Dodge The Quick-Fix, Embrace The Journey

Thought For The Week

At this time of year, we’re bombarded with advertisements, advice, inspiration and motivation to lose weight and get fit. You might be weighing up the latest diet and exercise trends, wondering which will deliver the results you want in the shortest amount of time. But before you jump in, let me issue a word of warning: The thoughts, habits, behaviours, values, priorities and lifestyle that make you who you are today, you've been practicing for years. If you're expecting a quick-fix to change all of that, you're going to be disappointed. We massively underestimate how complex this whole game of health and fitness is, but as painful and laborious as it sounds, if we want to make lasting positive change, we must take a different approach.

Exercise Tip

Instead of working out to burn calories and seeing exercise as a penance, learn to see exercise as a tool that can preserve bone and muscle mass, reduce chronic pain, help you sleep better, reduce stress, give you more energy and help you feel good about yourself. Learn to embrace exercise as an opportunity for self-care, for time-out away from a busy job or full-on family. And don't run if you don't like running! Choose a type of exercise that you enjoy, or that affords an additional benefit (for example, a social element, a mental challenge, or that involves being outdoors and in nature).

Nutrition Tip

Instead of dieting or calorie counting, focus on preparing and eating good food that nourishes your body. Learn how to read and respond to your body's’ hunger and satiety cues, pay attention to the difference between hunger and appetite, and recognise when you might be using food to respond to your emotions. Practice mindful eating and learn to savour and enjoy your favourite foods free from fear, guilt or anxiety.

Links & Resources

Book: In Praise of Slow provides a compelling manifesto for re‑thinking the pace of modern life. Through stories, cultural case studies, and thoughtful reflections, Carl Honoré invites us to pause the cult of speed and instead live with balance, presence, and intention.

Video: In this TED talk, Carl Honoré invites us to tune into our “inner tortoise,” and reclaim presence, meaning, and joy in everyday moments.

Recipe: Try my recipe for slow-cooked beef ragù. Taking time over the cooking process and savouring the results of your efforts is a tasty way to practice mindfulness.

Inspirational Quote

"The quick fix addresses symptoms rather than root causes. It puts short-term relief before long-term cure. It makes no provision for unwelcome side effects."

Carl Honoré