We know we need to exercise And eat healthily in order to reach our health and fitness goals but we’ve been eating all our lives and we know how much of a challenge healthy eating can be so its only natural to want to set our focus on something new and exciting which for many of us is working out
Healthy eating and working out go hand in hand. Oftentimes when people decide to get healthy the first thing that comes to mind is exercise which is completely understandable.
But regardless of if we begin our new fit life by eating healthy or exercising at some point, we all discover if we want to achieve our goals both are necessary.
Below we provide 10 effective ways to establish healthy eating habits that will stick.
Top 10 Healthy Eating Tips
1. Have A Realistic Plan
Begin by listing your Reasons for eating healthy. Is it to lose weight? This is the most common reason for wanting to become healthier but far from the only motivation.
People looking to control lifestyle diseases such as diabetes is another common motivation. No matter your reasons, set a SMART goal for yourself and stick to it.
TIPS:
Begin by checking your current body fat percentage or BMI; Your body-fat percentage is a more relevant number to track than your weight.
Set a specific time to measure your progress. Once a month is optimal. You can’t improve what you don’t measure
2. Be Motivated
Have a clear picture in your mind of how you want to look and feel. Research and read real-life stories of people who have lost weight or managed their conditions through healthy eating and remember, if they did it so can you.
Refer to healthy eating quotes to keep you going. If you were slimmer before, look back at pictures from your slimmer days and promise yourself that with time, that will be you once again.
3. Have An Accountability Partner
This can be a friend, a person with the same goals as you or maybe even join a healthy eating support group. This will encourage you and keep you on the path of healthy eating.
Also, be accountable to yourself by making sure you stick to the rules you’ve set for yourself and get back on track as soon as possible if and when you backslide.
Remember when you slip up, focus not on what went wrong but how you can correct what went wrong so that you can get back on track.
4. Eat Good Homemade Food
This is not to say that all homemade foods are healthy or all restaurant food is unhealthy. But by cooking at home you can:
Prepare your food exactly how you want it
Know the exact ingredients in your food
Know exactly how your food has been prepared
TIPS:
Veggies don’t have to be tasteless. Precook your veggies and season them well. Under cooked veggies tend to be overly crunchy so this is something to avoid.
Don’t over oil or over salt your food. Restaurant food is notorious for this.
Make a conscious effort to incorporate protein into your meals. Most Americans don’t consume enough protein in their diets and protein is more filling than carbs or fats.
To avoid temptation, get rid of all the unhealthy food in your home and replace them with healthy ones. Also, teach your kids to eat the same food as you.
Plan your meals in advance if you don’t have time to meal prep daily. Most fruits and veggies stay fresh for up to 7 days.
Take a prepared lunch to work with healthy snacks. If you are full from a healthy lunch and have healthy snacks for emergencies, it decreases the chances that you impulse eat during the day.
5. Eat More Raw And Natural Food
Raw and natural foods are:
High in fiber which keeps you full longer resulting in eating less,
Excellent on bowel movements
Lower in calories.
Natural foods include nuts, fruits, roots, cereals, and veggies.
6. Strive To Eat Healthy Not Perfectly
There is no harm in sometimes indulging in your favorite food but moderation is key. For instance, if you crave something sweet, have a piece of dark chocolate (not the whole bar) which is low in calories compared to the white chocolate. Dark chocolate also fights against heart diseases.
7. Learn To Differentiate Between Hunger And Cravings
This is mostly be achieved by ensuring you eat three balanced meals per day. Next time you feel “hungry” try drinking a glass of water instead. You may find that’s all you need to curve your hunger. If your hunger persists, snack on fruit or a salad to maintain the healthy eating habit.
8. Sit Down While Eating And Chew Food Slowly.
Take 20-30 minutes to eat your food and chew every bite. This allows you to:
Better enjoy your food
Allows your body time to digest your food
You eat less because it’s easier to notice when you’re full
Protects from digestive tract complications.
Try not to perform other tasks while eating; this may lead to overeating. When we are hungry we tend to eat very fast which may lead to not realizing when we are full. One way to prevent this is by snacking on something such as fruit to prevent the hunger pangs to begin with.
9. Stay Focused On Your Healthy Eating Goal; Even On The Weekends
Weekends often consist of social activities which involve food..oftentimes unhealthy food. Understandably people often struggle with staying true to their weekday healthy eating habits over the weekend.
Here are some tips that you can try to avoid falling into the trap of undoing all the progress over the weekend that you were disciplined enough to make during the week.
If you plan to spend the evening out with friends, eat first at home. This prevents overindulgence. You’ll find yourself eating very little since you are already full
Order from the healthy food section of the menu if possible. In the case of buffets, start with healthy foods.
Tell your friends about your healthy eating efforts for support.
10. Always Reward Your Efforts
Healthy eating goes hand in hand with shedding fat along with a slew of other positive outcomes.
You can and should reward yourself periodically with something for sticking to your healthy eating habits. For example; a nice new dress, a pedicure or a relaxing massage. This will serve as additional motivation for you to continue with your healthy eating habits.
Healthy Eating Conclusion
We have just highlighted 10 of the top ways to stick to a healthy eating but every individual is different and there are plenty more. Try the above tips and you’ll be well on your way to sticking to your healthy eating habits and new fit life.
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