You want to start eating healthy, awesome! I think it’s a good thing to do if you want to create the best version of yourself. Food is your fuel, so why not make sure you eat well. I do think it’s a good idea to do this the right way. That’s why I’m sharing my favorite tips and tricks to start eating healthy. Use them if you like and make sure you find a way of eating that fits you and your lifestyle.
Figure it out first
If you want to start eating healthy, it’s a good idea to figure out what’s not healthy about your way of eating now. Is it the foods you eat or maybe the amount of meals and frequency? People often think that eating healthy means quitting sugar, go on a diet or buying healthy items. But healthy eating is more than that, it’s everything you do when it comes to eating. Are you sitting down while you eat or are you always eating on the go?
I think it’s a good idea to assess your lifestyle and what way of eating would suit you best. I used to eat on the go a lot. I ate a lot of fast food, sandwiches, snacks and I never took the time to really make myself a good plate of food. That’s why it didn’t matter what diet I was following at the time, I never executed it right. Once you figure out what your lifestyle is and how you like it to be, you can start to adjust your way of eating accordingly.
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Stay in your own lane
Like many other consumers in this world, I decided to follow other people’s advice on how to eat. I started dieting and counting calories. I quit sugar and started eating all kinds of ‘healthy snacks,’ thinking I was finally eating healthy. I wasn’t, I just didn’t realize. I think it’s good to try out different ways of eating, but don’t just do something because everyone is doing it. We all have different bodies and we process food in different ways. Don’t think that what works for your best friend also has to work for you.
I have to be honest and say I paid too much attention to what other people said I should do. I was also constantly analyzing what worked for others and wondering why it didn’t work for me. It finally hit me when I found Keto and intermittent fasting. Everyone should find a way of eating that works for them, stay in your own lane. If you want to eat vegan because it feels better, you go girl! If you want to count calories because it works for you, keep at it. Make sure you don’t lose track of what feels good for you.
Don’t go crazy at the supermarket
Start eating healthy by not immediately running to the supermarket and buying all kinds of ‘healthy’ items. Make a plan first! I have made the mistake of buying random things because someone said it was healthy, only to never eat it and throw it away. As you can tell I’m very keen on being realistic and conscious of what works for you. That’s why I’d like to advise you to check your kitchen cabinets and fridge first. Make a list of the healthy things you already own and actually like to eat.
Then see what you also like to eat but might not have been eating for a while. Check what foods you might want to try out for your healthier way of eating. Making a list before going loco at the supermarket will not just safe you money. It will also help you make good and healthy decisions when it comes to food. Research is key, that’s why I would like to advice you to find out what healthy foods you already like and which ones you can add.
Research first
Research is an important part of eating healthy. Before I started researching I didn’t really look at food labels and I didn’t understand them. I just looked at the ingredient list to see if I wasn’t allergic for any of the ingredients. After doing some research I learned how to read food labels. I now know what carbs, protein and fats in food are. I also know more about healthy ingredients and that a ‘healthy’ snack isn’t always as healthy as the seller claims.
A lot of people buy into the hypes or the promises companies make. I used to be one of them too. I thought products with less fat are better. I also didn’t know that there are many other names and variations for sugar on the ingredient list. I often bought ‘sugar free’ products, only to find out they just used another name for sugar on the label. My tip is to find yourself some good books or online articles on healthy food. Learn how to read labels and what actually is inside the products you buy. You’ll find out a lot of the items are a lot less healthy than you thought.
Diet or not to diet?
You may have noticed I say I want you to find ‘a way of eating,’ instead of saying you should go on a diet. That’s because diets are often restricting you and could make you feel like you can’t or do have to eat certain foods. A diet can make you feel obsessed with food or restricted all the time. Needless to say, that’s not how I want you to feel. Following a diet isn’t the best option in my opinion, although you should do what feels right to you.
I personally recommend you find a way of eating that works for you. What I mean by that? Well, to me a way of eating is part of your lifestyle. It’s eating healthy automatically without thinking about it, because it comes natural to you. This of course takes some practice and discipline, but it’s worth it. I think it’s better to teach yourself what and how to eat healthy in a relaxed way. Instead of constantly telling yourself you can’t have something, like you would on a diet. A way of eating also allows you to still enjoy tasty food once in a while, like your favorite snacks. You just don’t feel the need to eat it those every day anymore, which is much healthier for you.
This is why I love Keto and intermittent fasting so much. These two things are ways of eating, they’re not diets. For instance, I like Keto because it helps me make conscious decisions about the things I eat. I don’t have to count calories and I can have a snack when I really want to. Why? Because it’s a way of eating, it’s not a diet that tells me exactly what to eat. Keto and intermittent fasting gives me some guidelines, which are very close to my natural way of eating. This makes eating healthy easy for me, but I can still enjoy my brownies ones in a while. Food should be fun, it shouldn’t be your enemy.
I really hope these tips will help you start eating healthy. Will you let me know what you think?
Kaya-Quintana
P.S. Follow me on Bloglovin for more healthy food tips.
