A Mental Approach to Healthy Eating

Let’s face it.  We’ve all made the decision to start eating healthy…and then face setbacks.  There is a holiday party or a cookout that gets us off track.  We snack on our kids’ lunches while we make them and that turns into a day full of bad decisions.  We let someone else’s choices influence our own.  WE HAVE ALL BEEN THERE!!! 


Eating better is hard, and people get really frustrated when they fall short, but that’s ok!  Here are some key ways to stay on track and make your healthy food choices stick!

1. Set goals – It starts by have clear and realistic goals.  Write a list of things you want to change about your diet.  Also incorporate goals that you may have regarding your body and plan your diet around those.  If you have a pair of blue jeans or a swimsuit you want to get into, hang them somewhere you will see them often.  Set present goals, short term and long term goals.  If you try and do everything all at once you can be overwhelmed and more likely to quit.  Take it one goal at a time, one day at a time.  SHARE your goals with others.  This will keep you accountable, and who knows!  They may join you in reaching goals of their own.
2. Have realistic expectations – Your diet plan needs to work for you…not against you.  Your plan needs to work for you and your situation.  It needs to fit your schedule and your budget.  If you don’t follow your budget, your cooking costs will go up, and you’ll have to withdraw from the diet you set up.  If you have a busy schedule, don’t plan to cook time-consuming meals.  Be realistic with time, and give yourself extra time to prepare food, or have it pre-packed.  You will most definitely face obstacles that will deter you, so don’t think everything will come easily.  This is work, especially in the beginning.
   

3. Be proactive – Make a list of healthy foods you enjoy – foods that you can take with you to work, in the car, to school or soccer practice.  Never give yourself an excuse not to have something available for you to eat, no matter where you are!  Always keep healthy foods on hand.  If you don’t, you will probably eat the first thing you see, whether it is fast food, office goodies, etc.  This can throw you off your diet plan and create a habit of making bad choices.  When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
   
4. Consistency is key – Most people respond well to consistency.  I know I do.  If I am inconsistent, I lose motivation.  Make a plan and stick to it.  Try to eat around the same time each day and stick to the same portion sizes and caloric intake.  Your body will recognize this pattern and keep your metabolism burning and your energy levels high! You will feel better when you get in a healthy routine.  The time you devote to planning will pay off when you consistently eat healthy, and it will pay off in the long run!
5. Be flexible – Let’s be realistic.  Sometimes, your best laid plans will fall short.  Life sometimes gets the best of us, and our routines change unexpectedly.  Where you can, try to plan ahead for these events and have items on hand that you can grab to take with you when you rush out the door.  
6. Don’t be so hard on yourself – Nobody is perfect all the time.  If you mess up, miss a few meals, or even have a bad couple of days, just pick yourself up and get back on track.  You’re doing this for you, and the added stress of not living up to your own expectations can lead to a total diet derailment. Being healthy and eating healthy does not mean you can’t enjoy foods not on your meal plan.  So don’t be so hard on yourself…YOU CAN DO IT!!!
   
7. Stick with your plan – It takes time to develop healthy behaviors…studies show us 21 days, in fact.  After about a month of eating healthy, you will have developed a habit.  You will find that everything you initially struggled with becomes more doable and second nature.
8. Have fun – Find fun ways to keep yourself motivated.  Get friends and family involved.  Set challenges at home, with friends, or at work to start eating healthier.  Try new recipes!  You are making positive changes, so why not make it enjoyable!
9. Give yourself praise – You are not a dog, so don’t reward yourself with treats.  Realize that changing your eating habits can be a daunting task for anyone.  Congratulate yourself on any healthy changes you make, you deserve the praise.  Go out and buy yourself a cute new workout top or something you wouldn’t normally buy yourself.  Praise builds confidence and makes you feel good about the healthy choices you are making, which in turn keeps you on your path to betterment. 
   

10. Don’t rush into this – People always start with the best of intentions and will try to do everything at once.  They quickly get overwhelmed and quit before they have even really started.  Small changes add up and can make a huge difference.  Work on one thing at a time and keep adding to it.  Before you realize it, you will have healthy habits and feel so much better physically and emotionally!
11. Measure success and set new goals – Once you reach a goal, set a new one!  As you meet short-term goals, you can plan the next steps with more confidence.