overcome the Obstacles Eating At
Home Creates”. I actuallymight definitely wind up being returning for far more browsing and commenting here soon enough.
With thanks, Antoine