“I want to lose weight.” “I want to eat healthier.” “I wish I could find a diet that would help me be healthy.” “I need to change my eating habits.” How many times have you thought these things to yourself? Be honest: how many times have you reached for the Doritos and sighed to yourself “I wish I could eat better”? The reason so many people fail at changing their diets is because they go about it the wrong way. They think that they have to give up all of the foods they love and eat tiny portions of things and only “shop around the walls” of the store. Here is the good news: it is possible to drastically change your eating habits without hating every second of the change you are making. You can eat better and love the food you eat at the same time. Here’s how:
1. Go Slowly. Do not go on a rampage through your kitchen and throw everything out. Do not suddenly start buying all new foods and snacks. This is the quickest way to set yourself up for failure. Instead of trying to change everything all at once, go slowly. Slowly but surely trade out one junky item for a healthy alternative. This will give you time to get used to the changes you are making. It will also give you time to explore all of the healthy alternatives that are out there to the foods you already eat.
2. Reduce your refined sugar intake. This is where you need to practice some self control. Artificially flavored sweets are tasty, but the sugar they contain will leave you feeling sluggish and hating your body. Instead of reaching for the strawberry flavored jolly ranchers, reach for some strawberries. You’ll get the flavor you’re craving and trade the junky snack out for a healthy one. Switch your ice cream with well made frozen yogurt. Heck, switch your pudding with yogurt. You’ll get the same tastes, but your body won’t hate what you are putting into it.
3. Use olive oil instead of other types of oil when you cook and cut the oil use in half. These two small changes will cut down on your calorie intake and make your food healthier. More importantly your food won’t taste any different, so you probably won’t even notice the change you’ve made.
4. Shop for flavors instead of brands. If you’re craving some starchy snacks, grab some popcorn instead of potato chips. Go for the flavor and texture you want. You’ll satisfy your cravings, but do so in healthy ways.
These are just four ways to help you radically change your diet for the better. When you use these steps to help you eat healthy you are less likely to relapse into your old “junk foody” ways. More importantly, you’ll still love all of the foods you are eating. Eating healthy does not ever have to mean choosing carrot sticks instead of chocolate cake—it means choosing chocolate frozen yogurt instead of chocolate ice cream. Baby steps are the key. You can do this and be glad that you’re doing it.