Doing a total overhaul of your diet can be stressful and overwhelming, there’s no doubt about it. But, what if cleaning up the foods you ate didn’t have to be all that stressful at all?
I'd love to share one simple thing that may completely transform how you think about healthy eating (and a guide on how to put it into practice). Plus, why this mindset may be the trick you need to make a healthy diet a part of your lifestyle.
The Number One Healthy Eating Tip You Need When Things Feel Overwhelming
Ready for it? It all has to do with starting small.
Yes, it’s that simple — baby steps sometimes wins the long-term race.
Think about it — fad diets don’t tend to work in the long-term simply because they just aren’t sustainable. However, healthy eating habits that you establish one step at a time make it much easier to actually keep doing them (without feeling deprived or diet weary). When you take it one step at a time, making healthy food choices becomes a lifestyle, not a fad or punishment.
So, seriously — when healthy eating becomes overwhelming, stop what you’re doing and break it down into baby steps.
Just start with ONE thing instead of thinking about everything you want to change. Once you get that one healthy habit down, move onto the next.
#1 Take Out One Unhealthy Food Starting Today
Think about a food (or beverage) you’ve been meaning to remove from your everyday routine and take it out today.
Once you’re feeling confident and ready to move to the next food, remove something else. Bit by bit, you’ll be eating much healthier without feeling stressed and totally deprived, taking everything out at once.
#2 Find Healthy Swaps
As you’re removing one unhealthy food choice at a time, not feeling deprived is a huge part of sticking to your new healthy eating lifestyle.
Big soda fan? Remove the soda, but think about a healthy way to enjoy a fizzy drink in place of it when cravings kick in.
Some great options include:
Kombucha
Plain club soda with freshly squeezed lemon juice
Tend to reach for dessert? Instead of ice cream or cookies, try blending up a frozen banana with a splash of almond milk to make nice cream instead.
#3 Get a Friend or Support System on Board
Just like it's often easier to workout with a buddy or training partner, don’t go at it alone when it comes to your nutrition! If you’re making some pretty big changes to your routine, why not get a friend, family member, or coach on board? You'll have someone to hold you accountable (and maybe vice versa), someone to bounce ideas off of, and someone to share your successes with.
#4 Pencil in a Meal Prep Day Each Week
Healthy eating doesn’t mean you have to make something from scratch every single day. This is where meal prepping comes into play. Pencil in one day each week to batch cook some of your favorite healthy recipes or components thereof, healthy snacks, smoothie kits, etc.
You may even want to set aside some time each week to look through cookbooks or food blogs to make healthy eating exciting with new recipes each week.
Prep a handful of meals to have on hand to enjoy during the busy week when home-cooked meals may not be an option.
#5 Make it Fun!
Speaking of making healthy eating exciting, it’s important to remember that healthy eating can be fun, and it can absolutely be delicious.
Make it fun by making a new meal plan for yourself each week, experimenting with foods you may have never tried before, and making healthier options that don't leave you feeling starved or left out.
One more thing — while making your meals from home as often as you can will keep you in charge of your own food choices and what ingredients you add to each recipe, it doesn’t mean you can never enjoy a meal out or order something in.
Have fun with healthy eating by inviting some friends over and having a healthy takeout night because healthy eating definitely doesn’t have to be boring.
And NEVER feel like you can't make changes simply because people may think it's weird to eat in a healthier way. Our sickness and disease rates prove otherwise.
Change Your Mindset About Healthy Eating
Change can be hard, and changing our food choices can be really difficult (if we let it be). Take control over how you think about healthy eating by stopping the overwhelm and taking things slow.
With slow and consistent effort, healthy eating can become a lifestyle that you feel really proud of.
Ready to discuss your options and next steps in your wellness journey?
Contact me at jaimepalinchak@gmail.com or book a free initial consult:
Consider my upcoming 12-Week Intentional Nutrition Course!
(Times marked are for in person group. If you'd like to go through the course at a different time or virtually, we can do that, too!)
Check out a fitness class or course!
Grab a healthy habits guide or recipe bundle!
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