5 Keys To Healthy Eating

Many people operating in an either/or mode...

Either they are all in on a program, following it to at T, or they are simply going willy nilly with their eating habits.

Healthy eating is more than just the calories or the latest diet fad. Trends come and go.

Here I provide you with five essential tools to remember that you can always apply to establish a healthy, balanced lifestyle:

1. Enjoy what you eat!

Success depends on enjoying what you consume on a daily basis. When you don't enjoy your food, you begin to resist it. Resistance creates stress and stress is counter-productive to your overall goals. Look at eating as a part of your life, not a chore that interrupts your progress.

You can acquire a taste for healthy foods. They will not always taste as good as the heavily processed, artificial crap that most Americans put into their bodies (yes, I do consume these on occasion as well). But I started off slowly making substitutions and, eventually, I developed an acquired taste for certain foods over others.

Does it make sense for you to go "cold turkey" or transition? Creating a healthy lifestyle is all about finding what works best for you!

Many people cling to diets that allow "cheat days" or "gorge fests" because they never really learn how to enjoy the healthy food - they need a psychological crutch of getting comfortable and live cheat day to cheat day.

Find recipes that you enjoy eating and look for healthier substitutions. Take it week by week and experiment with new recipes/food prep! You'll begin to notice that you have more energy as you incorporate healthier, more natural foods into your daily life.

2. Be Flexible

Change is intimidating and never really easy. Most people often resist change in their lives, especially as we get older. We find what we feel most comfortable with and then we oppose different views/ideas.

Don't let your comfort zone limit your overall potential!

Looking back to when I first started learning about what was in food - the macro & micronutrients - I didn't just dive in head first. I struggled tracking my food on MyFitnessPal and resisted the efforts until I found a friend that could help me learn the basics. I learned how to read nutrition labels and basic ingredients on the back of the food I regularly ate.

Then I took it day by day, establishing new norms and watching as my body changed over time.

You have to experience something before you can really judge it yourself. This applies to anything in life, not just fitness. Sure, everyone has opinions, but have you ever been in the position to really know all the details?

Don't be afraid to try something new - a fitness program, recipes, or meditation. Just try it! You may surprise yourself with how easy it is to make a change without adding all the unnecessary stress and anxiety.

3. Listen to Your Body

This is one of the coolest changes I have noticed throughout my progress over the last four years.

We all know the feeling of eating until you are stuffed - which actually means you should have stopped a while ago because it takes approximately 20 minutes for your mind to recognize that your body is full. Drink a glass of water before you eat, slow down, and set aside your electronics. Be mindful when you eat and not distracted by other things.

I'm not trying to say you can't go out and socialize with friends & family over a meal. But, when you do, set your damn fork down! Talk with them and listen. Just scarfing down your food won't help you with learning this technique.

I started off following the usual task of eating every 3 hours consistently. It was like clockwork... I would eat at 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm. Small meals, every day. My goal was to speed up my metabolism, be mindful of the food I put in my body, and constantly feel prepared.

But that life is not necessarily for everyone...

Eventually, I stopped the time-sensitive eating and just started focusing on when my body was hungry. Following these tools became much easier with time. Practice this for a few weeks and you'll find that you can achieve your goals.

4. Practice Moderation

Moderation is "the avoidance of excess or extremes".

As with consistency, moderation is also key to both happiness and progress. I started off in a very regimented manner (see #3) which led me to my current lifestyle today. Sometimes you have to go through that struggle in order to learn what works best for you to gain control.

Food is not limited to most of us so we often consume much more than we actually need - usually because it tastes so good.

If someone buys a pizza, I will start off with one slice, meat, and a side salad. I do not punish myself because I ate carbs. Why is this okay? Because I'm not eating the whole pizza... I'm eating enough to enjoy the food, the social setting and one night off from meal prep.

Those who have the most success with keeping weight off don't take it as permission to eat like an a**hole. I find the balance in my life through the 80/20 rule. I eat healthy 80% of the time and enjoy the other 20% with alcohol or desserts. Find what works for you and see how your body responds. If you're gaining weight, you're probably eating too much.

5. Believe in Yourself

If you don't see the point in the changes you are making for your overall health, then why even bother? You already know it will just be another fad diet that you fade away from quickly...

Most of the time your lack of belief is not in the program you're currently following, but in yourself.

Fear of change... Fear of failure... Don't let those take control of your life!

You have the strength within yourself to live the life you deserve.

Your success will be determined by the level of your belief. People achieve their personal success stories through all different nutrition/fitness lifestyles. There is no one-size-fits-all. Usually people have tried one thing, then tried another, and then finally found an approach that fits best for their needs.

Along with that, surround yourself with people who build you up to believe in yourself.

You have the tools, now put them to good use!

#HealthCoach #PersonalCoach #HealthyLifestyle #ChangeIsGood #BelieveInYourself #HealthyEating