If you struggle to start eating healthy, then you know that breaking unhealthy habits can be the most difficult part of the process. Try these simple steps to get you started.
Stop storing junk food and Sugary drinks at home
A great first step when you want to start eating your way to a healthy lifestyle is to rid your home of all temptations that will distract you from following better eating habits. Ideally it would be a wise course to keep junk foods and beverages out of your house so as not be tempted to snack during the day. If you’re worried about getting hungry, keep healthy snacks like carrot sticks, plain yogurt, fresh fruit, or whole-wheat crackers on hand. If you find that you just cannot bear to toss out the sweets, no problem, make some of our super healthy alternatives. Eating a few, (emphasis on few) of these won’t ruin your eating plan but also will give you that little sugary fix you crave.
Understand the nutrients in food and their benefits
Another great step to healthy eating, when you’re first starting the process, is to take a few moments to learn what foods are the healthiest for you and how they work within the body. Do not think of this as a chore, its great fun! Trust us, we’ve been there. To start eating healthily we must begin by thinking healthily. Most people understand that fruits, vegetables, and low-fat meats and dairy products are good for you, but few people understand why. The key is learning about nutrients. When you understand how specific nutrients work and why you need them, it becomes more reasonable for you to make healthier choices for your body. Knowledge truly is power! Superfood cafes are all the rage in many countries as people have become aware of what benefits these foods have on your health.
Plan ahead (This step is very important)
The next step is critical! Preparation is a major key in commencing a new healthy eating plan. You must take into consideration your schedule for meals. If you often eat in a rushed hurry at odd times of day, you are probably more inclined to grab a rushed meal which will probably do more harm than good. So plan ahead! Instead of grabbing a fast food lunch on the go, take a bagged lunch to work, complete with a healthy wrap and some fresh fruit and vegetables. Remember not to forget your evening meal, a simple plan to have a meal ready before you get home would be perfect, but in our fast paced lifestyle, sometimes this just can’t be done. One way to solve this problem is to plan out your evening meals for the week, on your days off. Perhaps just before you do your weekly shopping.
Do NOT go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.
When going to the shops, do not venture there hungry because you will definitely make poorer choices. That becomes the first break in your healthy eating.
Start with baby steps – Start by replacing one Sugary drink with water.
They add up to large changes over time. Even if you only replace one soda a day with a glass of water, you are really improving your calorie intake. If you eat fast food every day for lunch, try replacing that half of the time with better quality foods. When you start by taking small steps you aren’t cutting out all of the foods you love all at once. By taking your time to learn about your eating habits and slowly replacing them with better meals, by taking the time to learn and understand why you should be doing that and making the necessary changes in an orderly fashion, you will feel much better within yourself physically, mentally and emotionally and well on the road to becoming as healthy as you can be.