Tips for Eating Better

I must admit it…for years, eating better just didn’t work for me. I think sometimes I may have just pushed too hard. I tried to do it all at once without really planning or doing my homework. Other times I made excuses about how hard it was or that I didn’t have time. I got discouraged and instead of adjusting, I just reverted back to my old, bad habits. 

Here are some tips I’ve learned from my own experience that might help you get on track to creating a lifestyle of good eating habits.

1. Set goals and share them. Take some time to write down what you want to change about your eating. Write down everything you would like to change. Then, break down your goals into bite-sized pieces (no pun intended!). Take 2 or 3 things from that list and focus on those goals THIS WEEK. You don’t have to change everything at once! You did not create bad habits all in one week, so it would be unrealistic to expect you could change them all into good habits in one week! Each week, pull out the list again. Did you accomplish your 2-3 goals this week? GREAT! Check them off, and now, tackle 2-3 more the next week. Before long, you have created new habits in your everyday eating, and every goal you wrote down on that original list is checked off! Sharing your goals also helps – with your spouse, your family, your coworkers. It holds you accountable, and they feel involved and helpful as well.

2. Make it work for you. Be realistic when planning your new diet. It should work for you, your schedule and your budget. Schedule extra time when you have it to pre-cook meals or at least the main dish, pre-pack serving sized snacks (for example, snack sized bags with 20 almonds, bags in the fridge with a mix of sliced veggies, snack size bag of 100 calories of lowfat cheese). Know that curve balls will come your way so you can anticipate how you will react – when you are at the ball game and the team wants to hit your favorite Tex Mex restaurant together afterwards, what will you order? It takes work, and practice. Think ahead – list out healthy foods you enjoy, what you can take with you to work, to your kids practices, to the beach or wherever you are going today. Keep healthy food on hand, or you will be grabbing something that is not a good choice. Be realistic about your plan, but make a plan!

3. Educate yourself. There are many reliable sources in books and magazine, and on the internet, to help you learn about good nutrition. What is Quinoa? Why is whole wheat flour better than white flour? What combination of protein, carbs and fats should I have in a day? One of my favorite resources are the meal planner that comes with your Team Beachbody Club membership at www.teambeachbody.com. My other favorite is www.livestrong.com/food – the FOOD tab is filled with helpful information and articles, and you can search within the site. For example, if you need to better understand why sugar is not good in your diet, just type in SUGAR and voila! It is at your fingertips.

4. Track what you eat. You might think this is overkill or cumbersome, but it is SO EASY to do with an app on your smart phone. I PROMISE…if you do this ONE step consistently, you will have success in improving your eating habits because you will see exactly what you are putting into your body. First step: click here.  Use the Calorie Calculator to help you determine your Daily Calorie Goal. Remember, this goal is the NET calorie intake. Calories eaten less calories burned with exercise = Net Calorie Intake. I use the Livestrong MyPlate app on my iPhone to track all of my eating and exercise. It is a new habit I created about 18 months ago, and this habit has made all the difference for me. Try it!

5. Be consistent. Make a plan and stick with it – your body will respond WELL to consistency, to a new pattern, and your metabolism and energy levels will stay higher. Being consistent also helps you to create new HABITS. You will be amazed at how quickly your habits will change if you apply these helpful hints!

6. Be flexible, and don’t beat yourself up. If you fall down, just get back up and get back on track. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself that you give up just because you make a bad choice, have a bad meal, or have a bad day. It is OK to enjoy foods not on your meal plan occasionally! You are making a change for LIFE, not just for the short term. Sometimes it is these small setbacks that help me learn more about it.

7. Have fun! You can find ways to have fun with your new eating style! Try new recipes. Try new healthier restaurants if you must eat out. Have a summer bbq and share your new healthy recipes. Get your family and friends involved. Surround yourself with people who support your efforts and will have fun trying new things with you! Your positive attitude and influence will be contagious!

Most important, remember that you are creating a new lifestyle! You are changing your LIFE, and as much as you would like to wave the magic wand and have it happen overnight, it just won’t! Follow these tips, praise yourself along the way. Take pride in how far you have come. Before too long, you will have created new habits for eating better!