Everyone has tried their hardest to be healthy at least once in their lives, but almost everyone also didn’t make it too long in their “diet.” Whether you find yourself staring at others while they eat a super cheesy piece of pizza or find yourself replacing healthy greens with green candies – newsflash, just because it’s green does not mean it is healthy! Although I agree a good working diet incorporates some treats here and there in moderation, those unsuccessful diets go a little like this, experiencing every one of these stages in a repetitive cycle.

You and I both know you’ve experienced these exact thoughts, even though you try so hard to avoid them:

STAGE ONE – OPTIMISM

1. Okay, it’s time to get healthy!
2. You’re going to feel so great and look so good once you start eating healthy
3. *Eats first salad of your diet* Wow that was a piece of cake and actually pretty good, go me!
4. Grilled chicken for dinner with some vegetables you say!? Awesome, sounds great! Sign me up!
5. I’m so good at this, I’m going to go to the gym also!

STAGE TWO – BRAGGING

1. *You’ve been eating healthy for only two days but still look down on those carb eaters as you munch on your vegetables*
2. You feel the need to sneak in that you’re on a diet in every conversation…
3. “Oh, you’re going to eat that? No, I’ll just stick to my salad, Thanks. I’m not into that unhealthy lifestyle anymore.”
4. You start advocating others on how to eat healthy because you’re just apparently an expert on it now.
5. “Oh, you’re tired? I’m not because eating healthy gives me energy” *Shrugs and turns away in an "I'm better than you" manner*

STAGE THREE – BOREDOM

1. …another salad, yay?
2. Yeah, I could make some chicken for dinner, but ordering a pizza sounds so much easier.
3. *Hasn’t gone back to the gym since the beginning of Stage One because you overdid it, and it left you unexpectedly sore for about 28 days*
4. Okay, so I feel pretty good, but shouldn’t I be losing weight?

STAGE FOUR– ULTIMATE FRUSTRATION

1. OKAY. ENOUGH SALAD!
2. I DID 20 SIT UPS WHERE IS MY 6-PACK!?
3. ITS BEEN A WHOLE WEEK WHY HAVE I NOT LOST 15 LBS YET!?
4. FORGET THIS IM GOING TO GET ICE CREAM!
5. *Cheats HARD for a day or two*

STAGE FIVE – REGRET

1. Ugh, I made it a whole week then cheated... I’m such a disappointment.
2. That ice cream wasn’t even that good, but of course, I had to eat the whole pint in one sitting.
3. I guess I have to start all over again now or just give up. *single tear runs down face*

STAGE SIX – SADNESS

1. Why can other people eat anything they want and still be skinny and fit?
2. *Stalks skinny/in-shape people on Instagram who also just so happen to be gorgeous*
3. *Shower cries for about a half hour*
4. Do I need to eat these chips? No, but apparently I’ll never be healthy, so I guess they won’t hurt.
5. *Steps on scale…*

STAGE SEVEN – RESILIENCE

1. *A side salad comes out first before your ordered bacon cheeseburger and French fries*
2. *Has flashbacks to eating healthy and stares guiltily at the plate with your burger and fries*
3. Maybe I’ll try it again, I think I could actually make eating healthy a long-term thing this time!
4. *Doesn’t finish all of your fries* See I’m doing great already, healthy life here I come...maybe.

And there you are back to Stage One. Good luck on round two!