Making healthy food choices, staying hydrated, and utilizing portion control strategies are not just important when the summer months come around. Developing a new, healthy lifestyle can make a big impact on your body both inside and out.
1. Don’t blame your genes!
While our genes do play a big role in who we are and what we are prone to, weight gain is usually not affected by your genetics. Overtime, we develop regular eating habits, cravings, and craving times; dieting is only a temporary change and then your habits will come back.
Think about all of that progress you make and then lose each time you try a new diet. Is it worth it? Diets are not only a temporary and often unhealthy solution but they are expensive. Yo-yo dieting can be harmful to your health, especially when the diets are fad and deprive your body of your individual needs.
Ditch the diets and enjoy a healthy lifestyle with disciplined eating habits. There is no need to count how many chips you can eat if you indulge in a morning caramel latte, if you swap the chips for berries and the caramel latte for a plain skinny latte.
2. Yes, you need your breakfast.
Eating throughout the day is one of the most important healthy eating habits because food is your body’s fuel source and without it you will have less energy. Your body may also use alternative fuel sources, which can lead to health problems.
Some of us do not intentionally skip breakfast, we just are not hungry. If this is your problem then I have a suggestion : Snacks! Skipping prime time meals is not okay, so even if you are not hungry, make sure to eat every 3-5 hours and try to snack on something small. Berries, nuts, dark chocolate, or sipping on a homemade smoothie might work for you.
3. Your food is making you sick.
The motivation behind developing healthy eating habits should extend beyond is more than just trying to control your weight. Poor eating habits can cause health problems and affect brain function. For example, did you know that dehydration can cause lack of memory and concentration? It’s on the long list of effects , including headaches, mental fog and irritability.
High and bad cholesterol may not seem too threatening at first when you have it but both can lead to serious heart problems.
Poor eating is linked to a weak immune system. It can also affect the digestive and metabolic systems which are some key systems to enhancing weight control.
4. Satisfy your cravings.
When you develop healthy eating habits you will not crave guilty foods on a regular basis. Many fitness and nutrition professionals say it takes 2-4 weeks to stop cravings and break a habit. Kids, before they are exposed to junk foods and sugar, will crave what their body needs….it is a shame that this wonderful natural gift our body has been given to keep up our inner health is often destroyed.
Break your old habits and soon your new, healthy eating habits will take over. You will begin to crave water, fruit, vegetables, tea, and other healthy foods rather than processed and sugary foods. When you fill your body with junk that is what is adjusts to taking in, so that is what you begin to crave. Alter your diet back to healthy nutrition and you will crave what you need.
Oh, but I want it all!
Food is great, tasty, and a simple indulgence in life….but even healthy foods can become harmful when we eat too much. Portion your meals and snacks beforehand to make this easier. Using smaller plates will give an illusion that you are still consuming a lot of food. Portioning snacks in small bowls or bags will ensure that you don’t overeat mindlessly.
More times than not, when we overeat we feel it but when we mindlessly eat we do not feel the bloat until afterwards. Watching TV, doing computer work, reading, and even talking are all reasons we mindlessly eat. Have you ever started eating a bag of chips then suddenly look down and realize the bag is almost gone? This is why you should portion a snack amount beforehand in a little bag and try to eat slower.
Eating too much of one food is just as harmful to the body as overeating…no, actually it is a bit worse because the after effects are often quick to appear. Juice diets are a great example because most juices in these diets contain a good amount of spinach, too much spinach can cause kidney stones and possibly liver problems! Too much green tea is worse for your liver than alcohol. Many healthy foods can be overdone just like unhealthy foods.
“If you keep good food in your fridge, you will eat good food” – Errick McAdams
Developing healthy eating habits is a step towards a healthy lifestyle. Being healthy, inside and out, should be effortless. Counting your calories, measuring food, skipping breakfast for a sugary latte, and trying to run an additional mile for every cookie is a chore that is built around lack of discipline.
Make your own healthy cookies rather than buying a box from the bakery! You can get a regular latte with almond milk and still have a tasty morning coffee. Eat dark chocolate dipped fruit instead of caramel filled chocolate squares. The eating habits can be developed through simple swaps and small steps.
Be persistent and you can happily live an effortless healthy lifestyle. Remember, it’s more than just your physique but it is your inner health that matters too.
