Now that we've talked about getting exercise worked into your schedule, let's talk diet. But first, let's get rid of that nasty stigma that goes along with the word "diet." In today's society, you hear the word diet and you immediately start thinking about a complicated eating plan that you'll have to stick to and all the foods that you'll have to give up in order to adhere to it. That is not the real meaning of diet. Diet is your way of eating, it's the food you consume each and every day. It is, whether it's good or bad, the types of food or "diet" that is your norm. So, don't get paralyzed with anxiety, or rebellion, when I mention the word diet in this post! When people ask me if I'm on a diet, I always laugh and say "aren't we all on a diet of some kind?"
The other very important thing to remember here is that you need to give yourself a learning curve. I know more now about eating healthy than I did a year ago but that doesn't mean that I have it all figured out. I still eat things that I could probably do without but I don't beat myself up over it. Instead, I mentally fist bump myself for the good decisions that I did make that day.
Set reasonable goals. You do not need to change your way of eating all at once. In fact, you are more likely to successfully improve your diet if you start by making small changes gradually over time. So don't throw away everything in your pantry and then go spend a bucket load of money at the nearest whole foods. Start with small changes, read up about different foods that are packed with nutrition, explore new recipes, and try new things!
Add more fresh produce to your daily diet. Instead of grabbing that granola bar as a snack on your way out the door, grab an apple. Find a way to add more greens into your diet. I hate fresh spinach and kale. But it's so good for you! So, I mix it in with romaine lettuce, home grown sprouts, and sunflower seeds and then I douse it with a good dose of oil-less grapefruit dressing. Ta da! Can't taste the spinach and kale! Keep easy fruit options available so that you have easy go-to options. Strawberries are a much better option than that candy bar. Want something salty? Mash up some avocado, spread it on a piece of sprouted bread toast, sprinkle season salt and nutritional yeast on it and enjoy! Don't get me started on how much I love bananas and peanut butter...and it's way better for you than a bowl of ice cream!
Plan ahead. We all have that one day a week that is less busy than all the others. Use that day to do some food prepping so that on your busier days, you have healthy options to choose from. Buy some hummus and cut up lots of fresh veggies to store in your fridge to snack on throughout the week. I have created a few different protein bar recipes that I throw together and store in the freezer so that I have something I can grab when I'm in a hurry. Pack your lunch for work the night before so that all you have to do in the morning is grab it out of the fridge. Planning ahead is so crucial to making healthier food choices!
Read the ingredient labels. I don't know about you, but I often come across ingredient labels that list things that I've never even heard of or can't pronounce. And the ingredient list goes on and on and... A good rule of thumb is to look for ingredient labels that list as few ingredients as possible. And be sure to avoid things like high fructose corn syrup! Even things like barbecue sauce and ketchup can have high fructose corn syrup in them. Nut butters are one to look at too. Get the natural peanut butter, stir it up and store it in the fridge. Why? Because it only has roasted peanuts and salt. Have you ever read the label on regular peanut butter?? Start familiarizing yourself with ingredient labels as you shop and start looking for healthier options off the shelf.
Limit your intake of artificial sweeteners and refined sugars. It's time to learn new ways of getting that sweet tooth fix with foods that are naturally sweetened. There are so many recipes online that have yummy desserts that are naturally sweetened with things like blue agave or maple syrup. The other night, I made vegan dark chocolate-peanut butter bars that were sweetened with maple syrup that were out of this world! My husband couldn't stop raving about them! You don't have to give up sweets.
Every single time you choose a healthier food option, you are one step closer to reaching the goals that you have set for yourself. Each choice is a building block to the foundation that you are trying to lay for your overall health and well-being. And don't give up on yourself if you had a bad day! Start fresh the next day and remember, this is not a sprint. It's a marathon.
May God Bless!
Ashley
No comments:
Post a Comment