Most of us know which foods are healthy for the body and which aren’t. Yet many of us still struggle with actually eating a healthy diet, because the problem isn’t usually what we eat, but how we eat. We tend to follow the current, on trend diet because diets give you the ‘how’. Usually by following some type of restriction or eating plan. This article gives you an overview of some ‘hows’ that are easy to follow and implement into your day to day life, whilst allowing you to continue eating the foods that bring you joy and comfort.
These steps are more sustainable than diets, meaning that you are able to easily continue them for long periods of time, without feeling restricted. They are also focused on eating healthier, instead of weight loss. Weight is only one sign of a how healthy a body is and losing weight should be a happy bonus of healthy eating and not the goal of it. These steps are similar to the work I do with people as a nutritionist. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via email of the contact form on this site.
1. Pinpoint your ‘culprit foods’
Whilst I would usually perform a dietary assessment to find someones culprit foods, most people can usually pinpoint these for themselves. These are those foods or drinks that you know are bad for you but you just can’t help yourself, or you get carried away. Once these foods are highlighted, you can then begin to change the way you consume them in your diet.
The occasional person will say ‘I can only be good if I cut this item out completely’ but most of the time I find other ways more effective. These are; swapping the culprit item for a similar but slightly healthier item; removing the item from your house, therefore not buying it at the supermarket in the first place to make you less likely to reach of it as a snack; and lastly reducing the amount of times you consume it, for example if it is crisps then buying a small bag instead of the family size. Obviously the approach you use will be different depending on the item itself.
2. Re-creating your foods
This one allows you to continue eating your favourite foods but in a healthier way. Again this will depend on what you eat. For example we can take pizza. There are many ways to enjoy pizza a healthier way. For a start, switching from takeaway pizzas to the freshly made ones in the supermarket is generally considerably healthier. The next best step is making them yourself using fresh ingredients. Reducing the cheese, maybe switching the base to a cauliflower base. Using veggies in replacement of topping it with processed meats.
You can implement just the ideas that appeal to you, or come up with your own. Get creative and make it an experiment. See how delicious you can make your favourite foods whilst making them healthier. Things to focus on are reducing salt and sugar, oil quantity and processed meats.
3. Portion size reduction
This is a big one. Some people come to me and say ‘I eat healthy food but I just don’t understand why I can’t looser weight’. More often than not, they are eating fairly healthily, but their portion sizes are far too big. I have a handy portion size guide which can be accessed via the link below. Reducing your portion size might make you feel hungry at first, but do it slowly over time and your body will adjust. Eat little and often, use a smaller bowl or plate for your meals and check the labels for the recommended portion sizes for foods. You may be surprised! An easy tip to remember is that the size of your fist is roughly one portion, however some foods are higher or lower in calories, so having a larger portion of vegetables versus and smaller portion of meat is normal.
4. Meal prep
Yeah, I know people go on and on about this one, but rightly so. This is especially helpful if you live alone or if you need to take lunch to work. Meal prepping can be so easily incorporated into your daily life. When making dinner, make an extra portion for lunch the next day. At a weekend, make multiple portions of your food and put them in the freezer for a healthy ready meal. Instead for going back for seconds, put it in a tupperware box straight away so that its read for the next day. Having food that it health, tase and readily available can reduce the amount of times you reach for unhealthy snacks instead, or order a takeaway because you are too tired to cook.
5. Eat on time
I have a whole blog post that talks about the benefits of schedule eating on the body and incorporating intermittent fasting. This can be accessed using the link below. The essence of this is that eating on a schedule allows your body to prepare for food to digest it and then rest in between meals so that your body can focus on other bodily processes such as healing. Eating on a schedule also prevents you from getting too hungry and overeating. The signals that let your brain know that your stomach is full are slightly delayed, so when you are too hungry and eat too fast, you often accidentally overeat.
These five steps can really make a difference to your diet. Remember that the goal is healthy eating and that your health isn’t necessarily measured by numbers on a scale. You’ve got this. Be your best self.
Charlotte :)
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