Healthy Eating Tips You Can Actually Follow
By Genevieve Cunningham
Why does healthy eating feel like such a chore? It seems as though all of the unhealthy food is the tastiest. Potato chips, chocolate, french fries. How are we supposed to turn these delicious foods down? And why are all of the healthy eating tips so hard to keep up? We often hear advice like drink only water and avoid all junk food. If you're not already leading a healthy lifestyle, these tips can be overwhelming. Luckily, it doesn't have to be so difficult. Instead of bombarding yourself with a million new habits, take a look at these three easy habits that can ease you into healthy eating.
Add One Glass of Water Per Day
Don't try to make the switch from flavored beverages to only water all in one day. It won't work. Instead, aim for adding one full glass of water per day. This is a great place to start for many people. After you've grown accustomed to one glass, add another. Taking this slow and easy approach will allow you some time to adjust to the increase in water, the lack of flavor, and the change in your body that comes with it.
Cut One Guilty Pleasure
You don't have to banish all junk food from your kitchen in one go. Instead, approach it in the same way that you approach water. Choose just one of your guilty pleasures and get rid of it. Choose whatever you like … soda, chips, presweetened cereal. Get used to doing without this one food, and then when you're ready, get rid of another. Keep in mind that, when it comes to lifestyle changes, slow and steady wins the race, so don't push too hard, and allow yourself some time to adjust.
Set Weekly Goals
Don't think of your healthy eating as being some sort of punishment or restriction. It's not! It's a plan of action, and it's one that will work. If your goals are too lofty or too long-term, you may grow frustrated and give up. Instead, make short-term goals … perhaps weekly or even daily. Set a goal to avoid soda for today only. Set a goal to skip dessert for one week. As you meet these goals, you'll gain confidence, and making changes and subsequently sticking with them will become much easier.
Healthy eating is a great goal. The better we fuel our bodies, the more likely we are to feel our best in daily life. Use these tips to help you get moving in the right direction, and enjoy a healthier life for the rest of your life.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Orange, Calif.