Start eating healthy, one habit at a time!
If you’ve felt overwhelmed by the idea of eating healthy, you are in the right place. With so much advice online, it can be confusing to know what to do and where to begin when starting to eat healthy. In this blog, I will guide you through a few simple steps to help you start eating healthy without feeling overwhelmed.
Why Should You Start Eating Healthy?
If you feel sluggish after meals, your bloodwork suggests cutting back on processed sugars, or you are gaining weight, these are clear signs to start your health journey.
When you improve your nutrition, you also improve your lifestyle. You can move around more because you have more energy. You sleep better, and your joints don't hurt because you are not overweight. Your digestive system is working properly, which makes your stomach feel good. Those are just a few reasons to consider improving your nutrition today.
How To Start Building Good Habits
As a nutrition coach, I always advise my clients not to go all-in; instead, build one habit at a time. And that’s exactly what I am going to tell you here. Why?
You are more likely to keep doing something if you are doing it on autopilot. You don’t have to think about it because you have created a rhythm or pattern, and you are in a routine of doing that specific thing. And that’s what healthy eating is all about. It’s not about completely cutting out food groups from your diet or giving up dessert. It’s about making eating healthy easy and part of your routine.
James Clear, in his book, Atomic Habits, says, “If you can get 1% better each day for one year, you will end up 37 times better by the time you’re done.” This includes eating habits as well. Make those small changes to see what people call the overnight success story.
9 Habits to Eat Healthy
I created a list of habits you can start implementing. My suggestion is to avoid doing them all at once; otherwise, they will not stick. You will waste your time and maybe money trying to do it all, with no results.
1) Eat 3 balanced meals per day
Balanced meals include the four categories of food on your plate: carbs, fats, protein, and veggies. Your body performs best when you fuel it properly. Each one of these food groups gives you energy, protects, and builds your body to be in its healthiest state. When you are cutting out one of these food groups, you are robbing yourself of nutrients your body needs.
I have a free guide to help you easily build a balanced meal.
Start building up to one balanced meal a day. If you try to prepare all three meals, you may become burned out and stop because it is too overwhelming.
2) Include protein in all your snacks.
The biggest challenge I see in my clients is getting enough protein. Yes, protein shakes and powders can be a source, but adding protein through real food should be the first option.
Some great ways I like to add protein with real food in my diet is:
Beef sticks
Rolled deli meat with cheese
Greek yogurt bowls
Cottage cheese bowls
Smoothies with Greek yogurt or cottage cheese
Hard-boiled eggs
Here are some recipes you can grab from my blog that are so delicious and will easily add extra protein to your day.
Banana Peanut Butter Cottage Cheese Bowl
3) Eat fruits for dessert instead.
I decided to follow a no-refined-sugar diet some time ago. Instead of eating dessert, I substituted fruit in all my recipes. When I wanted a sweet treat, I had a fruit instead. I noticed that fruits started to taste sweeter. The pastries that I made without any refined sugar tasted sweet. I was also staying full longer. The biggest win from this 21-day challenge was that now I was fueling my body with the vitamins and minerals from those fruits. The exchange for real food was worth the sacrifice because of how I felt.
Now, I am not saying you shouldn’t treat yourself to a donut or cookie. Just make the majority of your dessert choices come from natural sources.
4) Portion control
Another easy way to start eating healthy is using portion control, especially if you are trying to reach specific goals, like body recomposition, losing weight, or gaining muscle. An easy way to do that is by using hand portions. This doesn’t require a scale; just learn to use your hand to measure your portions. If you are interested in trying this method, you can download my free hand portions guide here.
5) Slow down when you eat
This one is so easy, but yet so hard to do. Slowing down to understand what you are eating and enjoying every bite is part of eating healthy. It’s not just a concept that nutrition coaches talk about, but it actually works. Digestion starts the second your food enters your mouth. It digests better when you take time to chew it and break it down in the early stages.
6) Meal plan
Structure is key for some busy moms and full-time professionals. Meal planning helps keep things organized and keeps you on track when you are tired. You don’t have to make this a several-hour process; just take 15-30 minutes to sit down, look at what you have in the fridge and pantry, and dream up easy-to-make, good meals. If you need something for that meal, add it to your grocery list. That’s it!
Make dessert with no refined sugars
One of the most important things I did for myself as I started my journey to eat healthy was to find snacks that had no sugar. I opted for naturally sweet ingredients that satisfied my cravings. I paired banana and peanut butter, dried fruits with dark chocolate (unsweetened), raisins and walnuts. These are just a few of the snacks I enjoy. Once your palate adjusts to the naturally sweetened ingredients, you will notice that donuts are too sweet for you and a whole donut is too much.
7) Drink Water Instead
Instead of ordering soda at a restaurant, order water. If you are at a party, have one drink and the second glass can be water. Create simple habits with drinking water instead.
8) Swap the snacks for healthier ones
I love a good snack, and sometimes cravings get the best of me. If I am reaching for a snack, I always grab one with better ingredients. I want to keep my gut healthier and not completely derail my progress in my health journey. This will help keep your blood sugar a little more stable if the ingredients are wholesome.
9) Get accountability
Sometimes you need a little help. And that’s ok too. At one point, I asked for help myself because I felt like I needed that push. A nutrition coach does just that.
As a nutrition coach, I take all these tips I just gave you and make them practical. I help you solve the problems you are facing, teach you how to make balanced meals, and help you build healthier habits around food. I cheer you on when you feel like giving up. I help you understand nutrition. My job is to help you and guide you.
If this sounds like something you need today, fill out the application, and we will get in touch. This application is not a commitment; it's just a call to see if we are a great fit for each other.
A New You
Are you ready to start your journey?
I am cheering you on, one habit at a time.
Take one of these habits and start doing it today.
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