If there’s one goal that I hear time and time again it’s that people are wondering how to create healthy eating habits. There’s so much information out there on the internet and now even on Social Media, how can you sort out what to do!?
Let me also start here by saying that a healthy diet isn’t about strict limitations, trying to eat as little food as possible in order to stay thin, or having to deprive yourself of the foods you love. Instead it’s learning how to eat to properly fuel your body, give yourself energy, improve your health and boost your mood.
While some specific foods or nutrients have been shown to have a beneficial effect on mood, it’s your overall dietary pattern that is most important. An easy thought process should be to replace processed food with real food whenever possible. I’m not saying you can never have the cake, pizza or chips. BUT for the majority of the time if we’re focusing on nutrient dense whole foods it’s going to be just fine when we indulge in those food items we love.
Healthy vs Unhealthy Eating Habits
- Focusing too much on quantity of calories not quality
- Eating Quickly
- Labeling foods as “good” or “bad”
- Buying foods thinking you can resist them
- Stuck in the Clean Plate Mindset
- Not Listening to Hunger Cues
- Eating When Distracted
What to Do Instead
- Implement a variety of veggies, proteins and carbs
- Eat Mindfully
- Not Labeling Foods
- Keep a Food Journal
- Replace the Temptations
- Trust Your Body
- Focus On How You Feel
Take Notice of Where You’re At
Before you set out on working to change your eating habits taking note of where you’re currently at is a great first step. If you just try to implement the above but don’t take time to see where you’re starting from it’s going to make change very difficult. I would suggest to keep a food journal for a full week. I know it can seem time consuming and stupid BUT then you’ll be able to put into perspective just exactly what your current habits are.
If you aren’t sure if your current habits are healthy or unhealthy it’s always best to consult with a health coach. This way you will be able to work with someone to see where you’re at, discuss your goals and what has held you back in the past and construct a plan to finally achieve your healthy eating goals. Feel free to click here to book a Free 30 minute Discovery Call to see how we could work together to get that plan going!
Change Your Relationship with Food
Do you ever find yourself saying, ” I can’t have a sandwich for lunch, I already had toast with breakfast”? This is a great example of a negative mindset towards yourself and food. We’re giving food so much power and restrictions. We’ve heard that carbs are bad so we try to limit them as much as possible. However, that’s just not true! Carbs, protein, and fat are all good and we need them all! Limiting certain foods or food groups can really have a negative effect on us when we do enjoy them. We start to get down on ourselves like we failed and caved and did something “bad”. But really, we just ate food that our bodies wanted and needed!
When you’re building a plate of food, try and think how you can incorporate a lot of veggies, protein, fat and carbs. Now there are definitely some healthier choices for carbs out there so If you are trying to be a little healthier this year try being mindful of that. While potato chips are considered a carb, maybe try opting for the oven roasted red skin potatoes instead! You’ll feel better after too. But the main goal here is to understand that you can eat the foods you want. You don’t have to restrict yourself from foods. Take notice of how you feel before, during and after eating certain foods. Does it trigger you in anyway? Are you feeling ashamed or fueled and ready to take on the day? If a food is making you feel bad, maybe it’s time to not eat that as often.
It’s going to take time to get these new habits and goals feeling like they belong in your life. You will get there though!
