So its the new year! Happy 2015 everyone!! With the new year its always a the most popular time that people reflect on the past year and start making decisions to better themselves in the coming year. For many of us that means figure out how to stay out of the drive-thrus!!! While I will preach up and down all day long how Shakeology is my number ONE defense about the dreaded fast food lanes because its fast and..SURPRISE, cheaper; I know there are some other things you have to learn to do in order to be successful in eating better! So here's the run down:
1. Set Goals: For some reason this one is the hardest for me. I tend to sit down and take a HUGE chunk out of where my life should go and end up completely overwhelming myself. The key is to take things a little at a time. Your overall goal might be to completely cut sugar out of your diet, but shocking your system and cutting it all out at once is going to make you miserable. Start with the goal of cutting out cokes, or that extra piece of chocolate you have while you're sitting at your desk. Write out a list of the things you want to change and think about the small things you can do that will compound over time to change the way you are eating. Tell people about your goals, post them on the pantry or fridge door so that you constantly reminded and motivated to keep on track! Changing how you eat is a such a mind game so setting small goals and achieving them gives you a sense of satisfaction.
2. Have Realistic Expectations: If you just down right cannot stomach peas, don't decide to eat them for your dinner veggie. Don't push yourself so hard to change that you are completely miserable, that will do no good and you will end up quitting. For example when I'm planning out my meal plans for the Fix I look at the list of foods I'm allowed and I pick out the ones I actually LIKE and then figure out how I can combine them into a solid delicious meal and then SURPRISE I actually still enjoy eating!! I'll be real honest and tell you its going to take a bit of a learning curve and you are going to have speed bumps that knock you off track every now and then but the key is to jump right back on and keep on trucking.
3. Be Proactive: Find the foods you like that are healthy to snack on. Almonds, homemade trail mixes, Shakeology. Bring it with you in the car, work, etc. The best idea is to leave a little "just incase" stash in you car JUST INCASE you get stuck somewhere unexpected and need something to eat! It will keep you out of those fast food lines and keep you guilt free!! Make a plan, go shopping and stick to your plan! And of course make sure its things you
actually ENJOY otherwise you are NOT going to be too happy and you'll probably end up giving up within a few days time!
4. Consistency is Key: Most people respond well to consistency. Make a plan and stick to it. Try to eat at around the same times daily and keep to the same portion size and caloric intake.. Your body will recognize this pattern and in turn keep your metabolism burning and your energy levels will stay high. You will feel better, and get in a healthy routine. It is easy to sabotage yourself by grabbing nasty snacks to meet uncontrolled cravings. The time you spend on planning and consistency is a true investment that will benefit you for the rest of your life.
5. Be Flexible: Of course, even the best plans fall short at times. Life can sometimes get the best of all of us. Sometimes your eating routines need to change. Where you can, try to plan ahead for these events and have items on hand you can take with you when you’re in a rush or are eating out. Example: Bag of almonds, protein bars and shakes, fresh fruit. Also educate yourself on nutrition through the internet, books, and magazines. You can use this knowledge to help you improvise and find foods that are compatible with your diet, for example if you are out with friends or stuck with no time to cook. Find items that are less time consuming that you can take with you in a pinch.
6. Don't Be So Hard On Yourself: Nobody is perfect all the time. If you mess up, miss a few meals, or even have a bad couple of days, just pick yourself up and get back on track. You’re doing this for you, and the added stress of not living up to your own expectations can lead to a total diet derailment. Being healthy and eating healthy does not mean you can’t enjoy foods not on your meal plan. So don’t be so hard on yourself. YOU CAN DO IT!
7. Stick With Your Plan: It takes time to develop healthy behaviors. After about a month of eating better consistently, you will have developed a habit. You will find that everything you initially may have had a hard time doing becomes more effortless and be a normal part of your day to day life.
8. Have Fun: Eating right takes dedication, commitment and sacrifice. Don’t stress yourself out over small bumps in the road. You have the power to change any negative into a positive, and you have the choice to have a positive outlook regarding any situation you find yourself in. Find fun ways to keep yourself motivated. Get friends and family involved. Set challenges at home, with friends, or at work to start eating healthier. Take the time to cook and try new and interesting recipes. You are making change for the better, so why not make it enjoyable.
9. Give Yourself Praise: You are not a dog so don’t reward yourself with treats. Realize that changing your eating habits can be a daunting task for anyone. Just think how long you have had your current habits and know that changing those habits will not happen overnight, but with time. Congratulate yourself on any healthy changes you make, you deserve the praise. Praise builds confidence and makes you feel good about the healthy choices you are making, and in turn help keep you on your path to betterment.
10. Don't Rush Into This: People always start with the best of intentions and will try and do everything at once. They get overwhelmed and quit before they really even started. Small changes add up and can make a huge difference. Work on one thing at a time and keep adding to it. Before you know it you will have many healthy habits that incorporate together to make a healthy lifestyle and a healthier and happier you.
11. Its About the Journey, Not the Destination: To live a healthy lifestyle is never easy. In order to enjoy this lifestyle with all the ups and downs, we must enjoy the process and the journey on the way to our destination. Once we hit our destination we immediately look to the next mountain top and we either want more, or worst case scenario we think that we have accomplished all we need to and we relax on all of the things that got us there in the first place. Take pride in small victories along the way, they add up.
12. Measure Success and Start New Goals: Making successful changes means measuring your progress towards your goals and recognizing your accomplishments. As you meet short-term goals, you can plan the next steps with more confidence. Constantly re-strategizing your goals takes long-term visualization. That long-term vision needs to be broken down into doable steps.
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