So you’ve decided to start eating healthy. It goes good the first couple of days, but then you start to notice that you feel pretty hungry. You miss pizza, donuts, chocolate, and everything else you’ve decided not to eat for x amount of time. And you’re absolutely sick of kale. Kale is like spinach’s evil cousin to you. You feel like if you eat one more “health” food item, you’re gonna scream. Or punch something. Or both (I’m not here to judge…).
One day you decide to have a little cheat meal as a reward for you being good with your diet, so you order a pizza. But then one slice doesn’t seem like enough, so you end up eating the whole pizza. While it was tasty, you feel guilty and gross. As a punishment, you do a ton of strength training and cardio to burn off everything you just consumed. You vow to never eat like that again, so you put yourself back on a diet that basically only consists of fruits, veggies, and maybe some unseasoned tofu. But after a while, you get tired of it, and then you binge again. The cycle continues, and you’re so sick of it.
Sound familiar? I’ve been there, too. That’s how “dieting” works. It’s not sustainable. If you’re wanting to start eating healthy, you need to stop dieting and start living a healthy lifestyle instead. They sound like they’re the same thing, but they’re actually totally different. One is super restrictive, the other is more free. One is a punishment, the other is a celebration. One can put you in a bad place mentally, the other can make you feel amazing. That’s the difference between dieting and a healthy lifestyle. If you wanted the second option of each of these statements, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are my top tips on how to stop dieting and instead live a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy.
Aim to have a fruit or vegetable at each meal
Instead of subtracting a food, try adding in some nutrient dense veggies. It’s so much less restrictive and is a great start to eating healthy. For breakfast, I like to have fresh fruit on top of sourdough and peanut butter. When lunch time rolls around, I’ll have a chickpea salad sandwich with either lettuce or spinach. For dinner, I’ll have roasted veggies with another carb and protein. If you don’t hit your goal for one meal, don’t beat yourself up. Just try again the next time you eat.
Plan ahead
If you’re constantly running around trying to get stuff done, it can be tempting to just grab whatever is available for a meal or snack. Oftentimes, it isn’t a healthy option. Try meal prepping on Sunday to have everything ready to go for the week. Pinterest has tons of meal prep ideas, so there’s something for everyone. Make sure to also have a healthy snack on hand just in case you’re hungry, such as air popped popcorn, a piece of fruit, or a protein bar (just make sure it has a good amount of protein. The less ingredients, the better). Planning ahead will help you start eating healthy.
Listen to your body
Eat when you’re hungry, and stop eating when you’re full. This is a practice known as intuitive eating. Your body knows how much food it needs in order to function. However, experts warn against intuitive eating if you have a history with eating disorders. If this is you, then I recommend working with a therapist or a registered dietician. They’ll be able to help you more than any influencer or blog post could.
Don’t obsess over what you eat
Did you have a little bit too much cake? Well, guess what, life goes on. If it was delicious, then it was worth it! You don’t need to stress about it. It’s definitely a process of learning how to not get upset with yourself when you go off track. But seriously, you don’t need to worry. You can try eating healthy tomorrow.
Have a treat every now and then
Living a healthy lifestyle and learning how to start eating healthy allows you to have a treat every now and then. Aim for eating healthy 80% of the time, and having a little treat or something 20% of the time. This method is a lot more sustainable than following a traditional diet that makes you cut out all your favorite treats. By being overly restrictive, it can make you binge. By being flexible with what you eat, there’s room for both eating healthy and having a treat.
Find what works best for your body
For me personally, I know my body functions best when my diet consists of plant based foods. I’m lactose intolerant, so that’s why I don’t eat dairy. I’m not restricting dairy because I think it’s “bad” for me; I’m restricting dairy because I know it doesn’t make me feel good. But that’s just for me. This may not work for your body. Try playing around and write down what makes you feel good and energized. If you’ve noticed that bread makes you feel sick, try cutting out gluten for a while to see how you feel. Everyone is built differently, so your answer probably won’t be the same as mine.
Don’t be afraid to try something new
Try out a new recipe or weird food you saw at the farmer’s market. There are so many healthy (and delicious) recipes all over the internet, especially on Pinterest. You never know what you’re gonna like unless you try new things. There are lots of weird looking foods that are actually delicious. Just go for it!
Eating healthy is a celebration, not a punishment
Eating healthy is a way to celebrate what your body has done for you. It may not be perfect (nobody is) but it’s still functioning. You’re still alive. Eat healthy to nourish it, not to punish it. If you eat vegetables mainly as a punishment, then you’re gonna start hating vegetables, because really, who likes punishment? Eat healthy because you have access to a bunch of gorgeous produce. Don’t eat healthy just because you ate a donut yesterday.
What diet out there lets you decide what you should/should not eat? Most diets out there are restrictive and unsustainable. You may lose weight while you’re on it, but then most of the time, you will gain it all back. Anything that is restrictive is not good for your body. You could be missing out on vital nutrients. On top of that, dieting could put you in an unhealthy and obsessive state of mind. Choose to live a healthy lifestyle instead. Eat good, nourishing foods most of the time, and have a treat every now and then. Don’t punish yourself when you overeat. Show your body some love.
