Practical Tips to Maintain Good Eating Habits

So you started off well this year – maybe you cut out sweets or alcohol, maybe you started meal prepping the first week of 2018. It’s normal to fall off the wagon when you’re trying something new. If you’re having trouble sticking to good eating habits, here is a list of practical tips to help you adjust to your new lifestyle.

• Don’t give up anything – you can still indulge in the foods you enjoy, but the key is moderation. For example, if chocolate is your vice, choose a healthier version such as dark chocolate and treat yourself once a week. If you’re worried about alcohol, don’t cut it out entirely, instead pick one and stick to it! A glass of red wine one day a week won’t hurt you, nor will one glass of whisky.
• Forget calorie counting – instead, ask yourself where the food came from. Sometimes it’s not always about the quantity of the food, it’s the quality. Is this food nutritious? Will it help keep my appetite at bay? When picking your plate, keep these things in mind.
• Don’t eat boring food – just because you’re watching what you eat does not mean that you must stick with chicken and veggies. Switch things up! Do some research; find healthy recipes you like and rotate. It’s hard to stick to a diet when you’re bored.
• Prep and store – we all know meal prepping is a good way to keep our diets, but it can be very time consuming. If meal prepping on Sunday (the most recommended day to meal prep) doesn’t fit your schedule, try cooking a large meal Monday night and separating the food out into four containers for the rest of the week.
• Eat the rainbow – you’ve heard the “eat your greens” spiel, but what about the other colours in the rainbow? Oranges, reds, purples, yellows… Eating the rainbow will supply your body with a range of disease-fighting phytonutrients and will naturally fill you up to help you cut back on unhealthy food.
• Snack – keep snacks nearby that are healthy and will hold you until your next meal, such as Greek yogurt, individual packs of nuts or dried fruit, or fruits and veggies. Get creative with your snacking and make sure it’s always available when you need it, otherwise your hunger may cloud your good decision-making when it comes to choosing lunch.

Use some of these tips to help keep your healthy eating New Year’s resolution on track. Don’t make food the villain, it’s okay to love what you eat, what’s not okay is to punish yourself for it or lose yourself because you fell off the wagon. Don’t give up. Good luck and happy snacking!