Excerpt from HelloHealthy

No matter how motivated we are in the morning, we can get driven to the edge by life and lose touch with why we’re on this crazy journey in the first place. Or sometimes it’s frustration with what we perceive as a lack of results. But no matter what kind of ledge you’re on, there are ways to get back onto the path you started. Here are just a few that have worked for my clients.

Enjoy that pizza. No really. The choice was made. Now it’s time to move forward. So throw out those leftovers and get back on track as soon as possible. A few slices will not ruin your lifetime of health and fitness, but the longer you nurse that case of the “screw its,” the longer you delay success. So enjoy the indulgence! And use this as an opportunity to learn how you can bounce back even faster.

Make a fallback plan. Almost every Thursday, my clients write their fallback plan for the weekend. While you’re in a good mood, before you come across the “screw its,” sit down and think about what the minimum-minimum is—what’s the ONE THING you need to do to feel like you’re still on track? Is it eating vegetables? Drinking water between adult beverages? Doing 10 push-ups?

Be realistic. Any healthy choice is still moving forward. Now write down your fallback plan, or take a picture of it on your phone so you’ll remember it just before the “screw its” happen.

Ask yourself, “What have I done well? What have I learned?” Most of us get fixed on outcomes. Weight. Sizes. Results. But evidence from 40 years of motivation research has shown that focus on the process rather than the outcome leads to better results. So when you’re feeling discouraged, take an honest self-assessment. What have you learned? What’s gotten easier? And what are you doing well that will help you for a lifetime?

Remind yourself that no weight-loss journey is linear. There’s always plateaus. Always, always. Even for you. Yes, you. You will have plateaus. If I sound redundant it’s because no one thinks this applies to them. But the people who successfully lose weight and keep it off are the ones who keep going. Like Winston Churchill said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going!”

Tell someone what you’re thinking. Eighty percent of my job is showing up and listening, which you don’t really need training to do. Seek out a friend or a forum and let people know what you’re thinking. Most of the time just saying stuff out loud to people you know are sharing your struggle is enough to see things in a different light.

Remember that the average American gains a pound a year. So even maintaining your weight means you’re above average!

Author: Coach Stevo is the nutrition and behavior change consultant .He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of Chicago and an MA in Sport Psychology from John F. Kennedy University. 

Pistachios and Sweet Cacao Nibs
Serving: 3/4 oz pistachios (roughly 35); 1/2 oz cacao nibs
You get a little bit of sweet and a little bit of salty with this snack, according to Erin Morse RD, CNSC, chief clinical dietitian at UCLA Health System. The pistachios are the big winner here. “They are a satiating snack because of their fiber, fat and protein content,” Morse says. “And research suggests that the actual action of cracking open the shell helps to slow down the eating process.”

Banana + Egg
Serving: 1 banana; 1 hard-boiled egg
Gans says that, if you’re truly in a hurry, defaulting to these staples before you run out the door is a smart choice. Start your day or fuel your afternoon with this snack filled with fiber, protein and key nutrients like potassium. “It’s built-in portion control, and it falls in that under-200 calorie range,” she says. “You can’t go wrong.”

Chobani Greek Yogurt + Whole-Grain Cereal
Serving: 8 oz yogurt; sprinkle of cereal
Love all things dairy? Here’s your go-to snack: Greek yogurt. “The key here is that it’s low-fat and it’s Greek,” says Gans. “The Greek yogurt provides the protein you’ll need in a snack.” She says that, if you’re really in a crunch, she’s OK with the flavored kinds, but to add a few slivered almonds or fresh fruit if you want bonus points. You can also add a whole-grain cereal for crunch, but just a sprinkle.

String Cheese + Kalamata Olives
Serving: 1 string cheese; 7 olives
Hey, cheese lovers: You can totally nosh on your fave food for a snack. “Part-skim cheese is a rich source of easily-digestible protein that is high in both calcium and phosphorus,” says Morse. “Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth, and phosphorus helps the body better absorb nutrients from food. Add a few Kalamata olives or a Kalamata almond bar into the mix, and you’ve got a satiating superstar. “The olives are a very satisfying snack, and full of healthy monounsaturated fat,” says Morse.

KIND Bar
Serving: 1 Caramel Almond and Sea Salt bar
If you’re literally dashing out the door, look no further than a grab n’ go snack bar that clocks in at roughly 200 calories. “In terms of a packaged snack, I always say a KIND bar,” says Gans, who particularly notes the brand’s Caramel Almond and Sea Salt variety for its crazy-awesome nutrition information. “I love the flavor, and it has 7 grams of satiating fiber and 6 grams of protein,” Gans says. Win-win.

Veggies + Hummus
Serving: large handful of assorted veggies; 4 tbsp hummus
Chop up assorted veggies and measure out some store-bought hummus on a Sunday night so you can take this duo with you during the week. “You can have up to four tablespoons of the hummus and however many veggies you’d like,” Gans says.

Popcorn + Almonds
Serving: 100-calorie pack of popcorn; 100-calorie pack of almonds
Gans is a big fan of Orville Redenbacher’s 100-calorie popcorn packs, which you can stick in the microwave and have ready to go in about one minute. You get a lot of volume for few calories with popcorn, so you can reach for a nut to round out your snack. “I love almonds as a coupling here,” Gans says. “Grab a 100-calorie pack of the nuts, or you can choose a single-serve cheese like Babybel.” Either way, the combination of fiber, protein and healthy fat is spot-on.

Apple + Nut Butter
Serving: 1 apple; 1/2 squeeze-pack of nut butter
The healthy fats and protein in nut butter complement the fiber in a naturally ready-to-go apple. “Pre-portioned nut butter helps prevent overindulging and overeating, plus I love the convenience of the squeeze packets,” says Morse.

“Quercetin, which is found in apples, may inhibit carbohydrate-digesting enzymes,” says Morse. “When these enzymes are inhibited, carbs aren’t broken down as readily into simple sugars.” This means stable blood sugar, so you won’t crash soon after you snack.

- Jenna Birth, Health & Lifestyle Writer

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