How to Create Healthy Eating Habits

I think it is safe to say that eating health is something that we all aspire to do but it is not always easy to put into practice on a day to day basis! Whether it is because we are too busy, or there is a string of social or work occasions where there are unhealthy foods, it is easy to let the best of our intentions fall through the cracks.

By now I hope that you all know that quick fixes will not last. So how can you maintain a healthy eating pattern in the long term? The answer is to develop sustainable healthy habits, so that the healthy eating becomes part of your daily life. When healthy behaviors become habits, your overall health and wellbeing can improve.

Here is a list of healthy habits that can help you get back on track and STAY on track! I hope this list helps make choosing healthier food options a part of your daily life.

Start Simple

Rather than cutting certain foods out of your diet, try swapping them for something else instead. Instead of eating highly processed foods, go for something unprocessed. For example – instead of reaching for a chocolate bar, you can choose a piece of fruit to kick that sugar craving. You can switch a bag of chips to hummus and veggies. Instead of an energy drink or soda, you should choose sparkling water. Do not over complicate things! That is when it becomes unsustainable. Start simple. Keep it simple!

Commit to Making a Small Change for 30 Days

Small changes can make a BIG difference! Think of one eating habit you can change that will benefit your health and stick to it for a full 30 days. That is when habits are made! Here are some ideas:

· Commit to drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning each day.

· Cook at home every evening. No eating out.

· No fast food for lunch.

It may be difficult at the start but do yourself a favor and challenge yourself to commit to the full 30 days and watch for the signs that your health is on track.

Find Healthy Foods That You Really Enjoy

Instead of forcing yourself to eat something you hate because you know it is healthy, choose foods that you actually enjoy eating and fill your diet with those!

For example, if you do not like kale, that’s okay! There are plenty of other foods out there that are just as good for you! Healthy eating should always be enjoyable and NEVER a chore.

Eat Protein with Every Meal

Making sure you eat protein at every meal will not only help you reach your recommended protein intake but it will also help you feel full longer. This can be especially helpful if you have a fat loss goal.

Adequate protein each day is also especially important for people who are training as it is required to build and repair muscle tissue.

Eat Fruit When You Want Something Sweet

Fruit is a great alternative to desserts when you want something sweet! Most desserts contain high amounts of refined sugar and saturated fat. Yuck. Stick to fruit! Maybe even make a yogurt parfait – just one idea of a healthy option you can have to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Increase Your Vegetable Intake

Filling your plate with extra veggies will help you to get all the essential vitamins and minerals you need while also providing energy and adding volume to your meals so that you feel full and satisfied.

It is also easy to find ways to sneak veggies into your daily snacks! For example, try adding spinach to your fruit smoothie. Try celery and carrots with your hummus instead of chips and crackers.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking water is so important! Making sure you stay hydrated can help prevent you from overeating and snacking. Sometimes when you think you are hungry you are actually just thirsty. Plus, you will get way more out of your workouts when you are properly hydrated.

Learn to Read Food Labels

Knowing exactly what is in your food can help you to make healthy choices. Of course, it is always best to choose whole foods, but if you do buy packaged food, here is what to look for:

· Serving Size: This is the best place to start to help you be able to evaluate the rest of the information on the label. Imagine you are looking at a bag of granola, with about 200 calories per serving. Not too bad for breakfast, right? Until you look at the serving size and see that only 1/3 of the granola is 200 calories. We all know that your serving at breakfast will look more like 300-400 calories once you finish. Knowing the serving size not only can keep you from overdoing it, it can also make sure you get enough of the good stuff (like vegetables).

· The Number of Servings: The other crucial number when it comes to servings. Often, even foods that look like they should just have one serving end up having multiple in them. Knowing this number can help you control your portions.

· Protein: The “daily value” percentage for macros is based on a 2,000-calorie a day diet. Since you calorie intake may vary from that, it is better to look at the number of grams. We have already discussed how important protein is in your diet, so make sure you pay attention to how much you are getting at each meal.

· Fat: You do not want to be fat-phobic. Fat is satiating and helps you absorb fat-soluble vitamins, so it is necessary to keep it in your daily diet. Fat is not just about total grams. You have to look at the types of fat. Stay away from foods with any trans fat and saturated fat.

· Carbs and Fiber: The nutrition facts will give you the total grams of carbs as well as how many are coming from fiber and sugar. Your body needs carbs to burn fat. Just make sure that there is some fiber in there.

· Total Sugars: These include sugars that are naturally present in many foods, like fruit. There is no Daily Value for total sugars because no recommendation has been made for the total amount to eat in a day.

· Added Sugars: These include sugars that are added during the processing of foods (sucrose or dextrose), foods packaged as sweeteners (table sugar), sugars form syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices. These do NOT include naturally occurring sugars that are found in fruits and veggies. The Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day.

· Ingredients: No, not everything that is unpronounceable is bad for you, but in general you should be looking for shorter ingredients lists with words that you recognize. This will help steer you toward less processed foods. Remember, ingredients are ordered by how much is in the product. So, whatever is listed first if the primary ingredient, while those toward the end hold less weight. So, if you see white flour/enriched flour or sugar toward the top of the list, stay away! Instead, look for products with real, whole foods as the first few (or better yet, ONLY) ingredients.

Do Not Categorize Foods as “Good” or “Bad”

Healthy eating should be just one part of a sustainable approach to being healthy, not a quick fix or fad. Having a restrictive mentality about food can encourage unhealthy eating practices and is not sustainable long term. Instead, you should make nutritious choices as much as possible, but do not punish yourself for enjoying a treat every now and then. One meal will not derail your healthy lifestyle. Healthy eating is all about balance!

Plan and Prepare

Take some time out of your schedule to prepare your meals for the week, either by writing down a plan or actually cooking and meal planning so your food is ready to go. Planning and preparing some of your meals for the week can take away the burden of deciding what to eat and prevent you from making less healthy choices when you are out and about or do not have healthy food on hand.

Practice Mindful Eating

There are many benefits to eating with more awareness for both your body and your mind. Give these tips a try:

· Chew slowly. This makes food easier to metabolize and will prevent indigestion.

· Listen to hunger cues. Asking yourself whether you are still hungry, or whether you are satisfied and being more aware of how you feel will help to prevent you from overeating or eating when you are not hungry.

· Savor and enjoy your food! Mealtime will be even more enjoyable when you take the time to taste and appreciate the flavors and textures of your food. It also encourages you to reflect on the time taken to prepare the meal and practice gratitude, which can lead to a greater sense of wellbeing.

Cook at Home

When you prepare you own food, you know exactly what is going into it! It is also easier to manage portion sizes when you cook at home. You can choose organic, fresh veggies and fruit, whole grains, and even prepare your own sauces to make the food you eat healthier. Establishing healthy habits like preparing your meals at home is one step you can take towards giving your body what it needs so you feel your best!

Choose Whole Grains

Whole grain options may be more nutritious than white bread, pasta, and rice because they are high in fiber which means that they will keep you full for way longer.

You can boost your nutrition by incorporating a variety of different grains into your diet. Oats, barley, rye, buckwheat, and quinoa are all examples of different grains you can include in a balanced, healthy diet.

Stock Your Kitchen with Healthy Foods

When there is only healthy food in the fridge and pantry, you are far less likely to make the effort to drive to the grocery store to get those donuts you are craving. Make sure that you buy plenty of healthy food and snacks to eat throughout the week so that you feel satisfied after each meal. When you fill-up on whole grains, fruit and veggies, lean meats, nuts, and legumes, you will be less likely to crave unhealthy processed foods.

Learn to Eat Healthy at Social Events

Social events can be some of the hardest times to eat healthy, especially when you are tempted with all kinds of greasy, highly processed foods and desserts.

If you know you have a lot of these types of events in a row, here are some tips you can do to eat healthier:

· Have a healthy snack before you go to take the edge off your hunger.

· Fill up on salad and veggies.

· Look for grilled fish or lean meats.

· Share the dessert with a friend.

· Bring a healthy dish to share!

Make Healthy Eating Habits a Part of Your Lifestyle

When you step away from fad diets and incorporate sustainable healthy eating habits into your life, it is going to take time to adjust. Change is always difficult, but if you stick to it and fuel your body with nutritious, balanced food choices, over time you will have more energy and healthy eating will become a habit.

I hope you try these tips for yourself! Making healthy eating into a habit is totally worth it!

-Body By Riss