A big habit I’m trying to build is replacing my “all or nothing” mindset on meeting nutrition goals and staying consistent with workouts. I struggle with OCD, a neurological and cognitive condition that affects how the brain handles uncertainty, responsibility, and perceived threat characterized by the following: 1. Obsessions: intrusive, unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that cause anxiety or distress.(e.g., “What if I lose control and eat too much?” or “What if I didn’t do enough to burn calories?”) 2. Compulsions: behaviors or mental rituals performed to neutralize that anxiety or prevent a feared outcome.(e.g., counting calories perfectly, weighing myself repeatedly, exercising excessively). TL;DR - OCD is like the brain’s overactive alarm system that detects “danger” where there isn’t any, then demands you do something about it to feel safe or “right” again. So the “all or nothing” mindset is a common cognitive style that grows out of how OCD tries to manage uncertainty and discomfort. It HATES ambiguity and wants 100% assurance that things are “done right.” So it pushes those who have it to think in black and white terms, like: “Either I’m in control or I’m out of control.” “Either I’m being healthy or I’m failing.” which makes moderation feel unsafe because it fuels a rigid belief that if something isn’t done perfectly, it’s a failure. There’s little tolerance for the “gray area” or middle ground. Some common intrusive thoughts I get are: - “If I can’t eat perfectly clean today, I’ve ruined my progress.”→ I might then end up overeating or giving up entirely after one “off” meal. - “If I don’t exercise hard every day, it’s not worth doing.”→ missing one workout might spiral into days of inactivity. - “If I can’t control it completely, I’ve failed.”→ leads to shame, guilt, or compulsive attempts to “fix” things such as over-exercising or restricting meals. It’s a huge work in progress individually, and I know it won’t be fixed overnight. But thankfully, Dom’s there to support and give feedback :) The best thing that’s worked so far for me is having a buddy to stay accountable. If anyone has similar thoughts or goals to tackle it, I’d love to hear! 💗