With interrupted routines, constant access to refrigerators, and using unhealthy comfort foods to deal with emotions, it is no wonder the Corona-19 is becoming just as familiar as the Freshman-15. That being said, as 2021 rang in, so did New Year’s Resolutions. Many people resolved to eat better, lose weight, drink more water, or exercise more. Most times, our resolutions are not difficult or time consuming or too lofty to accomplish. Why then, do we get off track? How can we reset our habits so that we can stay on track?
Today is January 19th, 2021. Strava calls this day “Quitters Day”, aka the day most people are likely to give up on their resolutions. Let’s bust through “Quitters Day” like champions. Here are my personal tips to help you reset your healthy eating habits and stick with that resolution.
Tara’s Tuesday Tips: How to Reset Your Healthy Eating Habits
Do not strive for perfection, strive for improvement
It is a fabulous idea to reflect on 2020 and the mistakes you may have made with your diet/wellness. Use this reflection in a positive way. Decide what you might do differently going forward without using extremes. 2020 wasn’t perfect for anyone. Find areas to improve, not ways to punish yourself.
Be consistent
This is my word of the year. Consistency. Be consistent in whatever you choose to do, no matter how big or small. The best way to remain consistent is to start small at first and solidify good habits.
Set up your life to minimize temptation
Play offense, not defense, with your willpower. People with the best self-control are the ones that must use their willpower less often. Let me say it again. People with the best self-control are the ones that must use their willpower less often. Severe calorie restriction leads to binge eating. There is no arguing this fact. Feed yourself, be good to your body + it will thank you.
Ditch the guilt
Feeling guilty about the way you ate or the way you didn’t exercise isn’t helpful. The most powerful thing you can do is look forward, not backward. There is no room for guilt if you are truly going to reset your healthy eating habits.
Eat mindfully
It might sound like a bunch of nonsense, but it is real. Learn to recognize the signs of hunger and satiety. Setting aside proper time and space for meals. Slow down, eat at a table.
Drink WATER!!!!!
Drinking more water boosts your metabolism. Wow that is so easy to do. In addition, sometimes you are simply thirsty, not hungry. Try it, I am telling you it works!
MOVE!!!!
If the Coronavirus pandemic taught us anything, it taught us that we need to get creative with our exercise. Gyms closed, races cancelled, and fitness classes moved to zoom format. Despite that, somehow, people found a way to keep moving. A few minutes a day is all it takes. It will also help with appetite control.
Focus on wellness not weight loss
Trying to exert rigid control over the number on the scale won’t help you understand what went wrong to get you where you are. Focusing on what you can add to your life to make you well instead of what you need to take away to magically get the number down will actually help you more in the long run. This is a key component on your path to reset your healthy eating habits, and your wellness journey.
Small changes = big results
Small steps = big changes. Smaller changes are easier to maintain + have been proven to last longer. All the small steps will add up over time.
Make simple substitutions without sacrificing taste
Restrictive diets have a significant rebound effect. After being ultra-restrictive, there is a tendency to eat all the things you told yourself you couldn’t have. Try substituting healthier alternatives instead of restricting entire foods or food groups. Brown rice instead of white rice, spaghetti squash instead of pasta, silken tofu salad dressings and spreads instead of oil/sour cream/mayonnaise based.
The Easiest Ways To Reset Your Eating Habits (aka the things that we regularly do here at MVF):
- When you are hungry, first ask yourself, “does my body NEED this food or am I bored/tired/sad/angry/distracted”.
- Plan your shopping in advance.
- Keep your kitchen clean.
- Cook at home and if you absolutely cannot, make sure you know exactly what is going into your takeout food.
- Do something that makes you feel good that does not involve food.
- Don’t drink your calories.
- Keep track of what you eat.
- Go for a walk! It REALLY works!
Some Other Useful Articles To Help You Reset Your Healthy Eating Habits:
All the best,
Tara 👩🏻🍳
💚 Follow me on Instagram @myvegetarianfamily where I post my daily food journey + be sure to subscribe here to my weekly emails for tips and recipes so that you never miss a veggie thing! 💚
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