For most people, eating healthy is difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right habits, eating better can be just as easy as the fast-food options and just as enjoyable as your typical late-night snacks.
Creating healthy eating habits doesn’t have to require a complete overhaul of your lifestyle. With a few tweaks, you can trick yourself into developing a new habit of eating healthy.
Any processed food, whether it’s a package of cookies or a frozen meal, will be loaded with salt, calories and chemicals. Rather than jumping on a fad diet with unrealistic restrictions that are hard to follow, try clearing out all the processed food from your house. Instead, pick snacks and meals that have whole foods, like produce and whole grains.
If you find yourself always eating junk for lunch, then telling yourself you’ll for sure pack something in the morning, this one's for you. Make it easier on yourself and pack a lunch the night before. If you have a healthy option, you won’t have to resort to vending machine finds or fast-food.
Many of us fall into the trap of trying to do too much too fast when changing our eating habits. Instead of giving yourself a million new rules and cutting out everything you like, start with simple changes that are sustainable. Over time your tastes and routines will change without the shock to your system.
When it comes to unnecessary calories, chemicals, and artificial yuckiness that your body doesn't need... one of the best things to do is choose water over anything else. When you're going out to eat, make it a habit to ask for water with your meals. This not only helps you get full faster but is also giving your body what it actually wants.
If you know you’ll eat whatever ice cream comes in your home, don’t bring home the ice cream. Being realistic with yourself isn’t admitting weakness; it’s honesty about which foods you know you love that aren’t healthy. Instead of buying that family size bag of your favorite chips and getting down on yourself for eating the whole thing in one sitting, don’t buy them or buy a healthier alternative.
We all need a snack at some point, but so many snack foods are processed and bad for our health. The best way to avoid snacking on the unhealthy stuff is to make sure you have a full stock of healthy options. Try pre-cut veggies and fruit or some nuts for your mid-day boost of energy.
A common complaint of healthy eating is that it isn’t convenient and with a busy schedule, who has time to spend half the night cooking just so you can have dinner? But now there are so many kitchen appliances that allow for quick prep times and a full-cooked, filling and healthy meal at the end.
If you have a slow cooker or pressure cooker, get your ingredients ready the night before and when you’re ready, throw everything in, set the timer and you’re good to go.
If you find a healthy recipe you love, don’t shy away from doubling the recipe so you have leftovers for later. Once you’ve eaten for the night, portion out the remainder into single servings and either freeze them or store them in the fridge. Always be sure to keep track of how long leftovers have been in the fridge to avoid any food poisoning.
Alright, we all know this tip, but it’s repeated because it really does make a difference. If you make a grocery list and shop when you aren’t hungry, you’ll be less likely to impulse buy. Plus, writing out the foods you plan to purchase allows you to edit out the items you want to cut out of your diet or substitute them for something healthier.
No matter what you do, it’s likely your day is full of tasks and chores and errands, which means the time can slip away from you. If you aren’t keeping track, you can easily blow right through breakfast and lunch, meaning you’ll be starving by dinner and more likely to overeat or opt for a fast, unhealthy choice. If you plan out when you’ll eat and stay on schedule, you can avoid that pitfall. And the extra thought you put into your eating will give you the chance to make the best choice for your health.
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