Eating healthy can be simple, easy and enjoyable. All it requires is for you to focus on nourishing your body with food that makes your body feel good whilst being tasty and you will find it easy to be committed to healthy eating for the long term.
Before diving into the 10 healthy eating habits to change your life, the most crucial point is to not lose your mind over it. You want to feel good in mind and body, and not spend your whole time thinking about food and what you’re going to eat for your next meal, and then feeling guilty about what you have just eaten, all whilst being hungry. This emotional rollercoaster will continue until you decide to change your habits, which will change your life.
These healthy eating habits can help you feel healthy and be the best you for life, making it easy to be a part of your everyday life.
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Commit to 30 Days
Making a commitment is the biggest step to your success – this goes with any goals in life! By having a plan for 30 days it will help you to keep focused and by the end of those 30 days you will have made new habits and feel confident in your ability to make positive changes and progress towards your results. It might be difficult for the first week, and that’s normal, but focus on your plan and you will soon realise how capable you are of getting the results you want for your health. An example of one health commitment is to eat plant-based food for 30 days or only cook and prepare your food.
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Focus on Breakfast first
To make it easy for yourself focus on changes with your first meal of the day. Doing this will help you to be consistent when your mind is fully motivated for the full day ahead. Start your day right with a wholesome nutritious meal to give your body the energy it needs for the morning tasks.
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Start Simple
Instead of cutting certain foods out of your diet, focus on adding in simple healthy foods. Switch less nutrient dense foods for more nutrient dense foods. Instead of eating toast for breakfast, switch it to protein oats or a protein rich smoothie. Instead of a chicken sandwich for lunch, switch for a wholesome bowl of sweet potato, quinoa, avocado and tomato. Instead of sweetened milky coffee at a coffee shop, choose an iced tea with no sweetener and add coconut milk.
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Add all Macronutrients
Focus on eating protein, fats and carbohydrates. By ensuring you are eating a variety of foods your mind and body will feel satisfied and satiated which will help to avoid cravings and binging on sugary processed food.
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Eat Mindfully
Learning to listen to your body when eating is one of the best healthy tools you can implement. Trusting your body and tuning into its signals ill help you to eat the right amount of food that satisfies you for optimal energy levels and overall health.
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Stay Hydrated
Drinking water is important! Making sure you are hydrated can also prevent you from overeating or snacking when you think you’re hungry but are actually thirsty. Eating mindfully and drinking enough will help you to honour your body’s hunger signals.
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Forget Good or Bad Foods
Healthy eating should be a way of life, something that makes you feel good in body and mind every day, with zero guilt attached to your meals. Instead of labeling certain foods as good or bad, see them as either less or more nutrient dense. Some foods have more nutrients and will help your body to thrive with the nutrition and be eaten most of the time for optimal health. Other foods have fewer nutrients, and can have a place in your every now and then meals – but this still requires an approach of eating mindfully. Be aware that there are some foods that are actually harmful, for example, foods loaded in trans fats (i.e. highly processed foods like frozen pizza, premade biscuits and cakes, and some packaged snacks). These ‘foods’ are not only unnutritious but are harmful to your health and won’t help the body to feel energised. So when you do eat, pay attention to how your body feels. If you feel bloated, sluggish or constipated, is it worth eating that food at anytime? Focus on foods that make you feel incredible in body and mind, instead of labeling them as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ to rid the mental exhaustion over your food!
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Manage stress to avoid emotional eating
Many people turn to food for comfort and emotionally eat when stressed, upset and overwhelmed. There is nothing bad to have the occasional food out of comfort but when you rely on it for dealing with stress then this needs to be addressed. Instead of using food, focus on healthier ways to deal with stress, such as yoga, meditation, pamper baths, a walk, listening to a positive audio book, dancing to your favourite music.
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Stock your kitchen up
When there are healthy options in your house then that is the food you will eat. If your kitchen is stocked up with food you are trying to avoid then you are making it harder for yourself. Fill your cupboards, fridge and freezer with the food that makes you healthy, and for the occasional “not-so-healthy” food enjoy it out with friends and family.
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Ditch the Dairy
Dairy is a common allergenic food that is known to cause acne, congestion and digestive issues in many people. One of the healthiest habits you can change is ditching the dairy and choosing plant-based dairy alternatives instead for your health.
You have the power to change your health. The habits you have now can easily be switched to healthier habits, all it requires is commitment to new steps. Try these tips for yourself and see your health transform!
Rebecca is a personal trainer and health & wellness coach who is passionate about helping women to feel healthy, happy and LOVE life. As a coach with a huge passion for vegan nutrition, holistic health, enjoying exercise and self care, Rebecca is on a mission to help women thrive!
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