Three tips on how to start changing, and get a healthier food lifestyle.
To set yourself up for success when you’re changing your food habits, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.
1. Don’t get in a rush! Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from margarine to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
2. Small Changes Matters! Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long-term goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of obesity and diseases. Don’t let your missteps derail you — every healthy food choice you make counts.
3. Make it simple! Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. This way it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious.