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Eating healthy is hard. I know because I suck at it.
For years I’ve yoyoed with my weight but as I get older, it’s not just the weight I’m worried about. My family has a history of diabetes so I’m also at risk already.
This time around I am going to focus on getting healthy as a whole. Not just focusing on my weight. I am a foodie to the core so this is hard for me. I really, really love food. So my plan is to still keep my love relationship with food but clean it up a lot. Here are some easy tricks to help you get on the right track to living a more healthy life.
#1) Add More Water to Your Day
Sugary drinks are one of the hardest things for me. I live in the south y’all, & we love our sweet tea. Needless to say, it’s more like sugar water with a hint of tea for the color. Water is good for your body and helps keep you full when you’re getting ready to sit down to a big meal.
How much water should you drink though? Drinking too much is also a thing. I am working on drinking at least half my body weight per day. As I lose weight, the amount will go down as my weight does.
Things that I find help me
Drinking water from a straw is big for me. First, my teeth are sensitive anyway. But for some unknown reason, I tend to drink more throughout the day if I have it in a cup with a straw.
I need a lid too but that’s for a completely different reason.
Cold water is another thing that helps me. I love ice cold water. My office has a water cooler at work that dispenses pretty cold water. I tend to drink the water down faster so it doesn’t get to room temperature.
#2) Add 2 to 3 clean eating meals per week
Drastically changing what you’re eating overnight will deter you. Start off small by adding a couple meals a week that are on the more healthier side. Now I know this isn’t easy. Trust me, I work a full time demanding job in the legal field. Finding time to fully prepare a meal after I get done working for 8+ hours most days is hard. I don’t even have kids yet. For those of you who are already mamas, you go girl. I don’t know how I’ll manage when I get there.
Pinterest is a great place to start to find easy healthy meals. Or if you’re a Kindle user, there are a ton of cookbooks on there. I have a Kindle Unlimited subscription (which is only like $10/month and I read a ton of books on there). I even found a great one that has all crockpot recipes. Those are my kind of recipes. Put all the ingredients in there then dinner is done when you get home from work. Easy peasy.
Things that help
Like I said before, don’t drastically change your diet. Start with recipes for things you’re already eating. For me, it’s chicken and beef. I’m not a fish person and I may not ever be. So I’m not going to start off with 2 new recipes for salmon and catfish. It’s just not happening.
#3) Add an extra vegetable or fruit to each meal
I am a carb queen. I would much rather give rice or potatoes AND bread at every meal. I could probably have a little meat and one of each of those options and call it a day. I like fruit and veggies but I have a feeling it’s more my awful eating habits already that lead to this.
This week give yourself some extra healthy sides when fixing meals. Instead of a starch and bread, try only having one and two veggies with your dinner.
Things that help
I was always a picky eater when I was a child. This led me to believe that I just didn’t like a lot of food. Now that I’m an adult sometimes I try new things and wonder why I never tried them in the first place.
Flavor is also another big thing for me. Adding a couple seasoning that gives it a little more flavor help a lot.
#4)Add a 20-minute walk 2 times per week
Being healthy also includes getting some exercise. I get it, you’re super busy. But eventually, if you don’t take care of yourself, your body will force you too. Take 20 minutes a couple times a week and get a quick walk in. This is not only great for your physical health but can also help with your mental health as well.
Throw on your headphones and listen to some tunes or catch up on your favorite podcast. Heck, sometimes I even listen to my favorite audiobook.
Things that help
If you’re anything like me, it’s hard to keep promises to yourself. Yeah, guilty over here. So find a girlfriend to be your accountability partner. Now you’re killing two birds, one stone. You get a workout and get to socialize. Win, win.
Make it the first thing you do in the morning. Then it’s done and over with. You can go start your day on a good note because you’ve already accomplished something.
#5) Add healthy snacks
Chips and crackers are my worse enemy. Especially since I have a really bad habit of grabbing the bag and not stopping until I’m halfway through it. Or worse, all the way through it.
Instead, stock up on some fruit and veggies that you can munch on during the week. Or greek yogurt if you’re craving a little sweet.
Things that help
At the beginning of the week, cut up your fruit or veggies and portion them out into containers. That way in the morning when you’re throwing your lunch together, it’s easier to just grab them. You won’t have to stop and measure or anything like that.
If it’s something I know I just won’t be able to resist, I just can’t buy it. Ice cream is that for me. I just can’t have it in the house because I have no self-control when it comes to it.
Just the beginning
These are all things that you can do this week. The key is to start small and build on that as you go along.
Notice that I focused on adding things instead of taking them away. As one of my favorite blogger’s said in your amazing book, Girl, Wash your face, it is much easier to add things than taking them away. You won’t feel like your missing out on anything because we’re adding instead of taking anything away.
What kind of things is help you to reinforce positive habits like these? Leave a comment below and tell me about it.
