Significant, sustainable results come from many small steps and continuous changes toward the better.
What Is Kaizen?
The Japanese word kaizen can be roughly translated to 'continuous improvement or change for the better'. What this means is, taking small steps each day to achieve a goal. In Japan, Kaizen approach is typically applied to business practices, to help employees improve their productivity in the most sustainable way. How? By encouraging them to do 1% better each day. These continuous micro efforts will be accumulated over time and one day become macro, successful results.
“Small actions are at the heart of kaizen. By taking steps so tiny that they seem trivial or even laughable, you’ll sail calmly past obstacles that have defeated you before. Slowly – but painlessly! – you’ll cultivate an appetite for continued success and lay down a permanent new route to change.” ~Robert D. Maure
Achieving Your Healthy Eating Goals the Kaizen Way
For most people, taking small, slow and actionable steps feels more doable than making a huge, sudden leap. This is in line with the kaizen philosophy. Applying the kaizen approach in healthy eating allows them to focus on 'making a little progress' each day/week/month, rather than feeling pressured to be perfect. The secret of achieving a big goal is to break the goal down into smaller goals. But first, you need to set that goal' in a S.M.A.R.T way, meaning the goal needs to be specific: the goal should be clear, measurable: the goal should be something that can be objectively measured, achievable: the goal should be doable yet challenging enough to push you beyond your regular routine, relevant: the goal needs to feel important to you, and time-bound: this provides a deadline and will help you stay on task.
Breaking Down the Goal into Smaller Goals
For example: The goal is to eat healthier within six months. You will need to define what 'eating healthier' means to you. If that means eating balanced, nutrient-dense whole foods, then you would need to take smaller steps toward it. Look for ways to not only make the steps smaller but also easier (require quick actions). This way you build transformative habits that lasts a lifetime. The way to do this is to start with easier steps and then progressively work your way up to more challenging ones. Here is one way you can put that concept into action.
EASIEST
Drink a glass of water just before eating a meal.
(This helps accelerate feelings of fullness and decrease your meal intake.)
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Sit at the table and eat slowly.
(This helps prevent overeating.)
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Add or replace one component of your meal with whole or less processed food.
(You can perhaps replace French fries with salad.)
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Skip artificial sweetener and refines sugar in your beverages.
(You may opt for healthier sweeteners and use them sparingly.)
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Aim for nutrient-balanced meals.
(Good balance of macronutrients and micronutrients.)
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Try one healthy recipe at least once a week.
(Try to cook at home more often.)
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Try batch cooking. Prep enough for a couple of meals.
(This helps train you to start making time to cook and prepare grocery lists.)
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Start weighing your foods and prep food for the week in advance.
(Weighing food is a good strategy to help you be aware of portion sizes and calories.)
MOST CHALLENGING
Relapses happen. There are many things that can occur that can cause you to fail a step. The key is not to be discouraged and always remind yourself of why you started this. Try repeating the step you failed at. No matter how many times it takes, progress is progress. As the Japanese proverb says, "Nanakorobi yaoki" translate it into English as 'fall seven times and stand up eight', when life circumstances knock you down, just remember that you have the ability to bounce back from any kind of setback.
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