If you’ve ever felt like staying healthy means constantly starting over, following a new plan, or pushing yourself to extremes… I want to offer you a different perspective.
Because that’s never been my experience.
I’ve been about the same weight since college.
I’ve done the same types of workouts for years.
And I’ve never been someone who jumps from diet to diet.
Not because I’m more disciplined…
But because I’ve always approached things a little differently.
The 7 Principles That Help Keep Me Healthy Without Yo-Yo Dieting or Extreme Workouts
These are the simple principles that have helped me stay healthy for years — without extremes, burnout, or feeling like I need to start over.
1. I Don’t Rebuild My Entire Routine After a Bad Day
I don’t live in a constant “starting over” cycle.
I also want to be honest — I’m not perfect either.
If I have a bad day, or things feel off, I might absolutely say, “Tomorrow is a new day” and reset my mindset a bit. That’s normal.
The difference is, I’m not starting over on everything.
I’m not scrapping my entire routine.
I’m not throwing out my habits.
I’m not restarting from zero.
I just keep going.
I adjust where I need to, I reset mentally when it helps, and then I move forward with the same simple structure I already have.
That mindset has made everything feel a lot more stable over time — because nothing ever fully falls apart just because one day didn’t go perfectly.
2. I Avoid Extremes (Because They Don’t Last)
I’ve never been drawn to anything extreme.
Not extreme eating (yo-yo dieting).
Not extreme workouts (PX-90).
Because deep down, I’ve always known:
If I can’t keep doing it… it’s not worth starting.
When I tried Zumba years ago, I knew I could sustain that and I have.
It’s not that I don’t try new things, I tried Zumba at one point. It’s that I try something and think, is this something I could sustain? Would this work for my lifestyle?
I remember one of my older co-workers telling me his wife has been consistent for years walking every morning with a neighbor friend. She’s been able to maintain her weight and feels good.
He proceeded to tell me he constantly tries a new intense workout for awhile, but it never lasts. He gives up, starts gaining weight and a while later will try something else. He said he wishes he was more like his wife.
What he was choosing just wasn’t sustainable for him, so it was a constant up and down.
I’ve naturally stayed in a middle ground that feels sustainable.
3. I Keep Things Simple on Purpose
I’ve never been drawn to complicated plans.
If something feels overwhelming, too time-consuming, or hard to maintain… I naturally move away from it.
I prefer:
- simple routines
- repeatable habits
- things I don’t have to overthink
Because simple is what I can stick with.
I also apply this principle to other areas of my life. If I can’t explain an investment to someone else, I’m not going to make the investment.
4. I Let Real Life Be Part of the Plan
I’ve never tried to create a lifestyle that only works under perfect conditions.
I go out to eat.
I enjoy dessert.
I have busy days and off days.
And none of that “ruins” anything.
Because this isn’t something I’m starting and stopping — it’s just how I live.
If I don’t have time to go for a walk after dinner one night, it’s not a problem. I go do the thing I need/want to do, and I can go on a walk later at night.
And, again, I’m not choosing things that are going to be hard for me to maintain. I am not doing a 90 minute intense workout 6 days a week. Maybe that will work for you, but it doesn’t for me. I choose what will work for me.
5. I Don’t Label Food as Good or Bad
Food has never felt like something I need to control or restrict.
I don’t:
- feel guilty for eating something
- label foods as “off limits”
- feel like I need to “make up for it” later
That removes a lot of pressure… and a lot of the cycle that leads to overeating or quitting.
I remember going to a dinner party and all the food was laid out on a long table. I went over the to the table, grabbed my plate and started looking at the different food options, deciding what I wanted.
A friend came up and said, ‘Are you deciding what you can’t eat?’
I responded, ‘No. I’m deciding what I want to eat.’
I didn’t want to eat everything on the table (cause, wo, that would be A LOT) and because I would definitely feel sick.
But also, I wasn’t thinking, ‘Oh, I can’t eat that or that.’ I was just looking for what looked good to me. I wasn’t focusing on depriving myself, I was looking at my options.
Another friend told me she went to the doctor and was told there were a lot of foods she couldn’t be eating, but then was given a list of foods that she could eat. There were still so many options for her.
I loved that. It wasn’t a list reminding her of what she wasn’t able to eat, but a list focusing on what she could.
It turned the perspective and I like that.
6. I Trust Consistency More Than Motivation
I don’t rely on motivation to stay healthy.
I rely on what feels normal.
Over time, simple habits just became part of my routine — not something I have to force myself to do.
That’s what makes it last.
Not having a ton of sugary foods in my pantry. Eating a fruit and vegetable with my main dish. Choosing chicken/fish over beef. Cutting my sandwich in half before starting to eat.
When finishing a meal, I go for a walk. Having my set routine for leading Zumba every Saturday.
These are just things I do. They are normal for me. I set my intention, made it simple to do and stayed consistent.
7. I Focus on “Good Enough,” Not Perfection
This one I did have to learn over time. I really like things perfect. 😂 But, alas, things are never really perfect. We can come close and actually there’s a few things we can be perfect at, but seriously, that is the exception, not the rule.
I decided to not build my habits around perfection.
I’ve built them around what’s good enough to keep me moving forward.
Some days look really consistent.
Some days feel a little messy.
Most days are somewhere in between.
And that’s okay.
I don’t need perfect meals, perfect workouts, or perfect routines for things to work.
If it’s “good enough,” I keep going — and that’s what creates long-term consistency.
Remember the 80/20 rule. Roughly 80% of results come from 20% of inputs.
We don’t need to be perfect. Doing something is better than doing nothing.
💡 The Way I See It
I don’t think staying healthy needs to feel intense, overwhelming, or restrictive.
For me, it’s always been about:
- keeping things simple
- allowing flexibility
- staying consistent
- and not overreacting when life isn’t perfect
That’s what has worked for me for years.
To be clear, I’m not saying I’m the most healthy, fit person there is. I know I am definitely not that.
What I am saying is that I feel healthy.
I feel like the principles I have and the habits I have created help with that and I am happy with my results.
Of course I could be better. I could be healthier.
But I’ve built something that is sustainable for me and I feel good in my body and that is what is most important.
🧠 If You’re Tired of Starting Over…
You don’t need a stricter plan.
You don’t need more discipline.
You might just need a different approach.
One that doesn’t rely on extremes or perfectionism…
and doesn’t fall apart the second life gets ‘normal.’
One that is sustainable for you and helps you feel healthy. By applying these principles, you can come up with your way to be/feel healthy.
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