Tips to Maintain Healthy Eating
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You may have seen the quote floating around the web that it takes just 21 days to make (or break) a habit.
I believe the hardest part about healthy eating is getting into the habit of not reaching for that biscuit or not eating when you are bored, not hungry.
Once you acknowledge that you want to make the transition to a healthy lifestyle, the first few weeks will be the hardest but it is sooo worth it!
You have to make the commitment to yourself that you will stick with it for 3 weeks to form that habit.
I no longer crave cakes, biscuits, cereals, white breads, muesli bars...any of the nasty foods I used to eat as it is no longer a habit for me. My new habit is to snack on fruit and veggies, to drink as much water as I possibly can each day and to exercise every single day if I can.
Below I have compiled an assortment of tips that aided me in my transition to a healthy lifestyle and allowed me to form new, healthy habits.
Healthy Eating Tips
Be realistic- Eating healthy is initially quite hard and you will slip up. Don’t beat yourself up if you have to much
chocolate or if you had an off day because this will happen and it is ok! Just
remind yourself why you are doing this and get back on track with the next meal, there's no point giving up so just plan an extra healthy dinner or a lighter lunch.
Control your portions- This is crucial.
Listen to your body, if you feel full don’t force down that extra serve because I guarantee you won't need it. Put the fork down and let your food
settle before opting for that second serve but by all means if you still feel hungry then eat something. It is all about listening to what your body needs.
Read the ingredients list- Some foods contain up to 20 ingredients that you
can’t even pronounce so why would you put this into your body? You have no idea
what they are or what they do so avoid eating these foods. Reading the facts will put you off, I promise!
Slowly eliminate things from your diet- You
will never stay on track by waking up one day and cutting every single bad food
out of your diet because you will crave these foods instantly. Cut out bad
foods slowly and you will stay on track. It took me awhile to completely cut out cakes, muesli bars, biscuits, slices and muffins etc. but
now I quite honestly never ever crave these foods. You learn to realize how
much your body does not need them and you find other foods that your body loves and thrives off instead.
Experiment with various yummy healthy recipes
(healthy doesn’t mean restrictive)- I love finding new delicious healthy foods.
My latest obsession is coconut milk so I have found countless stirfrys, chia
puddings and smoothie recipes that I can’t wait to try. Keeping yourself
inspired with new recipes will make you excited to try them so you won’t be
thinking about having that ham and cheese sandwich for lunch instead.
Treat yourself (ironic but crucial so you don’t
binge)- I always feel much better about treating myself when I know I deserve
it. Once you are on top of this healthy lifestyle, you start to
enjoy treats a lot more than what you did when they were a part of your
everyday diet. I find treating myself fun because I have worked out really hard
and eaten healthy all day so I know I deserve that square of chocolate. Just
don’t go over the top- a treat does not mean having a milkshake a day or 7
scoops of ice cream. Treating also maintains
your sanity because after all, we are humans and we can’t deny ourselves the
pleasure of ice-cream and chocolate goodies!
Listen to your body- If you
really listen to your body, you will learn how to work together as a team. If
the thought of a green smoothie is repulsing you one lunch then don’t force it
because you will just turn to something else (probably unhealthy) instead.
Think about what you feel like, maybe a fruit smoothie or some rice crackers
with almond butter and coconut sprinkled on top and eat that instead because
you will be left feeling full and satisfied rather than sad and hungry.
Eat lots of fruit and
vegetables- It may sound like something your Grandma says but its true. Learn to
love fruit and veges, experiment with them and eat a lot of them. My favourite
lunch lately is mixing a bunch of fruit and veggies with some almond milk to make a delicious smoothie.
You will learn to love the taste of fruit and veg and how it makes
your body feel.
Drink lots of water- You have
probably heard this a million and one times but I cant stress it enough. I
drink at least 2 litres of water a day. You must stay hydrated, plus it will
keep your skin fresh and your mind active.
Don’t snack if you aren’t
hungry- We all get bored sometimes and the first thing that will pop into out
mind is FOOD. Ask yourself, am I really hungry or am I just bored? By all
means, if you are hungry eat something! But learn to recognize when your body
is just looking for something to do. If I am not sure, I like to have a cup of
tea as the warmness fills me up a bit and then if I really feel hungry after
that, I will snack on some fruit or vege sticks.
Keep in mind that transitioning to a healthy lifestyle is going to be hard but I urge you to stick with it. It is so worth it! You will see improvements in every aspect of your life from studies, to family life, to self love to relationships and friendships.
Also remember that you will slip up but that's ok. Get back on track, persevere and reap the benefits of health.
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