Beauty...
Be your own
kind of beautiful
Be your own
kind of beautiful
I’ve talked a lot about what to do when you can’t seem to get motivated to exercise but what about when you’re tempted to go off the deep end … food wise? It’s easy to revert to old, unhealthy ways of eating but we’ve got to stay focused!
Changing your eating habits isn’t about being perfect in the week and then binging on the weekends. One day of indulging might not make you gain weight, but an entire weekend, every weekend will. The goal should be set in making healthy choices every day and those healthy choices INCLUDE allowing yourself treats along the way. It’s about treating…not cheating!
Luckily, there are ways to help yourself avoid these “cheating” pitfalls! Here are my top tips for ditching the junk and staying on the right track:
Okay, let’s make this simple. Don’t buy crap! Just don’t do it. You have a growing teenager or a hungry, hungry hippo of a husband? They can have the unhealthy food but make them hide it! I’m serious. If it’s in your house or in front of your face, you’ll be more likely to eat it. Don’t have junk in the pantry? Well, then it’s not an option!
My favorite chef, Gavan Murphy suggests using Sunday night (or whatever night works for you) to cut up veggies and prepare healthy go-to snacks and meals for you and your family in advance. When you plan and prepare, you don’t leave anything up to chance! Need some ideas for meal prep? I’m loving this Make-Ahead Meals Made Healthy cookbook by Michele Borboa and of course, Make It Ahead by Ina Garten will always be a classic. She’s basically my hero in the kitchen. Love, love, love her!
Don’t make all social events around meals. I mean, think about it. Most get-togethers are centered around food (lots of it) and drinks (lots of those too!) That’s fine sometimes but it’s also nice to switch it up. Try a hiking day with friends instead rather than a boozy brunch.
Eat healthy snacks all day long! It’s a great way to get satiated, get your five servings of fruit and veggies and not binge on the bad stuff! Also, this is a great way to be your own portion control police! How? Have a correct portion of foods and snacks pre bagged in Zip-locs. They are easy to grab on the go and will keep you from overindulging. Prepare single-serving portions like almonds, granola, low calorie cheese, baby carrots, or fresh berries in your fridge. Keep a few in your purse or in your car’s glove compartment to help keep you from skipping meals or from rolling up to a drive through!
This needs to be a golden rule. Do not go to the grocery store or out to eat hungry. We all know this. When feeling famished, we are more vulnerable to unhealthy cravings and bad choices. You’ll likely end up with Cheetos in your grocery cart or a cheese enchilada on your plate! Have a healthy snack before these kinds of outings. It will seriously help your judgment!
And always eat breakfast. This will help to encourage a healthy metabolism. Skipping meals creates unhealthy spikes and drops in blood sugar and whacks out your metabolism. Research confirms five to seven small, regularly timed meals a day is best when working towards weight-loss and maintenance.
